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The Pledge 8
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These characters do not belong to me and no profit is being made. The Visiting Tenchi awoke, slowly opening his eyes and focusing. His wife lay beside him, drooling slightly on the pillow. He grinned at her. Feared by the galaxy and she drools on her pillow... Ryoko's eyes snapped open and looked straight at him. "Were you contemplating something?" she purred. Pouncing like the cat she was imitating, Tenchi surrendered to the flurry of kisses that was bestowed upon him. *** Ayeka woke up as Sasami was dressing. She yawned and got up to help her little sister. Balar poked his head out of his room and his face brightened when he saw his love walking down the hall. He ducked back in to get dressed. It was usually the four of them at the breakfast table now. He'd wake Mihoshi before he went down for breakfast. *** Sasami and Ayeka had breakfast half done when Balar came down. "Mihoshi will be up in a few minutes." He reported. He helped them with the various breakfast dishes while Mihoshi scrambled around trying to get dressed in something that was clean. Mihoshi bounded down the stairs, eagerly sniffing the air full of delicious aromas. Balar grinned at the blond for no reason. She was so cheerful like him. Ayeka pressed a dish into his hands and he walked to the table with it. It was the last dish and they all sat down to eat. "So what are you going to do today, Ayeka?" Sasami asked her sister. Ayeka looked at her little sister. "I don't know. The fittings are done, so we needn't go to Jurai for that. Maybe Washu will give me a fighting lesson today." Sasami nodded and asked Mihoshi how the food was. *** Exhausted, Ryoko and Tenchi curled up together, resting. Tenchi idly played with Ryoko's hair, while Ryoko examined the way that Tenchi's chest hair moved. "You know," Tenchi began, "I've been thinking of something." Ryoko grinned evilly. "That usually means trouble. The last time you thought, you married a space pirate." Tenchi snorted playfully. "We're immortal, right?" "Right," Ryoko said, dragging her fingernails up his chest lightly. "So we're going to rule Jurai forever?" Tenchi asked her. Ryoko stopped. She balanced herself up on one elbow. "Hmm," she said. "I hadn't thought of that." She looked lovingly at her husband. "See? This is why you're the brains in this outfit. I'm just the body." She quipped, quoting a line from The Truth About Cats and Dogs. "But what a body it is." Tenchi may have been quoting the next line, but with such feeling, Ryoko blushed. "It would solve the heir to the throne problem." Ryoko said. She grinned. "The first thing the nobles will want is an heir and I'll simply tell them no, I'm immortal, so you're stuck with me for the rest of eternity!" "But what if we don't want to spend eternity ruling Jurai?" Tenchi pointed out. Ryoko fell silent. "Then we get Ayeka's kid to do it." She said firmly. "Or grandkid by that time." "What I was thinking," Tenchi said slowly, "was that I'm going to have to learn a lot about Jurai and ruling. I'll have a lot of time to practice, but I'll need some kind of advisor." Ryoko frowned at him. "You're going to ask your wife's best friend, one of your ex-suitors, and the former crown princess of Jurai to be an advisor." She said in a dead voice. Tenchi grimaced. "Yeah, stupid idea." "Hmm," Ryoko looked at him and a finger traced his jaw. "Not stupid just not taken far enough." "What do you mean?" Tenchi said, his eyes alight. "What I mean is, we're immortal. We're not going to want to spend our entire lives ruling Jurai no matter how fun it is. Instead of Ayeka as your advisor, make her queen." Ryoko said simply. "What?!" Tenchi's eyes flew open. "No thank you. You're enough!" Ryoko rolled over and laughed. "No, my silly Tenchi. Have Ayeka and Balar be co-rulers of Jurai with us." Tenchi looked at her strangely. "That would never work." "Why not?" Ryoko demanded. "We could do it in shifts. One week, they're the ruling family, the next week we are. Neither of us would get tired of the work. Plus we can abdicate the throne in favor of their kid! It's so simple!" "It is amazing what my child considers 'simple'. Isn't it, Tenchi?" Washu said, leaning against the frame of the door. Ryoko shot her mother a mean look. "It could work!" she protested. "Sure it could work." Washu agreed with her. "I'd have to set up portals to Jurai from both houses, you'd have to talk Ayeka and Balar into it, the nobles into