Tenchi Muyo: The Ryoko-Ayeka Files Part I

Author’s Note: Yes, that’s right, I’m writing an author’s note. Even though, technically I’m only a writer as opposed to a full-fledged author. Run in fear, run in fear!!! Anyway, yeah, hope you like this, have fun, etc. etc. Let me know if it’s any good. I’m thinking of making a series of fluffy Ryoko/Ayeka one-shots, set in different seasons, for the most part in the Tenchi Muyo continuity. I’m already getting visions of the two snuggled on a sofa in a wintry cottage with cups of hot cocoa. *Feels all warm and fuzzy inside*

Warnings: Yuri/shojo ai, which means there will be romantic chica-y-chica (yeah, I definitely failed Spanish class) action going on. It’s a Ryeka fic, BTW. Won’t be a lemon, ‘cause I wanna write something light and fluffy, like really good whipped cream. Oooo... whipped cream... o.O But anyway, beware that I may toss in a little angst to get it started. Apparently this is the first in a series, after all.

Disclaimer: I do not own Tenchi Muyo! or any other such OAV, etc. Which is a darn good thing, ‘cause if I controlled the show there wouldn’t be a Tenchi. Annoying little Earth-boy...

The night was clear, not a cloud to get in the way of the stars that filled the sky and reflected in Ryoko’s gold-hued eyes. Eyes that hopped from system to system, taking in the familiar stars and the unfamiliar ones, mentally reminding Ryoko that there was much of the universe she had yet to see. There were entire galaxies to be explored. And here she was on Earth, staring wistfully at them.

“Don’t you ever get tired of looking at them?” a voice asked, intruding almost rudely into the space pirate’s thoughts. The tone was kind and demi-curious, despite the oddly harsh words that the speaker had chosen for that sentence. It was offhanded enough for her to let it slide, though.

With a sigh Ryoko replied, “No,” a slightly pained smile painting her catlike face. She tipped her head back even farther to look at an upside-down version of Ayeka. Her smile transformed into a sort of roguish grin. “Care to join me, princess?” The words would have been mocking if she hadn’t said them so softly.

“You’re not even going to try to bite my head off?” Ayeka returned, a little shocked at Ryoko’s accommodating mood.

The space pirate grinned wider, baring her fangs, which from that angle looked absolutely ridiculous to the Juraian Princess, who in turn silently sat down beside the other woman.

After a few moments of somewhat awkward silence, Ryoko said, “I only bite when I’m provoked,” in an attempt to violently throw a eighteen-wheeler into the proverbial ice.

Ayeka looked at the space pirate in mild disbelief. Was Ryoko trying to play with her? “Well, that’s certainly a good thing,” the princess replied, allowing a small smile to grace her noble features.

Ryoko nodded. “It is. Wouldn’t be good to have Tenchi see you with bite marks all over you.”

The comment caused a slight blush to color Ayeka’s face. “I think I could probably fend you off well enough if I had to.”

The space pirate conceded, “You probably could,” and for the third time that night managed to shock the princess. No argument. None. Whatsoever.

“Is... everything alright?” Ayeka asked tentatively. What business did she have to pry into Ryoko’s life? She’d been nothing but inhospitable to the space pirate since they first landed on Earth. But Ryoko had gone from seeming cheerful to something akin to mild depression, and the change concerned Ayeka for some reason.

The woman in questioned sighed a little, turning her face skyward again to stare at the stars. “I could be out there right now, exploring those worlds, instead of sitting here staring at them,” she said, her tone a little rough. Hesitantly, she added, “I miss... traveling the stars. Living by my own rules, doing what I want... seeing things that no one else has laid eyes on...”

“You must feel very trapped here,” Ayeka admitted, allowing her heart to be flooded with sympathy for the space pirate.

Ryoko stood up, wringing her hands in frustration. “I could leave any time I wanted!” she exclaimed. “But something’s keeping me back...” She flopped down next to Ayeka on the roof, having paced to the chimney and back.

“Lord Tenchi?” the princess asked.

The cyan-haired woman shook her head. “I don’t think it’s that simple. I feel like it’s something bigger than him...”

