Aurora of Rainbow Fire chapter two: Sweet Dreams and Sour Awakenings.
A Tenchi Muyo TV series lemon comedy by Nugar. Email the author at nugarthebarbarian@yahoo.com with any comments. All characters and situations copyright their creators, Hiroki Hayashi and Masaki Kajishima, and AiC and Pioneer and are used without permission. This is a nonprofit work only.
A note about time, and perceptions thereof.
People, that is, living beings based on some form of matter possessing intelligence and moral capacity somewhere between a dolphin and a lawyer, each experience time in their own unique fashion.
Rocks, which are not people, experience time on the grand scale. Eons, millennia, epochs, all these are arbitrary units of time useful to describe a rock's life. And even then, you'd need a lot of them.
Some people even get to experience this sort of scale. The estemed Dr. Washu-chan, for instance, had been kicking and biting and attempting to replicate herself in the manner of a standard living organisim for quite some time. But, like all other people, she was still stuck in the present, occasional Mihoshied experiments notwithstanding. She could remember fantastic amounts of her personal history, and had done many many things throughout her long life. Even so, it took forever for a news report to finally disappear and return her to her regularly scheduled programming.
Tenchi experienced time as those moments between embarrassing and/or personally threatening moments, and increasingly, those moments when he wasn't with his two lady loves. All that work stuff was simply to be endured in the knowledge that it would eventually be over and he could go back to those endless moments of being wrapped in two sets of arms.
Now, though, with the weight of the upcoming journey hanging over everyone's head, some members of the Masaki household experienced time differently.
Ayeka and Ryoko now experienced time much like someone tied to a chair, watching a digital timer tick down toward zero while an expert attempts to defuse it.
Each day that brought them closer to meeting the parents and hearing a 'yea' or 'nay' seemed to go by in a flash. Each moment not spent in strategic planning was wasted. On the other hand, each day that went by without a premarital romp in the woods seemed to drag tediously by, much like an awkward silence on a first date.
But it was Sasami who felt the passage of time in all its terrible glory.
Children feel things that they don't know how to describe, and Sasami felt the time pass. Not even an AIDS patient watched the clocks and calendars like Sasami. It was the end of a golden age and the beginning of something new and frighteningly unknown.
Sasami felt this, and although the nightmares hadn't started, she knew in her gut that they soon would.
The extra tension in the air added by two worried young women and one worried young man only made her nerves worse, but here, at least, was a problem that she could deal with. Sasami was always better at helping others.
She noticed her sister's preoccupation fairly quickly, and she asked her straight out, "Ayeka, what's going on?"
"Oh, I'm just concerned about the visit home. I want Mother and Father to meet Tenchi and Ryoko, but I'm not sure how they'll react."
"Oh, I see. You're worried about them not liking Tenchi and Ryoko?" Sasami asked, concern written on her young face. Her big sister had been so happy lately, but now, despite the smile on her face, she looked upset. She moved to sit beside Ayeka, carefully keeping her head straight so as not to dislodge her furry head ornament.
For her part, Ryo-Ohki took the move without complaint, especially when Ayeka also reached over to gently scratch behind her ears.
"Yes, I'm very worried. What if they've already picked someone out for me to marry?"
"You'll just have to explain that you're in love with Tenchi and Ryoko-"
Ayeka cut her off at that. "Sasami, I love only Tenchi. I just have to put up with Ryoko because Tenchi also loves her," she clarified.
"Well, if you say so," Sasami replied doubtfully. "But I'm sure they'll understand. And I just know they'll like Tenchi and Ryoko. I do."
Ayeka hugged her little sister close. "Yes, I do too. Very, very much. Thank you, by the way." She let go and scooted away to give her sister some space. "So, are you looking forward to going home?"
"Yes, I miss Mom and Dad ever so much!" Sasami said unhesitatingly, but Ayeka looked at her doubtfully.
"Ever so much?" she asked, one eyebrow raised.
"Yep!" Sasami replied, then hopped down off the couch, startling Ryo-Ohki and nearly dislodging her from her perch. "I'd better get started on dinner, if you want we can have wonton soup again."
"Sasami, it's early afternoon." Ayeka stopped her sister with a faintly disapproving look.
"Have to start it early, you know," she insisted. "Those things take a long time to cook."
"Sasami..." Ayeka repeated warningly.
"But I do want to see Mommy and Daddy, I do!" she insisted, lip trembling.
"I know you do," Ayeka said comfortingly, drawing her little sister into a hug. "You want to know a secret? I'm a little sad that we're leaving, too."