it, her father and his wives into the idea, eventually set up some kind of schedule, make sure that whatever the other couple was doing you were up on so you didn't step on toes-" "Yeah, I get it." Ryoko waved a hand. "It was a stupid idea." "Not stupid." Washu pointed at Ryoko. "Just not thought out enough. It could work, but you'd have to put a lot of effort into it. Talk it over with Ayeka first." Washu shrugged. "She may have insanity running in her family." Ryoko threw a pillow at her mother who fielded it expertly. "Yup," Washu sighed, hands pressed over her heart, "you used to do the same thing when you didn't want to go to school." Washu grinned and fled the room. "Breakfast'll be ready in a few minutes!" she yelled back. Ryoko turned back to Tenchi who was grinning at her. "What are you smiling about?" Ryoko grumbled at him. "You're so lucky to have a mom." Tenchi told her with a twinkle in his eye. Ryoko rolled her eyes. "Want her?" *** Washu had just gotten everything out for breakfast when the phone rang. "Hello?" she called. "Washu?" Misaki said loudly. Washu stuck a finger in her ear and winced. "Yes?" she said. "Is Ryoko better? We're all so worried about her. Art and Lacey actually called the palace and got through the security to ask Funaho about her." The woman expressed her concerns. "Oh, yes, she's fine." Washu spied a flash of cyan hair. "In fact, she's just coming down the stairs." "Ryoko!" Misaki called joyously. Ryoko at the foot of the stairs, winced in pain at the high note she struck. "Yes, Misaki?" she said in a normal voice. "Everyone on Jurai is worried about you! Why didn't you tell us you were okay?" Misaki accused her. Ryoko grinned sarcastically at her mother. "Because Washu insisted that I not move a muscle yesterday." Misaki shrieked. "You've been better since yesterday and no one called us! Your sickness is of intergalactic news!" Tenchi choked on his laughter. Ryoko grinned at him. "Well, you'll just have to come to Jurai today and visit everyone." Misaki stated. Ryoko's face crashed. "B-but-" "No buts, you have a duty to the people as-" Misaki paused. "Ayeka is crown princess, but now she says she a cadet branch of the family because you're ruling. I'm confused. Tenchi is a prince, so you're a princess by marriage." You could almost see Misaki working this out in her head. "Ryoko, you are coming to Jurai today. If you won't do another press conference then at least go to the market and make yourself visible." Washu rolled her eyes. "Misaki, she's the Dreaded Space Pirate, the Demoness Ryoko. How much more visible can she get?" They all shared a laugh and Misaki hung up so the rest of them could get to eat breakfast. *** "You know, Ryoko," Washu started innocently, "if you really want to be visible, you could light yourself up." Ryoko's food stopped on the way to her mouth. "What do you mean?" she said suspiciously. Washu's eyes wandered as she said, "You could light yourself up." "I don't want to light myself up." Ryoko told her. "But you could," Washu pointed out. Ryoko shook her head. Washu sighed. "At least change your hair color for Tenchi." Tenchi looked back and forth between the two women. "What do you mean, Washu?" he asked, but he looked at Ryoko. Ryoko sighed, pushed her plate away, and closed her eyes. Blond, her mind whispered. Mihoshi hair. Washu clapped. "Bravo!" she said to her daughter, grinning. Tenchi looked at his Ryoko with blond Mihoshi hair. "Uhh..." he said. "How do I look, Tenchi?" Ryoko winked at him. "Uh," Tenchi said. "Good," he stammered. Ryoko's eyes slid to Washu and she changed her hair back to cyan. She pulled her plate to her again and resumed her breakfast. *** Ryoko, Tenchi, and Washu stepped out into the house. The rest of the household was just finishing up their breakfast. "Hey, everyone." Tenchi said, raising a hand in welcome. "Good morning, lord Tenchi." Ayeka greeted him. "Good morning, pirate." Ryoko grinned at her former adversary. "'morning, princess. Misaki called." A look of concern crossed Ayeka face and Ryoko hastened to tell her what the real reason for the call was. Ayeka's face relaxed. "Then we'll come with you, if you don't mind." Ryoko looked at Tenchi who shrugged as if to say 'you have to ask'? "Sure," Ryoko returned. "Okay, all ashore who's going ashore!" Washu called. The family looked at her. She sighed and put a hand over her eyes. "Obviously no one has ever been on a ship." "What's Ryo-ohki then?" Ryoko asked one eyebrow up. "No, a boat. A thing that floats on water, not soars