“Hm...” Ayeka bowed her head in thought. “Do you not need those jewels that are embedded in Tenchi-ken?” she suggested.

Ryoko laughed. “I could take them whenever I wanted.” She shook out her blue-green mane, letting the slight breeze catch it as she gazed out over the tops of the trees. She could see the ancient Funaho from here, a few small lights flickering every now and then in acknowledgment of the Juraian princess’ presence. “It’s something else, but I can’t quite lay my finger on it.”

Ayeka tentatively reached out and rested a comforting hand on Ryoko’s surprisingly muscled shoulder. “I am certain that you’ll figure it out someday,” she offered.

Golden eyes flicked over to crash involuntarily into garnet, and for a eternal instant Ryoko was falling. The world just dropped out from beneath her feet as all at once she knew what kept her tied to this minuscule, insignificant planet. “Shit,” she breathed, and then suddenly she was gone.

“Ryoko?” Ayeka leapt into a standing position on the roof. “Ryoko!” she called into the night. With a heavy sigh, she turned to go back into the house, intent on making herself a cup of hot tea.

* * * * * * *

The next morning came with a vengeance, spilling golden light across Ayeka’s creamy face. Dark lashes fluttered open and then quickly closed against the assault. I really ought to move my bed, she thought. But the scent of eggs and bacon that she noticed moments later made up for the harsh sunlight.

Stretching, the Juraian princess sat up in her bed, her hair an absolute mess and the covers a tousled heap at her waist. A yawn ran across her face for a few short instants, and then she was standing up and getting dressed. She’d have to hurry to breakfast before it was all gone. Ryoko was not the only voracious appetite the Masaki household was sanctuary to.

Just the thought of the space pirate’s name brought last night’s strange events rushing back to the princess. An oddly friendly conversation, which led to Ayeka learning about the woman she had chased across the cosmos for many long years. Ryoko’s range of emotions, and then that short contact, when their eyes had met for the briefest of seconds and a flash of pure fire had seared through the Juraian princess’ soul. It had left Ayeka wondering and alone, Ryoko having taken off before she could even think to comment.

The violet-haired princess shook her head, clearing it of such thoughts as she finished piecing together her clothing ensemble. She would see Ryoko at breakfast shortly, and then she could ask her what made her leave so suddenly.

“Good morning, Ayeka!” Sasami said cheerfully, waving a spatula to her sister as she descended the stairs from their shared bedroom.

The elder princess smiled. “Good morning, Sasami,” she returned with equal cheer. Looking around, she noticed the absence of a certain space pirate. “Have you seen Ryoko yet this morning?” she asked her younger sister.

Sasami paused a moment in thought. “She actually came down a little while ago, but she asked me to give her some food to go. I think she said it was too nice of a day to stay inside or something.”

Ayeka frowned, puzzling the strange predicament over in her head. I hope she’s okay, she thought. “Thank you, Sasami,” the older princess said graciously.

“Sure, anytime.” The blue-haired girl grinned openly. “So, how do like your eggs?”

The violet-haired woman indulged in a laugh, honestly appreciating her sister’s cheery nature. “Whichever way is best,” she answered.

“Ayeka...” Sasami whined. “That’s not fair. You have to pick. Scrambled, over easy, or poached?”

“I have no preference,” the older princess replied. “It is still an egg either way, correct?”

Sasami waved the spatula threateningly at her sibling. “You are getting over easy eggs just for being so indecisive!” she announced, and promptly returned to her cooking.

Ayeka chuckled. She did prefer her eggs over easy, and Sasami knew it, this was just another of their odd little games. “I assume Lord Tenchi has already gone to school?” she asked, changing the subject.

“Yup. Left a few hours ago.” After flipping an egg, Sasami asked, “You want bacon too?”

“Oh, definitely,” Ayeka answered with an affirmative nod. “You bacon is beyond compare.”

Sasami grinned. “Can’t wait to go back to Jurai and see what the cooks have to say!”

“Mm,” Ayeka agreed, turning to leave the kitchen. Thoughtfully, she walked over to the sliding-glass door. Ryoko was right, it was far too beautiful a day to spend inside. She made it a point to go for a walk or a picnic lunch later on.