"Why?" Sasami asked, clearly disbelieving her sister's statement. "You've got Tenchi and Ryoko now. You'll get to be married and go off and have all sorts of fun," she paused, trying to remove the tremor from her high voice. "...and I'll just be going home. You know they won't let me come back here, even if you do." Her eyes began to shimmer with unshed tears as she leaned back to look directly at Ayeka.
"Oh, Sasami, I'll still come and see you! And so will Tenchi and Ryoko."
Ryo-Ohki miyahed, pawing gently at Sasami's head.
"And yes, Ryo-Ohki will come too. It's not like we're just leaving," Ayeka consoled.
"I know, I know," Sasami protested. "But you don't see, do you?"
"I do see," Ayeka replied gently. "You're afraid you're going to miss everyone. But we'll be visiting all the time."
Sasami shook her head vehemently, flinging a few tears away and forcing Ryo-Ohki to jump down with a protest. She gathered the cabbit back into her arms and wiped her face with the back of one sleeve before turning back to her sister. "No, you don't understand. It's not your fault, but..." She sighed. "Nevermind."
"No, not nevermind. This is important to you," Ayeka said, preventing Sasami from rising from the couch.
"It can wait. We've still got several weeks left, don't we?" she said despondently, trying to cheer herself up.
"Well, yes..." Ayeka replied hesitantly. "I suppose we can discuss it later, if you really don't wish to talk about it now."
"Thank you. I've got things to do now," she said, speaking to the cabbit, "so you'll have to get down now."
Miyahing, Ryo-Ohki scampered up Sasami's shoulders and leaped onto the back of the couch, looking at her expectantly.
Sasami giggled, although she didn't really feel it. "Okay, you can help too."
Kagato hmmed softly to himself, intently scanning one of the newer files in Washu's extensive database. The collection of data on this one subject alone staggered him, indicating that Washu had spent considerable amounts of her time researching this being. Oh, there were several more files of comparable size, but this... There was something special about this one. DNA sequences, psych evaluations, astral scans, links to several different cell samples locked in a subspace container, all marked 'DO NOT CLONE UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES!'; this must have been a very interesting subject indeed.
"Whatcha doing?"
Kagato most carefully did not have a heartattack. "Ah, Miss Washu, I was simply-"
"Chan."
"-Washu-chan, I was simply scanning some of your gathered material. May I ask why this file was in a hidden, triple encrypted folder in a section that was supposed to be reserved for descriptions of the mating habits of the Aguierilan tube fish?"
Washu leaned around to see exactly what he was reading, then nodded. "Oh, that's easy. That's where it belongs." Many other scientists would have been upset at the invasion of their personal database, but not Washu. In fact, she would have been disappointed if he hadn't, as his genius was very nearly on par with her own. She'd already scanned many of his own files herself. (Raising an eyebrow or two at some of the pictures, and occasionally adding them to her private collection.)
He nodded, then raised one slim eyebrow. "Ah, again, may I ask why?"
"Neither one of them make any damned sense."
"I see..." he said, nodding in confusion.
Washu shook her head and shuddered. "You would if you had met Mihoshi. She has singlehandedly set back the science of _everything_ by more than a century, and that's just by existing."
Kagato blinked. "My, my. That does sound bad."
"Anyway, all you need to know about her is that she is an OMWDTD variable, and is to be avoided at all costs. Come on, sweetie, we've got some more experiments to run." Washu took his large hand in hers and gently tugged him out of the room.
As he exited the door behind her, he asked, "OMWDTD?"
"Oh, my. What does this do?"
Experiments, experiments, and more idle chitchat. Kagato found himself frequently bored. It wasn't that Washu's theories were uninteresting, but her research methods were depressingly five dimensional. She seemed compelled to explore every branch to see where it went, rather than looking ahead to find the most promising fork and delving directly for it.
(Like now, for instance,) he thought as he carefully configured an extra-planar sampling device to phase out and search for threads of cosmic will. (She ignores the obvious fact that the forces could be wrapped around a higher lifeform consciousness and tweaked in such a way as to turn the physical body into a standing, sentient energy matrix, chosing instead to toy with the subtlties of the influence they have over the galaxial dispersion effect!) He finished the last calculations and tapped a holographic activation key, sending the little spherical device on its way with a slight inward rush of air.
