OK, here it goes.  First fic and all that.

Tenchi Muyo: Unfinished Business

A fanfic by
Dennis "DeweyNeko" Carr (ke6isf@nerv.nu)
and Karmin "Trakal" St. Jean (trakal@map.com)

This fic is 100% Ranma 1/2 free!

Chapter 0:1 - In the beginning...

(Relative time line: approximately 700 years before the start of
the OVA's, not very long after Yosho has left to fight Ryoko)

It was a rare occasion.

Aeka had found her way out of the Juraian palace, and made it
into a nearby town.  Since having reached adulthood, it was a
freedom she particularly enjoyed - the constant attention from
the commoners, the conversations with passers by, and even the
food made the experience seem so much more lively!

Add to that the fact that royalty rarely gets out, and you have
yourself a vacation fit for a king.  Or, under the circumstances,
a princess.

Even if it only lasts for a day.

It was at a particular tavern, the name which doesn't really
translate into English but what would probably translate as
something like "The Midnight Unicorne", where she had developed a
taste for alcohol.

It was at this bar where she also had to make use of self defense
practices once.  After returning from town that evening, when
Misaki saw the results of the brawl, the next morning a member of
the Royal Guard Division of the Juraian Navy was standing outside
of her bedroom door.

Hikaru Moriyata was an odd site to behold.  The man was four
inches taller than Aeka was, and a stern violet-eyed expression
was framed in a long mane of brilliant, wavy red hair.  His body,
which could only be best described as "naval build", was obscured
by the standard uniform of a palace guard.

Upon taking note of her and memorizing every detail he could in
three seconds, he said two sentences.

"Lady Aeka of Jurai, at the bequest of your father, I, lieutenant
Hikaru Moriyata am assigned as your personal bodyguard.  As per
this duty, I give you my word that I will sacrifice life and limb
for you, in the name of the emperor of Jurai."

Naturally, Aeka was apprehensive.  She could, after all, defend
herself.  It was then pointed out that there would come a time
where she could be overpowered.

And so, relunctantly, she conceded.

---

Over the course of five years, she had come to know the
lieutenant particularly well, and they eventually became friends.
Granted, they had their arguments, their fights, and moments
where all Moriyata could do is carry his orders out, but after a
while, it got to the point where Moriyata would carry out his
orders not out of a sense of duty to the Navy and his allegiance
to the Empire, but as a friend to Aeka who would put his life on
the line for her.

And yet, as much as they wanted to have more than a friendship,
Aeka was still holding out for Yousho.  Besides, it was always
taboo for royalty to marry outside of the class.

---

And so came the news five years after his orders were delivered.
Moriyata was waiting for her in the hallway, as usual, and Aeka
was to be escorted to breakfast.

Yet while she was particularly buoyant that morning, he was
unusually somber.  When they made it to the breakfast table, she
found out why.

"Aeka, I'm being transferred."

At that moment, she stopped eating.  "Why?"

Moriyata took a sip of his water and explained.  "The navy has
decided I am deserving of a so-called promotion.  Because I have
put my life on the line for you and have risen above and beyond
the call of duty for a member of the Royal Guard," - he looked
sorrowfully into her eyes - "they're transferring me into the
Special Investigations Unit of the Galaxy Police."  He looked
down at his water glass, waited a moment, and looked back up.
"Aeka, I may never see you again."

"Hikaru, I'll make some sort of arrangement."

He shook his head.  "Aeka, I appreciate this, but for your sake
and mine, please don't."

"Please," she said, "I want to make sure you don't have to go."

"Aeka, do you realize what impact that would have on the royal
family?"

"Hikaru, please!" Her voice was down to a whisper at this
point.  "I love you!"

At that second, he stopped.  After so long of considering Aeka a
friend, the possibility of them being lovers was not out of the
question.  And yet, the political impact that would be inovlved
if Aeka married an outsider would be disastrous.

*Maybe it's better that I get transferred.*

He walked over to the other side of the table, and held her hands
in his.  "Aeka."  Conversation at this point would be slightly
awkward.  "My dearest Aeka, you don't know how those words impact
me, and that I love you too.  But if this gets out, we're both
disgraced.  I don't want that to happen to you.  You mean too
much to me for this sort of thing to happen!"