* * * * * * *

“I hate my life,” Ryoko muttered miserably from where she had comfortably draped herself in the boughs of an old willow tree. A full bottle of sake lay on the ground several feet below her, where she had dropped it after deciding that maybe this time alcohol really wasn’t the answer. This was something she’d have to either think about or completely forget forever. Drinking wouldn’t make the ruby eyes that randomly flashed through her mind go away. “What am I gonna do...?” she groaned. A dangling foot lashed out and kicked the thick trunk of the tree, but there wasn’t even a dent to mark the occasion.

Snap. One ear perked at the sound, in a manner resembling that of a horse. Someone was coming. Ryoko stopped the growl that had been about to rise from her throat, deciding it would be more fun to scare the living crap out of the intruder.

* * * * * * *

After finishing her breakfast, Ayeka had decided to follow through with her plans of taking a walk, allowing her feet to guide her body down a rarely-trodden path. Truly, this day was as beautiful out of doors as it looked indoors. Every flower was in bloom, lifting its petals to the sky as if in praise of the nature gods. Pollen floated fragrantly on the air, teasing the princess’ senses and giving her the feeling that she was very firmly rooted to this planet, just as those plants.

This is a remarkable planet, she thought to herself, stopping for a moment to stare out across a meadow at the various plants that colored the scenery. She found herself at the base of a very sturdy weeping willow tree, which she walked up to and rested a hand on. “You’re a very healthy tree,” she said to it, taking a moment to breath in the life that permeated this day. She put her back against the trunk and slid down to sit at its base. One foot lashed out to kick away a discarded sake bottle.

Suddenly, the peacefully scenery was violently disturbed by raucous laughter, which originated from somewhere above Ayeka’s head. Looking up, she saw a certain space pirate nestled in the branches of the very tree she had come to rest underneath.

“This is ridiculous!” Ryoko exclaimed, materializing in front of Ayeka. Bowing with mock-respect, she said, “Your majesty.”

Ayeka giggled a little at the feline-like woman. “I didn’t expect to see you here,” she admitted honestly.

Ryoko grinned at the youthful-looking princess. “Well, I wasn’t up there waiting around for you either, your majesty. Do you mind if I sit here?” Without waiting for an invitation, the space pirate took a seat beside Ayeka at the base of the tree.

A few moments of peaceful silence drifted by, and then the princess broke it with, “May I ask what brought you out here?” Ayeka knew that Ryoko wasn’t much of an outdoors person. Granted, it was a beautiful day, but still Ryoko was more likely to be found sleeping in the rafters of the house than thinking in the boughs of a tree.

“It was just too beautiful to stay inside,” the space pirate answered. “And I needed to do some thinking, so today was kinda a blessing, you know?”

Ayeka nodded. “It is...” She let her eyes drift shut for a moment, soaking in the energy of the day. When she opened them, she caught Ryoko staring for the briefest of moments. Which brought her back to what she had first wondered when she woke up that morning. “Why did you leave so suddenly last night?” she asked bluntly.

There was a flash of fear across Ryoko’s face, but it was quickly replaced with her usual cocky grin as she said, “You know how us space pirates are, your highness. Gotta do random crap to keep you on your toes.”

“Ah,” was Ayeka’s reply. It was obvious that she definitely didn’t even remotely buy Ryoko’s excuse, but also that she wasn’t going to pry if the space pirate didn’t want to talk about it.

The cat-like woman sighed, running a hand through her blue-green tresses as she thought about what she should say. I can’t just be like, “Look, Ayeka, I think I’m in love with you.” She thinks I’m a monster. She’d just laugh at me. Ryoko shook her head. She didn’t think she could take it if the princess just shrugged off her feelings. “Ayeka, I don’t--”

A hand on her shoulder cut the space pirate off mid-sentence. “If you don’t want to talk about it, I understand,” the princess stated. “I won’t pry. Your business is your own.”

Gold and garnet clashed for the second time in the space pirate’s life as again their eyes met and held. Ayeka had a way of letting you know exactly what she was thinking just by looking at you. Her ruby eyes didn’t look upon cyan-haired woman as a monster, but as a potential friend.

