We Belong... Mid-day It was a somber group that gathered around the table for lunch. The Envoy had retired to his vessel, declining Yosho's invitation to join them. Last to arrive was Tenchi, who settled into the space left for him between Ryoko and Ayeka. Absent was the normal chatter and effusive (and well-deserved) praises for Sasami's efforts. Food was sampled, manipulated, and for the most part ignored. Noriyuki watched his son discreetly, and counted the many furtive glances made by the women around him. Since subtlety was not his forte (some thought he consciously fostered his Chaplainesqe image), he pushed his plate away, crossed his arms and asked his son directly, "What have you decided, Tenchi?" Tenchi rubbed his eyes wearily. "It's funny: a year ago I was like most guys my age -- worried about school, following a few sports, and curious about girls. I thought I knew what I was good at, what college I wanted to attend, what career interested me. And like my friends, I had fantasies about swordfights and space battles and meeting beautiful alien women. Only, my fantasies came true...and they were far scarier than I ever imagined. The swordfights and the space battles were the easiest to accept, because they passed quickly. But the alien women...well, they do not slip quietly away. "In the last year my life has turned upside down. For starters, I'm a member of a royal family that has existed for thousands of years. I find that I have powers I could never have imagined, and talents that were sleeping somewhere inside of me (I can feel both of them growing even now). I don't know where my life is going anymore. But some things will never change: my family remains my family, and this house remains my home. "And I have five new friends...more than friends, really. They are so much more sophisticated than I am, and I am so clumsy, and they get so frustrated, and I hurt their feelings so often. And yet they are still my friends...more than friends, really. I know I will not willingly hurt any of them. And to ask me to choose one above the others is like asking me to choose one part of my heart and discard the remainder. I can't do it. I won't do it." A heavy silence spread over the room, until Yosho cleared his throat. "A noble sentiment, Tenchi, but you have not considered all of the options." "It's all I've thought about for the last few hours, Grandpa." "Ah, then of course you have considered marrying all of them?" "Huh?" Similar responses came from around the table. "Emperor Azusa did not see fit to limit himself to one wife, so why should you? My mother is Princess Funaho, Princess Misaki is the Mother of Ayeka and Sasami, and yet we share the same father. I haven't been back on Jurai in a while, so he may have other wives by now. You can find a precedent for just about anything if you look hard enough." Ryoko's cat-like eyes flared. "Do you expect to me share MY Tenchi?" "He's not YOUR Tenchi," Ayeka interrupted. "But I happen to agree with you this time. It would not be proper for the future Empress of Jurai to be senior wife in a harem." "What makes you think you'd be 'senior wife?' I'm far older, and much better qualified," Washuu said. "Is it even legal on this planet?" asked Mihoshi. "And what's a 'harem?'" "I'm not sure I'd like three new sisters," said Sasami. "I remember some of the arguments Mommy and Half-Mommy Funaho used to get into..." A steamy silence settled about them until Nobiyuki said quietly, "I only had a few years to share with Tenchi's mother, and the years since her death have been terribly lonely. But I would pay that price again gladly just to have one more day with Achika." Then he rose and left the house. "And I miss Itsuki," Yosho said. He studied each of them, and asked, "What price is your happiness worth?" Mihoshi started sniffling. Tenchi rose slowly from his place at the table. Ryoko clutched at him. "Tenchi, please don't leave!" "I'm not leaving, I'm just moving over here where I can see everyone better." He stepped around Ryoko and settled into his father's place. He studied each of them for a moment, composing his thoughts. "All this talk has been about me so far. What do you ladies want to do? Ryoko?" "When I thought I'd lost you to Kagato," she whispered, "it nearly tore my heart out. I don't ever want to feel that way again. I'll share you if I have to, but I will not leave." "Ayeka?" "One day I will inherit the throne of Jurai," she answered, "and one of my duties is to marry the most suitable consort I can find. That's the way arranged