They sat in this position for a few minutes, enjoying the touch
of each other's hands.  Finally, it was her turn to break the
silence.  "When do you depart?"

"Tonight.  Your new guard comes in before I leave so I can brief
him."  After another moment of now uncomfortable silence, he
stood up.  "I need to start packing.  You'll need to stay around
here for the day."

Aeka started to protest, but changed her mind.  Under the
circumstances, there was nothing she would be able to do.

---

Over the course of the day, nothing really happened.  It was a
hell of a way to ruin what started out to be a perfectly good
day, and those orders pretty much ruined it for both Moriyata and
Aeka.  Aeka spent most of the day moping in her room, and
Moriyata simply had to pack.

Most of his belongings would have to be sold, however, as he
wouldn't be able to carry them off with him.  Aeka had
volunteered to see to that, and Hikaru simply didn't mind.
Whatever money came off of the sales would be hers to deal with
as she pleased.  Even if she didn't really need it, it was the
least he could do.

Finally, it was time for the changing of the guards.

The replacement guard, also Juraian, was then briefed on his
duties as a guard.  The job probably wouldn't last much longer,
though.

With very little ado, Moriyata left for the nearby space port
with Aeka to see him off, her new guard following close behind.
Upon arrival, Moriyata ordered his replacement to stand by at the
security station.

During the walk to the appropriate gate, which seemed to take
nearly forever, they didn't talk.  It seemed to be enough that
they walked together.

And finally they reached the terminal, and he turned to face her
- and hold her.

"You know, Aeka, this is going to be the hardest thing I ever do,
is saying goodbye to you."

She smiled without mirth in response. "You know how it would
look, though, if we did marry."

"I know," he replied, "but it makes it no easier."

They stood there in each other's arms for a few minutes until the
departure call was made.  Finally, they let go, and Moriyata
looked her straight in the eye and said his final words.

"Look for Yousho, Aeka.  Promise me you'll find him."

If there were any words to be said, her tears choked them back as
he boarded the ship to the Galaxy Police Headquarters.

---

One month after this, Azaka and Kamikade, the two guards of
Jurai, were assigned to her by her father.  The replacement guard
was posted elsewhere in the Imperial Palace.

Four months after that happened, Aeka went to look for Yousho.

--!

The fic came from an odd idea - about a year ago, I was living
about 3 miles from where I am now.  (I moved because rent got to
be too high, but that's another story.)  While I was there, the
apartment next to mine seemingly went through more occupants than
McDonalds moves hamburgers - so the original idea was something
like "what if some of these occupants were anime characters?"

This idea died relatively quickly.  I couldn't think of original
circumstances to put the Tenchi, Ranma, Ah! Megamisama, etc.
gangs into, except for moving the entire Tenchi gang out on the
grounds that Tenchi himself would be an exchange
college/university student.

On those grounds, UB was started.  It was too late, my muse had
inspired me, and there was no way I was getting this story out of
my head.  So, here it is.  It is a fanfic, and there is nothing
you can do about it.

OK, maybe there is.

Anyway, several references to other movies and TV shows will be
made.  Spot them and win.  OK, so there's no prize or anything
involved, but still.

By the way, anything surrounded by a pair of asterisks denotes
italics.

Comments/criticism/whatever goes to my address - what's written
here in this chapter is mine so far.  (Trakal's stuff comes in
later.)  Flames, as per tradition, should be routed to /dev/null.
=)

DISCLAIMER: The story is based off of the Tenchi Muyo! anime series,
produced by AIC and released by Pioneer Anime America.  All
characters from said series are the property of such.  The characters
Hikaru Moriyata, and any Argelians (which will be discussed in a
later chapter) are the product of the imagination of Dennis Carr,
and belong to same.  (In short, please don't sue me, I'm broke.)

The persons and many events in this fanfic are fictitious.  Any
resemblance to any person, living or dead, or any event other
than what has obviously happened, is a coincidence.  (If you
still feel otherwise, please see a psychiatrist.)

Any military or police procedure outlined throughout the fic does
not necessarily depict any real life procedure or scenario.  Any
similarity to real life procedure/scenarios is, again,
coincidental.  (I've never been in the military, so I don't
know.)