Ryoko sighed again, breaking away from Ayeka’s gaze. “You have every right to know,” she confessed, slumping her shoulders. But I’m too chickenshit to tell you.

“I have no such right,” the princess insisted. “I’ve been horrible to you, Ryoko, you owe me no favors.”

The space pirate slashed violently at the air with one hand in an attempt to release some of her frustration. “I haven’t helped!” she exclaimed. “If I did anything, it was provoke you!” Her hands balled into fists at her sides.

Ayeka’s hand found its way to Ryoko’s shoulder yet again, but this time the space pirate jerked away.

“Don’t waste your comfort on me,” Ryoko almost sneered. “I’m not worth it.” She pounded a fist into the ground, significantly denting the soil. She stared at the mark in something of a daze. “I’m a monster,” she spat. The space pirate stood up from her seat, walking away into the forest and leaving a gaping Ayeka behind her.

* * * * * * *

The lab was surprisingly dark, considering it was a place for experimentation in which one would think there would be more than substantial lighting. However, the scientist inhabiting said lab required a certain ambiance in order to get in the mood for science.

“Mwahahahahaaa!” A disheveled redhead cackled maniacally as she slid out from underneath a large, complex-looking machine.

“Ummm... Washu?”

“What?” the redhead demanded irritably. Seeing that the inquiry came from Ryoko, her daughter, she softened her tone and asked, “What do you need?”

The space pirate stepped further into the laboratory, resting her fidgeting hands on a random metal box. “Help,” she said plainly, looking at her self-proclaimed mother with surprisingly honest eyes.

Washu moved closer to the cyan-haired woman. Closing her eyes briefly, she allowed herself to transform into her older version. “Here, I think you’ll listen to me better if I look like this,” the scientist offered.

Ryoko had learned long ago never to ask questions when Washu was involved, and now was no exception. “Crap, how do I say this?” she wondered aloud.

“Start at the beginning,” Washu instructed wisely.

The space pirate closed her eyes for a moment, collecting her thoughts. Start at the beginning. “Well, I dunno, you know how Ayeka and I seem to pretty much hate each other?” The scientist nodded her reply. This seemed to be a situation in which it was best to just listen to her daughter. “Well, we were talking last night, and it was getting pretty deep and personal for a while. We were talking about what was keeping me tied to this planet, and I told her I was pretty sure it wasn’t Tenchi.” The cat-like woman took a deep breath. “Then I looked over and we locked eyes and I realized why I couldn’t just leave, you know?”

“Ayeka,” Washu said, realization dawning on her face.

“You must think I really am just a freak, huh?” Ryoko said bluntly.

Washu stepped closer to her daughter and put a friendly arm around the younger woman’s shoulder, leading her off to a more comfortable part of the laboratory. “No, of course not Ryoko. You’re my daughter. Nothing you can do could ever keep me from loving you. It’s that whole mom’s unconditional love thing.” She guided Ryoko into one of the lounge-style chairs. “Here, sit down and get comfortable. It seems we’re overdue for a mother-daughter type of talk.” She reached into her dimensional hole thingie and withdrew two bottled sodas, handing one to her daughter.

“Umm... thanks,” Ryoko muttered, sipping the fizzy beverage and snuggling into the incredibly comfortable chair.

Washu nodded. “Anytime.” She drank a bit of her own soda, settling into a seat on the other side of the small table. “So, you think you’re a freak ‘cause you’ve got feelings for Ayeka?” The scientist would have laughed if the situation had been less serious.

“Well, I guess so... I dunno...” Ryoko trailed off, staring down the neck of her soda bottle.

“Let me tell you something, Ryoko, and you better listen ‘cause this is really important.” Washu pointed her finger at the space pirate in a very serious way. “I have met some very strange people, and even stranger creatures during my 20,000 years in this universe. I can honestly say that, compared to them, what you’re worried about is nothing.” She drank a little more of the soda. “Having feelings for another woman is not even remotely freakish. As a matter of fact, I’ve been on a few planets that support, or more than support, that particular walk of life.”