(And all it does is delay my own research. I never thought being a research assitant would be this dull,) he thought bitterly, returning his mind to the fascinating files on two Jurian princesses. (Sisters,) his memory reminded him. (Sisters with the blood of Jurai's royal family coursing through their veins. One with the power, the younger without. The comparison should prove to be most informative.) A smile grew on his face as he considered the possibilities. He owed Jurai a large debt of pain.
"Good to see you in a good mood for a change," chirped his diminuitive boss. "Come on, we've got a bit more to do." She turned a walked away, clearly expecting him to follow like the obedient little underling he was.
Rubbing his temples in vain effort to prevent the now familiar throb of a headache, he followed. For now.
Deep in the wee hours of the night, the Masaki household slept peacefully. Some twitched, as in Tenchi's case. Some wiggled their noses, as in Ryo-Ohki's case. And still others dreamed, as in the case of a certain Jurian Princess...
"Oh, look Ryoko. There's one of the primitives now!" Princess Ayeka exclaimed, pointing out a young male peeking at them from behind a rock.
Her friend and confidant in the court, the Countess Ryoko, put one hand up to shield her eyes even as the other held a delicate parasol up to block the sunlight. A few brief moments of searching and she had also spotted the grubby humanoid. "Quite right, Princess, it does appear to be one of the natives, and a prime male at that. You have a good eye to spot him so quickly!"
Princess Ayeka nodded modestly at her friend. "Oh, tis nothing. Come, let us have a closer look at the brute."
The two offworld travelers casually strolled closer, careful not to catch their elegant attire on any twigs or brush.
The native jumped up at their approach, giving them a brief but amazingly stimulating view of his strong chest and short loincloth before he turned and ran off into the forest.
"Oh, my! Did you see that butt?" Ryoko exclaimed excitedly.
Ayeka again nodded gracefully. "Calmly, my dear. It would not do to get all worked up like one of the primitive females. We must be refined, aloof, and in control, as benefits those of our standing."
Ryoko composed herself before bowing in return. "Of course, Princess Ayeka. I forget myself."
Ayeka patted her friend gently on the arm. "That is quite alright, you're learning. And he was indeed in fine physical condition. Come, let us hurry lest he escape."
The two refined ladies snapped their parasols closed and rested them on their shoulders as they journeyed deeper into the forest. The trees were widely spaced, tall and very old. Their intertwined branches and broad leaves shaded the forest floor, blocking the light and smothering the undergrowth, making the trip a pleasant journey for the pair.
Suddenly, a ferocious saber-toothed cabbit dropped off a limb above them, growling hungrily.
Eyes wide, Ayeka turned to her friend, who was shivering and whispering something over and over. "I must stay calm, I must be refined, I must stay calm..."
Ayeka nodded and smiled. "That's very good, you stay calm and refined while I run for it."
"What?!"
But Ayeka was already gone, running through the forest for all she was worth. Behind her, the screams of her unfortunate friend spurred her on.
Only it seemed like she was running through mud. No matter how hard she tried she just couldn't go any faster. And the snarling, slobbering sounds of the saber-toothed cabbit were getting closer and closer. Her breath came in ragged gasps now as she crashed through the underbrush, the limbs clutching at her, trying to hold her back.
A sheer rock face loomed ahead, forcing her to stumble to a stop. Ayeka spun, pressing her back against the wall in terror.
The giant, slavering, rabid, space cabbit crouched at the entrance to the canyon, pawing at the ground and leaving deep furrows with its monstrous claws. Its red eyes glowed, filling Ayeka's world.
She knew. Ayeka knew what it was like to be the prey. Knew what it was like to be a few short breaths away from lunch. Even as the cabbit stalked inexorably closer, Ayeka felt the helplessness steal over her, the resignation to her fate as a long-pork sandwich.
"UUGG!" yelled the caveman as he sprang down between the ferocious cabbit and its princessy prey.
Tenchi! Tenchi was here! Ayeka clasped her hands together beside her face, watching as her primitive hero fought the monster.
Caveman-Tenchi grunted in defiance, brandishing a giant carrot-club. He slammed it on the ground several times, challenging the beast.
Ferocious though the primitive saber-toothed cabbit was, it wanted nothing to do with this man and his giant carrot. It cowered before him as he advanced and swung it threateningly over its head, then jumped away and ran as he made as if to hit it.
Caveman-Tenchi grunted in satisfaction and turned to the beautiful female he had saved. "Uhg! Grunt!"
"I'm sorry, but I can't understand a word you're saying," Ayeka replied hesitantly, standing up to her full height again but still barely coming to the towering caveman's throat.
Caveman-Tenchi abruptly stepped forward and seized her by both arms; ready to claim his prize if the strip of leather being pressed into her leg was any indication.