marriages work. My heart has no say in it. But you are the most suitable consort I've found, and you are the choice of my heart. If an emperor can choose a cluster marriage, a Empress can do no less." "Sasami?" "I don't really understand all of this," she answered, "but I'm like Ayeka. I know my duties, and I know my feelings, and I know where I'd like to be. I want to stay with you." "Mihoshi?" "I come from a big family," she said. "It's noisy and crowded and never really quiet. But there is also lots of fun, and lots of love, and whatever happens they are always there for you. Count me in." "Washuu?" "I was married, once, so long ago that the memories are hoary with age," she replied. "I had given up on the universe, and retreated into my own little cocoon. Until I met you. I'm not leaving either." "I see. I know very little about love and nothing about marriage...I guess that's part of becoming an adult. Heck, I'm not even old enough to shave yet!" His joke fell flat, and he sighed. "I hope you all realize that I am still growing, still changing, and you may not like what I become." "If we are here, we can have a hand in that growth," said Washuu. "We will change, too. The risk goes both ways." "I've sure learned that," he sighed, receiving some tentative smiles. And then he was silent, contemplating and delaying. He had to be honest with himself: there was no one on Earth who could match any of these off-world females in beauty, courage, or just sheer novelty. He had to admit that with these five around his life had taken on an excitement that he'd never really known. Deep in his soul he knew, he did not want to go back to that earlier life (even if he could). But, if he picked just one the others would be terribly hurt, and then they would leave, and he sure didn't want either to happen. Then again, he was just too young to be engaged; he would screw that up, too, he just knew it. He wavered back and forth a few more times, just like he had all morning -- only now he could no longer stall them. Tenchi scratched the back of his head (a sure sign he was nervous). "I can't choose just one of you, and I don't want any of you to leave," he said, looking at their anxious faces. "Would you really consent to a group marriage?" They nodded, one by one. With a ponderous deliberateness, he turned to face Ryoko, bowed formally, and said, "Ryoko Habuki, your passion and courage are a source of inspiration. I have grown to love you and cherish you, and ask if you would honor me by consenting to be my wife." "YES!" she sang and lunged for him, but he stopped her with an obstructing hand, and slight shake of his head. He turned to face Ayeka, bowing formally, and said, "Princess Ayeka Jurai Masaki, First Crown Princess of Jurai, and heir to the throne. Your loyalty and propriety are matched only by your beauty and grace. My love for you is unworthy, but I would be deeply honored if you would accept my proposal for marriage." Ayeka wrestled to keep her face calm and composed, but was losing the battle. She bowed towards him, and replied, "The honor is mine, Lord Tenchi. I accept your proposal." He moved to face Sasami, and bowed towards her. "Second Crown Princess Sasami Jurai Masaki, your sweet disposition lightens my heart. I can only offer you a lifetime of love and devotion if you would accept me as your husband." Sasami tried to copy her elder sister, but she giggled during the bow in spite of her best efforts. "Yes, Tenchi, I would be happy to marry you." The little cabbit on her shoulder purred. Tenchi faced Mihoshi and bowed. "Inspector Mihoshi Kuramitsu, your devotion to duty simply cannot compare to your love of life or your dazzling beauty. If my love can provide an anchor for your chosen career, I offer it wholeheartedly. Will you marry me?" Mihoshi started sniffling. "Oh, that is so wonderful. Of course I will marry you. Oh, just wait until I tell my family!" Tenchi turned to face Washuu, and bowed deeply. "Washuu Habuki, your wisdom and intelligence are legendary, but your beauty and gentleness are just as inspiring. Can the love of a simple student be enough to win your heart and mind?" Washuu smiled, and nodded. "Very impressive, Tenchi. That's what I admire about you: simple, direct, and sincere. Yes, I will marry you." Finally, Tenchi turned towards Yosho, who had witnessed the whole process in solemn silence. They exchanged bows, and then Tenchi said, "Grandpa, would you negotiate on my behalf with the families of my intended brides, so that honor and decorum are maintained?" Yosho