“Yeah, but I mean, it’s not just any woman. It’s Ayeka, crown princess of Jurai.” Ryoko slumped back into her chair as if to hide. “I’m just a space pirate. I’d be crazy to think she’d ever even consider having feelings for me.”

Washu allowed a short laugh to slip from her lips. “Ha! I’ll bet you think those damn Juraians do nothing but politics, right? And I suppose you think Funaho and Misaki content themselves with spending their days waiting around for Azusa to make time for them?” She laughed a little more. “I’ll have you know that those two particular women are very close friends, if you know what I mean.”

Ryoko waved her hand a little through the air, allowing her body to relax as her mother’s demi-banter lightened the atmosphere. “Well, I had kinda figured,” she admitted.

“It’s obvious, Ryoko. There’s nothing to figure. They’re probably more in love with each other than Azusa.” Washu finished off her soda, then tossed the empty bottle into her dimensional trash can. “But back to the point. You were saying that you think you have feelings for Ayeka. What’s the real problem with that?”

“She’ll never be mine,” Ryoko lamented miserably. “She’s head-over-heels in love with Tenchi.”

“Weren’t you?” Washu asked her daughter.

The space pirate seriously considered the question for a few moments. “I’m not sure anymore. I mean, yeah I liked him, but I dunno if that was just me trying to cling to something I knew about this world.”

The scientist nodded. “I can tell you now that Ayeka only thinks she loves him because she knows he’s a descendent of Yosho.”

Ryoko’s eyes shot up from where they had been inspecting the surprisingly flavorful orange-colored beverage. “I doubt that,” she said immediately.

“I don’t,” Washu returned. “I mean come on, it is Tenchi. What exactly does he have to offer? A farm, some carrots, a basic knowledge of Jurai fighting style. He’s not even really handsome. At most, he’s a nice guy. And he’s certainly not interested in her.”

“Yeah, that’s true. I don’t know.” Ryoko fished around in her mind for anything else that was bugging her. “She’s way too good for me.”

“What are you talking about?” Washu waved a hand at Ryoko. “You’re perfect,” she stated matter-of-factly.

The space pirate shook her head vehemently. “I’m a rough, good-for-nothing criminal incapable of anything but destruction.”

“That’s definitely not true. We already know you’re capable of love, don’t we?” The scientist raised one eyebrow to emphasize the fact that she was so obviously right.

“Ha!” Ryoko laughed at the rhetorical question. “Yeah, right, love, that’s what you call my pathetic obsession.”

Washu slammed one fist on the metal table, immediately drawing her daughter’s attention. “Look, dammit, you are not a monster and you are more than capable of love, and you’re also more than good enough for her, if you’re actually willing to take a chance. What have you got to lose? If it all blows up in your face then you can just leave and go back to cruising the galaxy. This time I’ll come with you, and you won’t have anything to worry about.”

“It’s not that simple!” Ryoko argued.

“But it is!” was Washu’s reply. “If I’ve learned anything by being the universe’s greatest scientist it’s that everything is simple if you look at it the right way.” She got up from her chair. “Besides, I think you really ought to be talking to Ayeka about this, not me. I mean, she’s the one you’re in love with.”

For one long, drawn-out moment there was absolute silence, and for the first time in her life Washu feared that she’d gone to far. Then Ryoko suddenly started laughing. “This is messed up!” she said through her laughter. Calming down, she elaborated, “You’re right. I should be talking to Ayeka. I’m not solving anything by sitting around here being miserable.” She stood up from her seat, tossing her now-empty soda bottle into Washu’s dimensional trash can. That done, she headed for the door to the lab, intent on confronting Ayeka about her feelings. Before she left, though, she stopped just short of the doorway. “Thanks... Mom...” she whispered, and then she left.

“Anytime,” was Washu’s equally quiet reply. She took a moment to wipe away the tears that pooled in the corners of her eyes, then went back to her work on the large, complex-looking machine.

* * * * * * *

“I shouldn’t have run away,” Ryoko muttered to herself as she walked recklessly through the woods in search of the Juraian princess. “I wouldn’t be out here looking for her right now if I’d’a stuck around...” There was just something especially unappealing about getting all sweaty tromping through the forests on some sort of deranged wild goose chase.