"Oh, my! You really fill out a loincloth, don't you?" Ayeka giggled and attempted to back away, but the brute would have none of it and jerked demandingly at her clothes.
"Now wait just a minute!" Ayeka protested, trying to hold him off by placing her hands against his firm chest and pushing. "Just because you saved me doesn't mean you can just take me like one of those little girls you have waiting for you back at the cave!"
"Grunt grunt oog ug!" he replied, ripping the obi from her and tearing her formalwear as he tried to peek inside.
"But I'm a cultured lady from a civilized race! I can't just rut in the dirt with an ignorant primitive!"
Abruptly, he stopped, let her go, and kneeled with one knee on the ground in front of her. Caveman-Tenchi cleared his throat for attention, then began.
"Oog ug-unck uck yuh** Grunt uhg arg!-oog uh grunt-grunt Uh uh grunt uhg uh."
Ayeka's jaw dropped as she stared, dumbfounded, at the grubby, backwater primitive who claimed her as his mate. Ticking the syllables off on one finger, her eyes lit up in surprise. "That was a haiku!" she exclaimed delightedly.
Caveman-Tenchi smiled and grunted proudly. "Uh ugh." He stood up and grabbed her arms again, spinning her around into his forceful embrace.
"Wait! Poetry does not give you permission to get in my underwear!"
Her protests fell on uncaring ears as Caveman-Tenchi proceeded to strip off her clothes and dump the tattered rags unceremoniously on the ground.
Realizing she would be in a world of pain if she allowed him to simply rip her panties off the same way, Ayeka took the initiative and removed them herself, sagging against his rock solid stance as she worked them down over her legs.
He snatched them from her and studied them intently, keeping both arms wrapped around her as he felt of the silky soft material. Curiously, he brought them to his nose and took a deep whiff.
And immediately broke down coughing, tossing them away and holding his nose.
"Hey! That's not how it's supposed to go!" Ayeka exclaimed angrily, glaring at him with all the fury a naked person can direct at someone who has just told them in no uncertain terms that they stink.
And that's pretty damned furious.
Abruptly Ayeka sighed and dropped her head, the anger fleeing like morning mist. "I can't get any respect."
Again, warm, powerful arms encircled her, calloused hands snagging her butter-smooth skin in enticing ways. Roughened hide rubbed her nipples into firm ripeness, and the press of his erection into her behind sent a wave of weakness through her knees. Only through his help was she able to remain upright.
Ayeka rubbed her hands along the outside of his, assisting his efforts, directing him lower and lower. Her eyes closed and her head lifted back as his search disappeared between her legs, and a soft gasp escaped her lips. Her own hands left his and she reached back, lifting the loincloth and fondling him beneath it.
Caveman-Tenchi got more at more excited as she explored beneath his tattered leather. "Uhg, ugh, uuUUUOOOHhh..." he moaned as she found an especially sensitive spot.
His hot breath in her ear told him he was ready even as they dropped to the ground. Ayeka supported herself on her hands and knees, waiting for him.
Several long moments passed, and still he hadn't entered her.
"I'm sorry, Ayeka, but I promised Grandfather..."
"SH-"
"-IT!" Ayeka yelled, bolting straight upright in bed. Then, realizing what she'd just done, she clasped both hands across her mouth and looked around in panic.
Sasami grumbled irritatedly in her sleep, batted softly at the air, turned over, and was still again.
Ayeka sighed in relief, sitting in bed and contemplating her disappointing dream. And her additional disappointment at waking up in her own bed rather than Tenchi's. She'd rather liked that part of their relationship, but since the no-nookie clause had been enacted, had retreated back to her own bed to avoid certain temptation.
The whole no sex thing bothered her more than she cared to admit. Sure, she'd gone her entire life without it, but now that she'd tried it she found she rather enjoyed it. It was fun- and addictive.
That was beside the point.
(Dammit, it had been such a good dream! Ryoko eaten, Tenchi in a loincloth (mental note: Call Mrs. Ikeuchi and see if they carry loincloths), interesting sex... and then Tenchi had to go and screw it up!) Ayeka clenched her fists around the blanket.
(Wait, wait, calm down. It's not Tenchi's fault, remember? Just a dream. Just a damned dream. Nightmare, really, but still, you can wake up from nightmares. What I need right now is for Tenchi to hold me and tell me it's all right... To kiss me and pinch me and...)
"Shit."