nodded. "Yes, I will. And, Tenchi...you made the correct choice." Tenchi turned once more towards five shining faces, and exchanged bows with them. "Well, how did I do?" he asked. And then they were on him like a pack of dogs, laughing and giggling and tickling and pinching and kissing him and kicking the furniture and ignoring his pleas to stop. * * * The wrestling ended only with exhaustion, and they all lay panting and chuckling. Ryoko struggled to her knees and crawled over to kneel beside Tenchi's head, looking down into his eyes. "Tenchi," she said sweetly, "did you really say you love me?" "Yes, I said it." "And did you really mean it?" "Yes, I meant it." She giggled. "He said he loved us all," Ayeka interrupted. Ryoko ignored her. "I want to hear you say it again." "I love you, Ryoko." Her answering smile was radiant. "This looks so undignified," Ayeka continued, indicated her rumpled clothing, her disarrayed hair, and the overturned furniture. "But, did you have fun?" Tenchi asked. After a moment's reflection, she answered, "Yes." "Maybe that's why you look so beautiful," he said. She reddened. He started to sit up when he gasped. "Ow! I think I hurt my leg." He collapsed slowly backwards, only to find his head settling onto Ryoko's lap. She looked very concerned. Washuu crawled forward, reaching for his leg. "Where does it hurt?" "Just above the knee," he answered. He watched her probing the muscles gently, and finally asked her, "Washuu, will I marry a child or a woman?" She paused, considered him with a raised eyebrow, and then blurred as she morphed into an adult. She was taller, of course, but her movements were still graceful and precise. Though her face was rounder than Ryoko's, the resemblance was unmistakable. Her green eyes sparkled, and when she spoke, her voice was deeper and melodic. "Does this answer your question?" Tenchi nodded. "And which form do you prefer?" "Which form do you prefer?" he countered. She shrugged. "Then how about this one after the wedding, and Little Washuu before the wedding?" She nodded, blurred, and was once more an adolescent. "But I'm still a child," said Sasami, sadly. "I can't change that fast." "Then I will wait for you to catch up, little Goddess of the Kitchen." "That is so sweet," said Mihoshi, reaching over to give Sasami a hug. "As are you, Mihoshi," said Tenchi. Mihoshi giggled. "You seem different, Tenchi," Washuu said, eyeing him critically. "Something in you has changed." He nodded. "I guess maybe I have. There is an old Earth saying that goes, 'You don't know what you've got until it's gone.' I came too close to a bitter lesson." "I think we know how you feel. We've all fallen in love with the hero who freed us from our prisons." Washuu answered his uncomprehending gaze by indicating the nodding heads around her. "Prisons come in many shapes and sizes, and are very common. True heroes are unique and special, and may only come once in a lifetime. Better to grab him when you find him, than let him slip away." Yosho studied the group on the floor, hovering over Tenchi. He decided enough of the tension had dissipated to have a little fun. "A group ceremony might be impressive to watch, but the honeymoon could be sheer chaos. Perhaps you should consider individual ceremonies. Tell me, Tenchi, who will you marry first?" Having lit the fuse, it didn't take long for the bomb to go off. "Uh, well, I hadn't thought that far ahead yet," he answered. "I'm the only one here with any practical experience," Washuu suggested. "And poor Tenchi is just as liable to be scared out of his wits. He has to be guided gently by - " "Sorry, 'Mom,' but I'm going first. I've known him the longest - I watched him grow up - so I'm first in line. Besides, I've had plenty of experience in these matters: after all, I was a pirate for 1300 years, and saw all kinds of 'action' (if you know what I mean)." "Actually, you're a liar. I can read your mind, remember? When Kagato stole you from me, he kept his pretty new weapon on a very short leash. Sadistic monster that he was, he was highly amused by retarding your growth - and he had no intention of ever letting you have even a morsel of human comfort, because it might have softened you somehow. And while 700 years in a tomb didn't do much for your social life, it did give you a chance to cool off." "Then I guess we'll just get our experience the old fashioned way, won't we Tenchi?" She leaned forward and embraced him, effectively putting him in a headlock. He gurgled reflexively. "Such nonsense," Ayeka