In all actuality she’d only been looking for Ayeka for about half an hour, but it was half an hour spent in weather that had become decidedly hotter since that morning, and as a result sweat ran down the space pirate’s back and beaded on her forehead. “Ayeka, where the hell are you?!” she yelled harshly at the forest, fairly certain that her words went unheard.

A girlish giggle from behind Ryoko proved her wrong. “Are you looking for me?” Ayeka asked innocently. She had seen the cyan-haired woman pass the tree she had been sitting under a few minutes ago and had decided to follow her for a bit to indulge her sudden curiosity.

“You have not been behind me the whole time.” It was a statement, not a question, as Ryoko spun on her heel to look at the violet-haired princess who had preoccupied almost all of her thoughts lately.

“Only for a few minutes,” Ayeka offered, hiding her laughter behind a hand. “So, why were you looking for me?”

Crap... Now that she’d found the princess, Ryoko didn’t know how to go about saying what she had to say. “Umm...” Her eyes turned pleading. “Can we find some shade first?”

Ayeka nodded and followed the space pirate to a tall cherry tree in full blossom. The thick branches and abundant flowers blocked out the sunlight well enough for the time being. Once the two were comfortably settled on the ground, Ayeka prompted, “So...” Remembering their previous conversation, she made sure that her tone was neither patronizing or prying.

“I... had a talk with Washu...” Ryoko started, trying to find a way to breach the subject. “She’s a really good listener. She helped me get my thoughts together.”

Silence descended upon the duo, and for a moment Ayeka was afraid that Ryoko didn’t intend to continue. “Well, that is a good thing,” she said, hoping the space pirate would keep talking.

Ryoko nodded. “Yeah, it helped a lot.” Sighing, she shook her head. This isn’t working, her thought, exasperated. “I’ve had a lot of stuff on my mind lately. Like leaving. I... think I realized what’s keeping me here.”

“Really?” Ayeka tried not to seem overtly curious, despite that it was what she felt. “May I ask what?”

“Yeah. And you did... so I guess I should answer.” Running a hand through her blue-green tresses, Ryoko took a deep breath. She realized that she was standing on the edge of a cliff right then, and that her next move would decide how hard she’d fall. “Ayeka, I... oh, screw it--IthinkImightbefallinginlovewithyou,” she confessed in a rush.

The princess was silent. That was not the answer she’d expected. Time slowed as she considered what that meant. She’d been developing feelings for Ryoko since they landed on Earth. At first they came out as aggression, as she was frustrated by what she was feeling for someone who was supposed to be her enemy. After her emotions began to manifest as aggression, she got caught up in the flow of things, and all of a sudden she realized that she really didn’t hate Ryoko. But by then it was too late to stop the fighting. Ryoko loved Tenchi. They could never be together. And so she became even more frustrated and the fighting continued.

“Um... Ayeka?” Ryoko had flinched away from the princess after her admonision, but when there was no reply after a while she opened her eyes to see what had happened. And there sat Ayeka, staring vacantly at a point somewhere in the distance, seemingly deep in concentration. “Ayeka?” the space pirate asked again.

The Juraian princess shook her head, clearing her thoughts. The past didn’t matter now. What mattered was that here was the possibility to finally see her dreams come to life. “Ryoko... I don’t know what to say...” Ayeka answered truthfully. “I thought you loved Lord Tenchi.”

Well, this was interesting. No painful bitchslap, no yelling, not even a shred of disgust. “I thought so too... But now I kinda think that was more just me latching onto him as a lifeline in this otherwise unfamiliar world. Keep in mind I spent more time than I care to admit trapped in a crytal watching him grow up.”

“That is true. You did know him best at the time.” Ayeka nodded, allowing that arguement to die.

“So wait,” Ryoko said, holding up a hand to forestall anything else the princess might have to say. “You don’t think I’m some sort of monster?”

Ayeka almost laughed. All that stopped her was fear of hurting the space pirate’s feelings. “Ryoko, I grew up with two mothers who spend most of their time with each other as opposed to with their husband. I am more than comfortable with same-sex relationships.”

