A New Face in the Family
Part 7: No Need for a Vacation


	Last time, we saw Washu make some interesting 
discoveries about Mercury. And Ayeka showed us some of her 
true feelings. Today the gang is again taking their annual 
trip to Tenchi’s aunt’s house for the weekend. Mercury was 
invited as well. Let’s see if this time they can enjoy a 
weekend retreat without mass destruction shall we? 

	The scene opens at Tenchi’s house with the gang 
loading luggage into the van. They are all chatting and 
laughing as they carry on with the arrangements needed for 
the trip. Now we see inside the house as Ayeka is in her 
room packing clothes into a suitcase. As she finishes she 
then tries in vain to close it.

“Arrgh! Close stupid thing.” Ayeka says now sitting on the 
suitcase in an attempt to close it. Mercury walks by her op 
en door and puts his suitcase on the ground and walks in to 
her room to help her. 

“You need a hand princess?” he asks smiling. 

“Yes I do. Thank you.” Ayeka says slightly blushing. 
Mercury proceeds to easily shut the suitcase and picks it 
up. 

“Here I’ll carry it for you. It’s much too heavy for you 
anyway.” Mercury offers as he starts for the door. Ayeka 
starts to stop him but instead allows him to leave. She 
then looks down and away from him and blushes as he walks 
out the door. “Miss Ayeka, are you coming?” Mercury calls 
from out in the hall. 

“Yes, just a minute.” She replies. She then gathers her 
composure and quickly runs out of the room to walk with 
Mercury to the car. 

Now we rejoin the scene by the car. 

“Well that’s all of it.” Tenchi says wiping off his brow. 
“Well shall we get going then?” he asks the group. A chorus 
of “all rights” and “Okays” is heard. They all pile into 
the van and are seen driving off. 

The scene now opens on Tenchi’s aunt’s house as Mercury and 
Tenchi start unloading the van. Tenchi’s aunt comes outside 
to greet her guests. 

“We seem to have an extra guest this year.” Aunt Masaki 
states surveying the crowd. “Tenchi is this the man you 
were telling me about on the phone the other day?”

“Yes it is. This is Mercury. Mercury, my aunt.” Tenchi 
replies and introduces the two. Mercury just smiles and 
bows with two armloads of luggage. 

“So well mannered.” She says with a smile. “Not like some 
of your other friends.” She whispers to Tenchi under her 
breath. Noboyuki and Katsuhito start talking to Tenchi’s 
aunt on the side as Tenchi and Mercury finish unloading the 
van. When they finally got done unloading the suitcases 
from the van, Tenchi and Mercury decided to take a dip in 
the bath for a while. 

In the bath Tenchi decided to ask Mercury about where he 
came from.

“So where is it exactly that you come from?” Tenchi asked. 

“Well as I told Lady Ayeka, I do not know.” Mercury 
responds looking up at the sky. “I am roughly around 
100,000 years old. But I can only remember back about as 
far as 5,000 years ago.” He continues as he now turns his 
head to make eye contact with Tenchi. “So, you must feel 
lucky what with having so many lovely ladies stealing for 
your heart huh?” Tenchi looked down at the water and sighed 
as he responded,

“I don’t know. It seems kind of weird really. I mean it’s 
not like I don’t like them or anything.” Tenchi said. “But 
I just can’t stand it if one girl were to swarm over me let 
alone five or six.” He sighs and then admits, “Actually, 
most of them are pretty good about it except for Ryoko and 
Ayeka.” He quickly looks around to make sure no one in 
particular is listening in. “To tell you the truth, I might 
actually consider dating them if they weren’t so jealous 
and wild and violent.” He leans his head back against the 
rock they are sitting against and looks at the evening sky.

“Hmm…well, I can’t blame you. I have taken a fancy to one 
of the girls as well, but I am not sure of my chances so 
I’ve decided to keep my distance.” Mercury says

“Huh? Who?” Tenchi asks his new friend in an attempt to get 
some inside info.

“I don’t think I’ll reveal that information just yet.” He 
smiles as he thinks of ‘her’. “It’s getting late. Young 
Sasami should have dinner prepared by now, don’t you think 
Tenchi?” Mercury asks starting to get up and dry his arms 
and chest.

“Yeah, you’re probably right. I’m starving anyway.” Tenchi 
replies.

	After dinner everyone complimented Tenchi’s aunt for 
the delicious recipe that she taught Sasami. After dinner, 
everyone except grandpa and Noboyuki sat in the living room 
to watch a movie for the remainder of the evening. Sasami, 
Washu, and Mihoshi sat on pillows on the floor. Kiyone 
commanded the armchair while Mercury sat on the far end of 
the couch next to Tenchi who was of course sandwiched 
between Ryoko and Ayeka. About five minutes into the movie, 
Ryoko started in with the usual flirting and attempted 
snuggling. 

“Hey Tenchi, isn’t this part romantic?” Ryoko asked. “Come 
on Tenchi, let’s cuddle.” She said trying to put her arms 
around the struggling boy. Ayeka started to get angry and 
was about to say something when she glanced to her right 
and saw a staring Mercury and remembered what happened 
during their last fight. But for some reason that wasn’t 
what held her back.

“Am I imagining this? Or am I really holding back because I 
like Mercury more than Tenchi?” She thought to herself. She 
regained her composure and quite out of the ordinary said 
to Ryoko, “Would you please keep it down Ryoko? Some of us 
are trying to watch a movie. Thank you.” She turned her 
head back to the TV and everyone fell down from 
astonishment. 

	What’s this? Is Princess Ayeka losing interest in 
Tenchi? Is she really falling for the newcomer? Could be. 

	Next time, Tenchi starts to learn how to concentrate 
energy. And what’s this? Light-hawk wings? From a boy? Join 
us next time and see what’s going on in Part 8 of “A New 
Face in the Family!”

	Hey, it’s me. Mercury Knight. So what do you people 
think so far? I know Tenchi does not generate Light-hawk 
wings in the Tenchi Universe saga, but I think that you’ll 
like how I incorporate them into the series. Please e-mail 
me ANY THING on this story. Tell me weather or not you even 
want to see chapter 8 onward. If you’re wondering how many 
chapters there are, I don’t know. How ever many it takes to 
make a good saga. Look for up and coming works by yours 
truly,

“Tenchi Reunion” (Regular fic continuation of Tenchi 
Universe), and “Sailor Muyo!” (Tenchi in Tokyo Crossover 
fic). And check out “Jurian Dreams” (An Ayeka fic. Non-
Lemon) in the regular fic section that I have already 
completed.