interrupted. "He is a member of the Juraian Royal family. It should be a proper wedding, with elaborate ceremonies and traditional rituals. And since I am the Crown Princess, it is only fitting that I go first." Ryoko growled at Ayeka, who responded by taking Tenchi's arm. "Don't you agree, Lord Tenchi?" Tenchi mumbled a reply. "Oh, but I must insist that we go by seniority," Washuu said as she grabbed Tenchi's free hand. Tenchi's response was smothered as Ryoko shifted her grip. "We could go alphabetically," Sasami suggested. "But it doesn't matter to me, 'cause I'm the youngest and will have to wait anyway. I'm sure you'll pick what's best, won't you Tenchi?" Tenchi tried to nod, but his movements were becoming increasingly restricted. "Oh, just draw names from a hat," Mihoshi said with a dismissive wave. "I wonder if we should all wear the same bride's dresses? I think we all look good in white, that's such a nice traditional color. With lots of flowers. Come to think of it, though, we all come from such different backgrounds, maybe we should each go with a unique look. What do you think, Tenchi?" Tenchi was unable to answer, as he was being pulled in three different directions, his good leg tapping the floor as he tried to support his game leg. Yosho took pity on the boy. "Ryoko, I believe you're choking your fiancé. You might give him a little air." "What? Oh! Sorry, Tenchi, Dear." Tenchi gasped, his color returning to normal. "Can't we discuss the details later?" "By the way, what's a harem?" asked Mihoshi. * * * "The idea is preposterous, and entirely unacceptable," Baron Kitsune said. "Actually, it makes perfect sense," Washuu replied. "How do you want me to explain this to you, scientifically or metaphysically?" "Why not both?" Baron Kitsune replied. "Pick one." "Very well, let's start with the scientific explanation." Tenchi was sitting on the sofa again, flanked this time by Ryoko and Ayeka. Sasami knelt in front of Ayeka, Mihoshi knelt in front of Ryoko, and Washuu sat tailor-fashion down front. She considered this the 'flying wedge' formation, useful for its tactical advantages in the coming discussion, and about the only compromise reached by all the females that wanted to sit on Tenchi's lap. "Tell me, Baron, are you a member of the Royal family?" "Yes, I'm a second cousin of the Emperor." "Then I'm guessing you're a Power Sensitive." "I have some modest abilities, but nothing on the scale of my cousin and his family." "Few people do. I would ask you to reach out with your senses and describe what you perceive." He closed his eyes, sending his mental fingers probing outwards to feel the ebb and flow of Power. It didn't take long at all to encounter the nexus before him, a central turbulence with five satellite eddies of differing intensities. "By the Gods, he's Summoning...and you five ladies are resonating with him!" "You got that right," said Ryoko, snuggling closer to Tenchi. "Yes, we're all linked to him," said Washuu, "and over time we will resonate with each other as well. I don't know if you've read the reports Mihoshi wrote, but I included projections of Tenchi's Power attributes. His potentials are off the scale -- by the time he matures fully he will be stronger than the rest of us combined. If he really wanted the Throne of Jurai he could take it by force, and no one could stop him." "That sounds like a threat." "I'm no threat to anyone," Tenchi interjected. "Ayeka is the heir to the throne, not me, and I will support her against any and all threats." "We all will," Ryoko echoed. Everyone turned and looked at her, shocked surprise on their faces. "Nobody messes with me or my family," she explained. "Anyway, if my beloved truly wanted the Throne, I would abdicate in a heartbeat." Ayeka said. "And I feel the same way," Sasami added. "Now, while I won't discuss Tenchi's sex appeal - " "I will," Ryoko cooed sweetly. Tenchi blushed and rolled his eyes. " -- There's a more basic mechanism at work. Those individuals who can tap into the Power are all Sensitive to other users. The more Power you can access, the more Sensitive you are. Where male Sensitives are more cautious about a newcomer, until they can gauge him as an ally or a rival, the females are going to view him almost universally as a potential mate. Tenchi's awesome capacities, even latent as they are, are already starting to draw women to him like moths to a flame. And it is only going to get worse as he matures...his Power aura will grow exponentially. He will need to marry all five of us if for no other