in the air." Washu explained. Ryoko wrinkled her nose. "You mean they actually have things that float on water here?" "Oh!" Mihoshi said. "Do you think you could do something like that to my ship?" Washu looked at Mihoshi strangely. "Mihoshi, you came up with a good idea." Washu said slowly. "If I fix pontoons on your ship, when it hits the water it'll float." Ryoko shook her head. Mentally, she spoke to her mother, "Mom, I think we'd better leave before any meteorites hit the house." Washu grinned. "They wouldn't dare." She pulled a hole out of nothing and stepped through it. The others followed. *** Washu was waiting with her arms folded when the others arrived. "Okay, Misaki requested that Ryoko be visible. So that means Ryoko has to be in the market. Ayeka, Sasami, do you have any other plans? Visit your moms, friends?" Ayeka and Sasami both shook their heads. "Speaking for myself, I'd just like a day out. No agendas." Ayeka said wearily. "Well, I'd like to go see my grandfather." Mihoshi said enthusiastically. "But I could maybe meet you for lunch?" "Sure, Mihoshi." Washu's computer popped into her hands. She tapped a few keys. "Ryoko, how about the place we had snacks?" Ryoko nodded. Washu printed out a map for Mihoshi and she jogged off merrily. The rest of them started off toward the market. *** The man at McQueran's smiled at her and her entourage. "More plants, Ryoko?" he asked. She shook her head. "Not for Jurai, anyway. I need a new pair of gloves. Mine are worn to nubbins." "Ah." He said. "Wait here." He walked off. Sasami tugged Ryoko's sleeve. "What's this one?" she asked simply. Ryoko took the pot from her and looked at it. She grinned suddenly. "It's an aloe plant. Earth-based, but an improvement. When you burn yourself, if you break one of the leaves you spread the sap on your burn and it helps the burn." Sasami reclaimed the plant. "I don't burn myself, but Mihoshi does." McQueran came back and offered a pair of gloves for Ryoko's inspection. She fingered the material, stretched the fingers a bit, and finally slipped her hand inside. "Soft," she said. "And very durable. I've had my pair for at least three years. Very easy to get the stains out of as well." He told her. Ryoko handed the gloves to him and said that she'd take them. Kidnapping Sasami's plant, she winked as she handed it to him. He winked back and her and whisked the purchases off with Ryoko's card. *** Their next stop was the orphanage. Ryoko held a finger to her lips as she approached the two children. The woman tried to hide the small smile that was struggling to be seen. Ryoko crept up behind the two children, floating on air. Just as she was about to surprise them, Ayeka called, "Look out behind you!" The children turned around to see Ryoko floating in mid-air. They grabbed her down and made sure she was okay. Ryoko turned a sour look to Ayeka. "Gee, thanks, princess." She grumbled. Ayeka shrugged grinning her head off. "Are you okay?" Lacey asked. "Sure. Takes more than Belegorthas to take me down." Ryoko boasted. "Who was he?" Art asked. Ryoko opened her mouth to say 'a god', but Washu shook her head sharply. "He was another assassin." Ryoko told them instead. "You see all those people over there? My mom's over there and Tenchi and the princesses of Jurai and Ayeka's intended. Why don't you go greet them?" Art and Lacey looked at the crowd of people, then back at Ryoko. Their doubtful eyes told her everything. She laughed and walked over with them. Pretty soon the two children were talking and being their usual selves. Ryo-ohki and Sasami had fun playing with the two children, so Washu, Ryoko, Tenchi, Ayeka, and Balar left them there with instructions to meet them for lunch. Ryoko wandered around 'being visible'. Tenchi whispered something in her ear every so often. Ayeka and Balar sneaked kisses whenever they thought no one was looking when everyone really was. Washu rolled her eyes at some of it and got a faraway look in her eyes at some other parts of it. They ended up in Ryoko's garden. Ayeka snickered at Washu's mischievous behavior of having the three goddess statues in the garden. No one knew Tsunami had sisters. The two couples reclined on the grass while Washu went to investigate a nearby shop. Ryoko whispered, "Did you want to ask them about it now?" Tenchi shot her a distressed look. Ryoko smiled and leaned against him. "You don't have to now." She whispered back. "Princess Ayeka!" said a shocked voice. Ayeka turned to find one of the younger nobility looking at her. "Yes?" she