There was no chance of going back to sleep now. Ayeka decided to grab a snack from the kitchen and hit the bathroom. Nothing like a nice, looong bath to cure what bothers you.
Slipping into her soft tabi, Ayeka adjusted her sleeping clothes and eased out the door, careful not to make any noise and wake her sister up.
The house was very quiet at night. Not that it was always that noisy during the day, oh no. It was frequently pretty silent then as well. But nothing quite compared to the stillness of night.
Unless, of course, you were squirming and writhing in the arms of your-
Ayeka ruthlessly squashed that thought.
Her footsteps sounded loud to her as she softly padded over the wooden floors, the very rare squeak a sort of punctuation to the lonely thoughts her mind kept repelling. Ayeka quickly descended the stairs into the living room, tracking a sound she was beginning to be aware of.
Soft snores buzzed from a dark lump on the couch, occasionally accompanied by a wiggle.
Ayeka walked over and paused, staring down at Ryoko in the moonlight. She was still dressed in the clothes she had worn the day before, and didn't even have a blanket covering her.
Of the two, even Ayeka admitted that this was affecting Ryoko more. A nomadic sleeper by habit, Ryoko had taken to sleeping wherever she collapsed since they had agreed not to sleep in Tenchi's bed anymore.
Now she shivered slightly in the night chill, wrapping her arms desperately around herself.
Despite herself, Ayeka felt like a heel. Even she would admit that Ryoko looked alone and vulnerable, and needed companionship. She kneeled silently on the floor beside the couch, looking gently down at the equally forsaken pirate. One hand reached out and gently rubbed Ryoko's arm, restoring some heat back into the goose pimpled flesh.
Ryoko shuddered and rolled slightly, unconsciously seeking the caring touch.
Ayeka turned and laid both arms across the sleeping pirate, who hugged them close, and lay her head down onto the couch.
They could all handle the few weeks until school vacation. But what if her parents didn't like Tenchi? Her perfect dream would be over. And there were any number of reasons they wouldn't like Tenchi. Ryoko, for one. Two wives weren't unheard of in the Jurian empire, but weren't common either. And a high- ranking Jurian princess in marriage with a notorious criminal to a common man from a backwater planet no one had ever heard of? Ayeka shuddered.
Ryoko turned in her sleep, moaning Tenchi's name.
Sighing, Ayeka raised her head again to look at the sleeping woman. Ryoko looked so innocent when she was asleep, completely unlike the hellraiser she was when awake. (It figures,) Ayeka thought. (The evil ones always do.)
Ryoko's legs rubbed against each other, and one hand sleepily found its way inside her dress. Her soft moanings rose in intensity, as did presumably her dream.
Ayeka frowned and pulled her hands back as Ryoko tried to pull them into some rather personal spots. From the sounds of it, her dream must have been on similar lines as Ayeka's own.
She watched in silence for a few moments more, the abruptly realized that her own breathing had quickened in response. Ayeka knew what would stop illicit thoughts. She rose and hurried to the kitchen, grabbing a glass and filling it up with cold tap water, draining it in a series of loug gulps. Then, just for the hell of it, she filled the glass again and returned to stand over Ryoko's defenseless form.
"Hey," she spoke softly to the moaning figure. "If I can't have Tenchi in _my_ dreams, neither can you." And then she poured the cold water.
A bit later she felt kind of bad for getting the couch all wet, but Ryoko's keening, literal levitation ten feet straight up _was_ rather amusing. When the sputtering, cursing pirate had calmed down and looked around, Ayeka smirked evilly up at her. "How's that for a wet dream?"
Ryoko gasped and struggled to keep from blasting the cruel, evil, ugly bitch below her, finally managing to unclench her fists and drift lower. "Ha ha," Ryoko replied humorlessly. "You're just a barrel of laughs in the middle of the night, aren't you? What's the big idea, splashing water all over someone who was _trying_ to sleep?"
Ayeka's expression softened. "You looked cold-"
"So you decided to pour ice water on me?" Ryoko asked incredulously.
Ayeka laughed nervously. "Um, sorry about that. Long story. Let's just say it seemed like a good idea at the time?"
Ryoko's eyes held the promise of much retribution, and Ayeka backed away nervously.
"Okay, maybe it wasn't a good idea. I'm sorry?" Ayeka said placatingly, holding her hands up in front of herself as Ryoko advanced menacingly.
Sighing, Ryoko stopped her immediate plans to kill, dismember, and bury Ayeka. (That's just fine, Princess. You've had your fun. I can wait until you're not expecting it.)