reason than to fend off further suitors!" "Oh, great," Tenchi groaned. His entourage exchanged startled glances among themselves. Washuu couldn't decide which was funnier: Tenchi's discomfort, the ladies' sudden epiphany, or the Baron's sour expression. She was enjoying this. "I see," said the Baron. "I hope so. There's another aspect here worth considering: Tenchi is only 1/8 Juraian, yet the mixture of royal DNA with local genetic stock has amplified his Power attributes enormously. It seems to me that Emperor Azusa's efforts to enrich Juraian bloodlines with fresh characteristics were right on the money. I wonder how the aristocrats are going to react, knowing that their future rulers are unlikely to be of pure Juraian blood?" The Baron shifted uncomfortably. "What about the metaphysical explanation?" "Doesn't it strike you as too coincidental that five female Power Sensitives should just happen to converge on the same spot, at the same time, and bond with the same man? I haven't bothered to calculate the odds, but they've gotta be stupendous. Call it 'fate' or 'karma,' but so much talent in one place at one time was bound to kill us all or combine us all. I rather favor that last option, myself." "Are you sure all five of you are Sensitives?" "Yes. Ayeka and Sasami descend from the Jurai dynasty, and are obvious. My background is not really relevant, but I can assure you I am Sensitive, as is my daughter. Even Mihoshi is a Sensitive, but with a unique twist: she is the luckiest person I have ever met. Good luck or bad luck, she has more of it than any ten people combined." The Baron harrumphed, still refusing the explanation. "Your social dynamics should be very interesting. After all, Lord Tenchi is marrying a mother and daughter, as well as a pair of sisters. It seems to me like a case study in social pathology." "Just one of those challenges derived from long life spans." "But does he have a long life span? You yourself said that he's only 1/8 Juraian. He may be like a brightly burning flame, extinguished after only a few decades (I believe that is the local lifespan). How long did his mother live?" "She died only a few years after his birth, but there were mitigating circumstances involved." Washuu shrugged. "If he only lives a few decades, then those are the dictates of fate. We'll love him and support him for as long as we can, and protect him from those who would 'snuff out his flame' prematurely." She turned to look at Ryoko and Ayeka, who were both growling at the Baron. "And then we'll muddle about in the affairs of our children - after all, some of us already have experience in that area." "Washuu...!" Washuu smiled sweetly at Ryoko. "But my personal opinion is that the genes that bestowed his Sensitivity will also bless him with longevity. He'll probably be around long after you are, Baron." "So, what are your plans now?" "Our plans? I believe we are getting married, and then we'll do our best to breed like rabbits. Right, ladies?" "Damn straight!" Ryoko answered. "And I can't wait to get started." Tenchi studied the ceiling. "Ryoko, can't we observe a little more decorum here?" Ayeka asked tiredly. "But I must say that you are correct. The Royal Line of Succession must be preserved, and there are certain duties to be performed..." She cuddled up to Tenchi as well. "The final words are yours, Lord Tenchi. What do you wish to say to your great grandfather, Emperor Azusa?" "I have learned that Earth is not alone in the galaxy -- it is Colony World #0315, whose written history only goes back 6,000 years, and anything earlier is just a myth or a legend. And I've known for months that my life will never again be 'ordinary.' Worrying about college and a career for a life on Earth seems rather pointless. I have only seen one small corner of one island of this planet...I guess now I may never to get to see the rest of it. That would be depressing if there weren't so much else to see out among the stars. But Earth is still my home. As long as I will be permitted to return here occasionally, to see my family, to visit the graves of my mother and grandmother, then I will abide by His Majesty's wishes. I will travel to Jurai just as soon as I finish high school, and I will attend the academy of his choosing. "But I will not change my mind about marriage. I have asked all five of these ladies to be my bride, and they have all accepted. We make a good team. We will make a great family. We belong together." "Then my task here is complete," the Baron replied, and departed with his robot.