Tenchi groaned and rolled over as sunlight poured into the room.
"Tenchi... Are you gonna get up?" A voice asked softly.
Tenchi cracked one eye open to see Ryoko snuggled up against him with one arm draped casually over one shoulder. "Ryoko. How long..."
"You've been asleep most of yesterday. I've been here with you for most of the day. Ready for breakfast?"
"Gimme a little while more." Tenchi replied, casually laying back.
"Teeeeeenchiiiii.... Teeeeeenchiiiii.... Are you there, Tenchi?" The soft teasing voice floated out of his wristwatch.
"Ranma." Tenchi mumbled, propping himself up on the pillows. "Video mode." He said into the communicator. "Tenchi? There is no Tenchi here! Only The Great Juriman!" The young swordsman said in an imperious tone as a hologram flickered into existence, showing a familiar martial artist turned chaos mage.
"Hey bro, how's home life treating ya?"
"Home life is very warm and cuddly." He said pulling Ryoko closer to him. "And it lets me sleep."
Ranma laughed heartily. "Listen man, are you doing anything tonight, cause I was hoping to have you come by for dinner, meet my mom, that sort of thing?"
"Wish I could, man, but I was gonna invite Ami and her mom over here."
"Mmm.... did someone say my name?" A second voice purred as a new hologram appeared.
"Hello, Ami." Tenchi said. "Been having fun with your AVatar?"
"Mom's really clingy." The blue furred catgirl said. "After she came home and I almost slit her throat-"
"You what!" The males exclaimed.
"I didn't mean to!" Ami blurted out. "I was resting after the last jump..."
"Seems strange to say that, doesn't it?" Ranma said.
"Yeah it does. Anyway... she startled me and I reacted."
Ranma nodded. "I understand how you feel. All this time living on a hair trigger, it's hard to relax."
"Well anyway, after I explained that little secret of mine, I had to put her to bed 'cause she was damn near asleep in her teacup. Then she asked me to stay with her..."
"You laid down and she got you in a bear hug that would put a grizzly to shame." Tenchi finished.
"Exactly. Since I could still reach my communicator, I fiddled with my AVatar for a while. Ranma, listen. I'm glad I caught you. Um listen, you know Ken is turning thirteen in a couple of days and there's a festival not far from here. I wanted to know, you know if it'd be okay to take Ken..."
"Out?" Ranma supplied.
"To the festival?" Tenchi put in.
"On a date?" Ryoko finished.
"Ah... you must be Ryoko." Ami said extending a hand to the other woman, who was surprised to find it warm and solid. "I'm so glad to meet you."
"It feels like you're really here." Ryoko said in awe. "I mean I can feel your fur, the warm pulse of your heart. Amazing."
"Hard light construct." Ami said. "Ranma's daughter Rikku made them, and she studied under several of Washuu's alternates."
"I thought about it Ami, and I'm not sure it's a good idea. You know how he feels about you."
The catgirl took on a distant, almost mourning look. "Yeah, I know. That's why I have to do this."
"Will you at least take one of the others with you?"
"I can't. This has to be done between us. Ranma please. These emotions between us... they're not healthy for either of us."
"All right. But I'm not going to tell him. You come, you ask him, you treat it like any other date."
"So you'll be sitting on the couch with a shotgun?"
"Ami, please take this seriously."
"Believe me Ranma, I am... Look I gotta go. My mom wants to talk and eventually I gotta deal with the Fuku squad. I'll get back to both of you about dinner." That being said, the catgirl vanished.
"I should bail too. Nabiki's waking up, and I'll have to explain where the kids are."
"You gonna tell her about the date?"
"So she can be the one with the shotgun? No I think not. I'll take some flack for it later but I can handle that. Call me later about dinner." That being said, Ranma's image vanished as well.
"Tenchi, you okay?" Ryoko asked, breaking the long silence.
"Ami and I... we got close over our twenty five year journey. I didn't want to start anything when there was a chance we could die, but we agreed we'd get serious when we came home."
"So you love her." Ryoko said slowly, swinging her legs over the side of the bed.
"I care for her. Like I care for you." Tenchi said, sitting up and running his fingers through her hair. "But Ken... he's had a crush on Ami for a long time. I think she's going to use this date to lay those feelings to rest."
"But you don't like it." It was a statement from Ryoko, rather than a question. "And what was with the Great Juriman thing?"
"A superhero identity I assumed for a while." Tenchi groaned.
Ryoko giggled madly. "I can't see you as a superhero. More like..."
"A weenie?" Tenchi replied with a grin, pulling her to her feet.. "Break out the grill, cause the weenie is toast."
Ryoko smiled warmly. Maybe, at last, he's strong enough. "So, is the Great Juriman ready for breakfast?"
Tenchi smiled as his stomach growled loudly. "I think that would be fine." He said, offering his arm as they descended the stairs.
"Demon woman!" Ayeka exploded. "Where have you been? Lazing about no doubt! I'm just glad that Lord Tenchi isn't here to see your lackadaisical ways!"
"Ayeka. That's more than enough." Tenchi said sternly.
"L-lord Tenchi! Where have you been? When did you get back? Ryoko, unhand Lord Tenchi this instant!"
Ryoko nodded sadly, and released Tenchi's arm much to everyone's surprise.
"Ryoko." Tenchi caught her hand and placed it at his waist again. "What they want doesn't matter. I want you here, by my side."
The elder Jurian princess stared as Ryoko returned to her former position, leaning comfortably against Tenchi in a companionable silence as they alighted the stairs. "But, Lord Tenchi, surely-"
"Ayeka. Enough." He snapped tersely. "It is not your place to run my life, nor Ryoko's. I've been through too much for too long to come home to the same garbage I left. Ryoko, after breakfast, I'd like to go buy some new clothes, and I'd like you to come with me."
"I- I have to do chores." Ryoko said.
"I'll help with the chores." Tenchi said smiling warmly. "It's high time everyone in this house started to pitch in, not just a few." His warm grin turned into an even glare that all those present withered from.
"Do not forget your training, Tenchi." Katsuhito prodded with a gentle gleam in his eye.
"I wouldn't dream of it." Tenchi said with a smile. "Though this time... I might just surprise you."
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(Posted Sat, 25 Dec 2004 22:05)
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