"Really, now, I'm trying to be nice to you," Ayeka tried again, boldly stepping forward and grabbing Ryoko's arm. "Come on, let's get you dried off and hustled off to bed. You shouldn't sleep on the couch like that, you'll catch a cold."
"If I don't drown first," Ryoko agreed nastily.
"I'm sorry, okay? If you want you can get Tenchi to spank me." Ayeka tugged the sopping wet Ryoko down the hall and into the girl's bathroom, still extended by Washu's technology.
"I'd rather do it myself..." Ryoko grumbled to herself.
"What?!" Ayeka exclaimed, momentarily shocked.
"Uh, I mean, it'd hurt more."
Ayeka still looked at her dubiously, but continued her task. Ryoko's dirty clothes were piled neatly in the laundry and Ayeka used a large bath towel to rub her briskly all over, drying her off and driving off some of the considerable chill she had picked up during the night and cold water bath.
Having no other clothes available at the moment, Ayeka quietly led the nude Ryoko up the stairs to her own room and dug out an extra pair of her own pajamas.
Shrugging, Ryoko accepted them without comment and dressed quickly, the cool silk causing shivers as it slid over her bare skin. She looked up to see Ayeka staring at her with a contemplative look on her face. "What?" she said quietly, whispers being too loud to be used around the sleeping Sasami.
Ayeka shrugged. "Why not?" she mouthed back, seemingly to herself. Appearing to reach a descision, she tugged Ryoko down to her futon and threw back the sheets. Seeing the obvious question written across Ryoko's face, she shrugged. "I'm tired of sleeping alone, and I bet you are, too." She held one finger up and wagged it back and forth. "But no funny stuff, okay?"
Ryoko looked at her oddly. (Strange, but... Hmm, how to be naughty and unnerving...) She reached out quickly, grabbing Ayeka's hand and keeping the finger extended, bringing it to her mouth and sucking on it in one slow, sensuous motion before releasing the hand, patting Ayeka on the cheek, and sliding under the covers before Ayeka had time to speak.
Ayeka cradled the hand against her breast and cupped her cheek in the other, utterly dumbfounded.
No one sleeps like a child, except the completely innocent and the completely unselfconscious.
Ryoko usually fit all three. Although having assumed adult status a long time ago, there was still a certain childlike wonder to her, a naive assumption that the universe really wasn't all that bad. And by and large, to her, it wasn't. She had fun, personal power, and shortly after her landing on earth, love. Even the snooty Jurian princess was little more than a mild annoyance, sand in the bikini during the beach vacation that was life.
Innocence is, of course, relative, but despite the substantial reward offered for her immediate incarceration and/or disposal, Ryoko was innocent. She'd never really done anything that _bad_, per se, more like naughty.
And Ryoko had never experienced a day of shyness or selfconsciousness in her life, most of the time she was the instrument of other's embarassment. Truly, she was blessed and smiled upon by the gods, and not that nasty kind of smug grin the Gods use right before they turn a life into some kind of personal hell that would make Job wince either. An honest, benevolent smile.
However, until now she'd never been invited to the bed of another female for use as a body pillow, so maybe there was just a hint of a smirk around the edges of that hypothetical god's smile. Despite her brazen, deliberately provocative actions, Ryoko was so nervous that she all but forgot about the unfortunate method of her wake up call.
The fact that she and Ayeka had shared some pretty intimate secrets, not to mention their colaboration on some rather inventive projects designed to turn Tenchi into a sex god straight from the legends of the Tantra, simply made things worse. Sure, she had done some things to Ayeka, and vice versa, that weren't exactly normal behavior between two girls in a nominally platonic relationship, but it wasn't like she was doing it for Ayeka's benefit. Tenchi's reactions were just so _cute_ when he was tied in the chair like that.
Thoughts of Tenchi warmed her in a way the thick blanket hadn't and Ryoko uncurled from her near fetal position, getting as comfortable as she could, pushed to the edge of the futon as she was. Unobtrusively, she turned her head and looked over at her bedmate, being just barely able to make out Ayeka's features in the dim light.
Ayeka was stiff, stiff, stiff. Every muscle in her body radiated tension, almost like she'd hooked herself up to a couple of hundred volts of high amp DC power to recharge for the night. Although if she stayed like that for very long, recharged was going to be the last thing she was going to feel like in the morning.
Ryoko stifled a chuckle. To think she'd been worried. Ayeka was probably as afraid of this situation as she was, for all that it had been Ayeka's idea in the first place.
Heh.