said lazily. "You're-you're sitting on the grass!" he said shocked. Ayeka looked down. "You're very observant." She said, trying to keeping the mocking tone out of her voice. This was an example of what she once had to choose a husband from? Yuck! The young man wandered away speaking loudly of princesses who did not adhere to the standard demanded by royalty. Ayeka sighed. Twirling a piece of grass, she wondered out loud, "What would he say if he knew Sasami was playing with orphans?" Ryoko snickered. "Probably storm over there and give her a lecture on the proper way for nobility to act." Ryoko stood up. "Well, I'm a princess and I was enemy number one of Jurai! I don't even know which fork to eat with!" "Depends on what you're eating," Ayeka said with a grin. Ryoko's hand cut through the air. "I don't care. A fork is a fork is a fork. Be it salad, shrimp, or rhinoceros, it is being eaten with one fork." Ayeka tittered behind a hand. Ryoko sure was going to make an impression on the nobles! *** At lunch, Ayeka and Balar were swamped by people asking about their wedding. Tenchi and Ryoko held hands the whole way through dinner and exchanged loving looks. Sasami and Ryo-ohki came running up to them about halfway through dinner with Mihoshi right behind. After lunch, the gang went home for lessons and chores. *** Everyone had crept off to bed. Sasami lay on her back with Ryo-ohki sitting on top of her stomach. Ayeka was curled on her side, hugging her pillow. Down the hall, Balar slept in his bed, the uncompleted afghan at the foot. Mihoshi stretched in her sleep and sighed. Tenchi and Ryoko curled together like spoons. Only two people were awake. Someone crept through the house, disturbing nothing to wait by the door. A tall figure walked up the lane and opened the door. "Shh!" Washu pressed a finger to her lips. She pointed to the sofa that already was awash with the glow from a lamp. Nobuyuki sighed and sat down. "Yes, Washu?" "Do you have the plans?" she whispered. He pulled them out of his briefcase and handed them to her. Washu nodded. "They'll be done by the morning." She took a deep breath. "Remember for just a moment how you felt when your wife left you." Nobuyuki's face contracted. "Ryoko is immortal. Tenchi was born mortal. Ryoko would go through the same thing you do." Washu told him. Nobuyuki hung his head. "That is the only reason I would not have wished them to marry. But they will have a life together and that is something." Washu heaved a sigh. "Nobuyuki, I've done something that you might not like." "Oh?" he said as his eyebrow went up. "To prevent my daughter from being that sad, my wedding present was an immortality potion. The first ever made. I offered it to Tenchi and told him he could ask one thing of my gems." Washu looked up at Nobuyuki. "He asked the gems whether he would regret it or not. The gems said no and he swallowed the potion." Washu let that sink in. Nobuyuki said softly, "So my son will never die and Ryoko won't be sad." Washu shook her head. "Why didn't you come sooner?" he whispered. Washu knew he was thinking of his wife. Achika. "I can't bring her back, Nobuyuki. Her body isn't here anymore." "I know." Nobuyuki sat on the sofa. Washu searched her mind for something to cheer the man up. "Oh, damn it!" she swore. "Do you really want to see your Achika again? To touch her, to hear her? If you want it, I'll give her back to you for a night. I can't do more because there isn't anything to do more with!" Nobuyuki stared at Washu's outburst. "How?" "I'm a goddess. If her spirit is willing, then she'll come into being again." Washu calmed down. "But it can't be for more than eight or so hours. And think of how much it'll hurt when she leaves again." "Wouldn't you for your husband?" Nobuyuki whispered. Washu bowed her head. Her gems began to glow in her outstretched hand. "Achika," she whispered. A form began to take shape. Achika walked out of the shadows straight to Nobuyuki's arms. They hugged as if they would never let go. Washu stole silently into her lab. That measure of love made her uncomfortable and longing for her husband. The two would have tonight together and that would be all. Washu smiled softly. Achika could only be Achika for eight hour stretches and only when her reincarnated body was asleep. The once-Achika was a small ten-year-old named Banti, right now. Washu lowered her head. Perhaps they would meet again on Earth. About twenty-five years difference isn't that much. |
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