Nothing to worry about. Ayeka wasn't the type of person to just reach out and fondle her because she wanted her to. Wanted to, that was. Ryoko rubbed her eyes sleepily. She was tired, and clearly not thinking right. There was no sexual tension in that bed that she didn't cause herself.
Right. Now, time for sleep. Busy day tomorrow and all.
Apparently, Ayeka had come to essentially the same conclusion, and visibly relaxed beside her.
That was all well and good, at least until Ayeka felt the need to turn over. In the process, one hand accidently brushed Ryoko's pajama covered breast.
Ryoko instantly froze.
Ayeka, on the other hand, apparently didn't notice, and curled onto her left side much like Ryoko, facing away.
A disturbing question popped into Ryoko's sleep-fogged mind. Was that an accident? Did Ayeka mean to do that, and had just turned away to cover it up?
Had to be. Coincidence, that's all. Ryoko pinched herself. She was just being paranoid.
Sleep. Sleeep. Sleee...
"Ryoko," someone hissed.
...p. "Whaa?" she mumbled, not really opening her eyes. She must have fallen asleep, finally, and now was being woken up _again_.
"As comforting as this _may well be_, could you maybe remove your hand from my panties?" requested Ayeka's voice with the infinite patience of someone who is certain there is an explaination for this, and is prepared to listen to any longwinded excuse in order to prove it to themselves.
Ryoko's eyes snapped open with a near-audible jerk, her pupils dialated to the fullest.
Interestingly enough, Ayeka's right temple was about three inches from her nose, and the two were now pressed tightly together in the center of the bed in the position commonly known as the spoon. Ryoko also discovered that her arm had become wrapped around just under Ayeka's breast, across her stomach, and down between her legs; a position she favored when sharing Tenchi in Tenchi's bed.
Rather awkwardly, she extricated her hand from Ayeka's nightclothes (It was dry! Thank the Kami!), and brought it back across the increasingly fine line marking her side of the futon.
"I'd like to request that you refrain from sucking on my ear as well, but I suppose I could be negotiable on the issue," Ayeka joked, desperately trying to salvage the situation.
With a brief shudder, Ryoko turned over to face the other direction, tugging impatiently at the sheets to keep from hogging them all to herself.
"Right," Ayeka agreed. "If I'd wanted to be ravished in the middle of the night, I would have gone and woken up Tenchi. At least HE doesn't have feet that could freeze water." The last was delivered with a matter of fact tone that suggested an actual complaint, rather than the forced light tone that she had used.
"Shut up."
"Oh, calm down," Ayeka snapped peevishly, a little too loudly in the stillness of three AM. She sat up and turned to look at Ryoko's rigid back. Much quieter, she continued. "You and I both know it was an accident. Just like I didn't mean to - ulp!" she said, clapping a hand across her mouth.
(I'm not going to ask, I'm not going to ask...)
"Didn't mean to what?" She couldn't help it.
"Nothing! Good night!"
"Ayeka..." Ryoko growled. "What. Did. You. Do."
"Ah hah, nothing really," she replied, giggling nervously. "What do you say we just get some sleep? Need to be well rested for tomorrow, you know!"
"Unnh," complained a new voice as Sasami stirred sleepily and sat straight up on her futon. "Could you keep it down?" she mumbled, not really awake, before laying back down and turning over, presumably burying her head under her pillow.
"There, you see?" Ayeka whispered again. "We woke Sasami up. Let's just sleep." She lay back down and turned, covering it protectively with her arms with a finality that implied that further information couldn't be pried out of her with a crowbar.
Ryoko ground her teeth, then firmly shut her own eyes.
A minute later, a grin spread across her face.
Wake up calls indeed.
"My, my," murmured Kagato to himself as he studied the recorded readings of one particularly nasty fight between the princess Ayeka and the space pirate Ryoko. "This Ryoko is a lovely creature, but the princess is not without her charms. Such ferocity, such power!" he exclaimed to himself as he started a multi-dee recording of the fight, the first of many.
Various statistics and readings were displayed over the scene, annotated with cryptic notes by Washu herself. Especially strong peaks were replayed several times with different notations as Ryoko's energy blade slammed into Ayeka's forcefield over and over. The estimated potentials were displayed on the opposite side of the screen, as well as a small brain icon indicating areas of high neural activity.
Kagato shook his head at the readings. "Such _potential_ these Jurians have. I knew that all Jurians had access to the higher plane powers, but I had no idea that they could ever reach so deeply..." His left hand idly tapped out a slow, haunting melody on a holographic keyboard to his left, the synthesised organ notes spuring his thoughts onward. Not as good as the real thing, but close. He smiled wistfully, remembering just who had loved that song.
His nimble fingers hit a discord and halted, all of his astonished attention devoted to the screen.
A striking young man had just entered the picture and was standing between the two fighting women. They had ceased to actively fight, but both the power levels and the estimated potentials had risen dramaticly, far beyond what he would have expected. In fact, given Washu's skill, the overall potential shouldn't have risen at all, as potential was usually a fixed sum.
Kagato paused the fight, barely glancing at the newcomer, and commanded the now extensive notes to fill the screen.
-The rivalry between Ayeka and Ryoko has entered a new phase with the addition of the young earth boy Tenchi. These readings confirm my suspicions about the nature of my release from the stasis crystal I was imprisoned in.
As previously noted, the rivalry between the two started when each was very young, and due to happenstance or contrivance has only escalated since. Many such situtions can be found in psychology texts from all species and cultures, usually between siblings. Something about the other being simply irritates the one, and each wants to be the best, have the best, and prove their innate superiority.
With the relatively new addition of a possible mate, the fights have taken on a more primal urge, tapping reserves of power deeper than ever suspected. It is fortunate indeed that Ayeka has been taught considerable restraint throughout her childhood, as have all of the Jurian royalty. Sasami has yet to undergo such training, but as she is prepubescent and the necessary neural pathways have not developed yet this is not a concern. Ayeka continues to develop her power and her wits as she schemes for Tenchi's favor.
Ryoko demonstrates great power as well, as do many of her species. Her lack of respect for most laws and customs is reflected in her lack of restraint, and she frequently comes close to overpowering the princess, despite the difference in overall potential. She is much more forward in her pursuit of Tenchi and is continually embarassing the shy boy.-
Kagato paused, touching a highlighted link to one side. Immediately, the screen blurred, and a modified version of a psych evalutation program started to spout hypothesises about the two girls' childhoods that would have made Freud blush. He cut it off mid-phallic.
"Two young women going to such lengths over a boy?" he mused to himself, his cultured voice filling his quarters. "Sounds like he must be quite a catch."
A link conveniently supplied brought the file on Tenchi up on screen, and Kagato marveled at it's completion.
"Even the great Washu was attracted to the boy," he murmured, bringing up a 3d still picture.
"Oh, my. I must admit, they _do_ have good taste."
He was perfect.
Or so close to perfection as to make no difference, perfection in this case being a sense of aesthetics and not an integer.
Kagato marveled at this boy- No, this young man. This very attractive young man. He studied the picture intently. Finally, for the first time ever, he could look at another male's face and not see a pale reflection of HIS face... Tenchi alone filled his vison. He shook himself and keyed up video.
Over the next hour, he watched Tenchi sweep, tend the carrot fields (and immediately made plans to aquire some seeds and start a garden of his own), act completely shy and startlingly brave. All the best moments of the time she had spent with him, Washu had captured for her records. Even the less than flattering moments were cute to Kagato, as he watched Tenchi waffle, break, and run from the bevy of not-quite-so- attractive-anymore girls that had been drawn to him like a magnet, and as well they should.
(There is something about that young man...) Kagato thought. (He's special. Almost as if the cosmos itself had conspired to make him and direct his way through life. And he _must_ prefer men,) Kagato reasoned. (All of those girls are attractive, even I can admit that. And they're just throwing themselves at him, ready and willing, yet he does nothing!)
He sat in silence for some time, pouring over the files.
"Hello, what's this?" Kagato murmured aloud for the first time in hours.
On the screen was a little picture of a cell, one of several hundred in a little stasis container linked to Tenchi's file. Also included was a DNA sequence map and a brain structure map.
"Jurain descent!" Kagato hissed, instantly recognizing the familiar double-helix. "Earth was an abandoned Jurian colony!" He sat back, steepling his hands before himself. "Well now, that opens up possibilities."
He smiled, picturing an unstoppable fighter, loyal only to him, one who could stand by his side as they conquered Jurai together...
"Yes. Intriguing possibilities."
Tenchi: Next time, I have an unpleasent awakening of my own. We all have a pleasent shopping trip at the mall, but it's interrupted by terrorists!
Azaka and Kamidake: Did we mention that Tenchi gets in trouble?
Ayeka: Big trouble.
Ryoko: So drop by for the next chapter of Aurora of Rainbow Fire, The People's Coalition Against Capitalist Exploitation.
Kiyone: It's all political anyway.