“Really?” The cat-like woman could hardly believe it. This was going so much better than she’d thought it would. When Ayeka nodded, it was all Ryoko could do to restrain herself from pouncing on the other woman and hugging the life out of her. Relief flooded through the space pirate’s system. Everything really was as simple as Washu said.

“I suppose I owe you a confession as well...” Ayeka rubbed a hand over her temple, smoothing the tension from that area. This was not something she had intended to ever tell Ryoko, and now she was faced with the very real possibility of not only telling the space pirate but also of acting upon how she felt. “Ryoko, do you remember the very first time we met, on Jurai?” Ryoko nodded, a small smile gracing her lips. “We were both very young then, I couldn’t have been more than a hundred years old. We met when you tried to sneak into the palace... I don’t exactly remember why--”

“To steal power cells for Washu,” Ryoko supplemented.

“Yes, that was the reason.” Ayeka stopped a moment to smile at the memory of a younger, more innocent Ryoko, rough and almost roguish in her mannerisms. “Of course, you were caught. Or rather, I ran into you. You are lucky that it was me you ran into. Anyone else would have had you thrown into prison immediately.” That meeting was one of the most pivotal in Ayeka’s life. From the younger Ryoko she had learned about the less fortunate people of her world, and that had changed her image of Jurai forever. From then on, she had sworn to help those people.

“Yeah, that was pretty lucky, wasn’t it?” Ryoko mused, thinking back on that time.

Ayeka nodded. “Fate works in mysterious ways,” she thought aloud. “Ryoko, that was when I first fell in love with you.”

Suddenly, Ryoko’s train of thought was violently derailed. “Uh... What?” She couldn’t have heard what she thought she just heard.

“I have been in love with you since the first day we met,” the princess stated bluntly. “Something about you captivated me from our very first meeting.”

“Um. Wow...” Ryoko fell silent. “I seriously never expected that...” she said honestly. There wasn’t much else to say.

Ayeka smiled. It was always fun to surprise Ryoko. “I think this is the part where you kiss me,” she stage-whispered to the space pirate.

The cyan-haired woman grinned ecstatically as she stood up. She held out a hand to the princess, who took it and was gently pulled to her feet. Once more their eyes met, and this time gold and garnet melted into each other as they both allowed their emotions to flow uninhibited. Ryoko brought one hand to Ayeka’s face, lightly tracing its contours. In a motion that was excrutiatingly slow she guided the princess’s lips to her own. Suddenly the world exploded around them, falling away and leaving the two drifting together through space. Their lips danced against each other, tongues entwining and exploring.

When Ryoko finally started to pull away, she found herself held firmly in place by a surprisingly desperate Ayeka, who crushed her lips against the space pirate’s, deepening the kiss and forcing a moan from Ryoko.

The need for air was all that could end it, and even then they remained wrapped in each other’s arms. “Damn...” Ryoko commented, still a little shocked by the intensity of the kiss. Ayeka nodded in silent agreement, her head resting on the space pirate’s shoulder. “So I guess this makes Tenchi shit outta luck.”

Ayeka giggled, lifting her head from Ryoko’s shoulder to look the other woman in the eyes. “There is still Sasami,” she said seriously.

“Nah. She’s too young.” The two shared a laugh at that. Sasami was about 30 times older than Tenchi. “And she’s probably more interested in Ryo-ohki than Tenchi.”

“Yes, probably.” Ayeka sat back down on the ground, taking Ryoko with her. She kissed the space pirate’s neck as she snuggled into their unbroken embrace. “I do hope he did not have any feelings for either of us,” she said thoughtfully. “He should be with someone of his own race anyway.”

Ryoko nodded. “Yep.” She tightened the embrace briefly in a sort of hug as in her mind.

The princess looked up at her space pirate, grinning as the fond term ran through her mind. She is mine. At last. And I am hers, as well. “I love you,” Ayeka said, enjoying how the words felt.

Ryoko smiled back. “I love you, too.”

* * * * * * *

“That’s it?” An indignant Washu chucked a handful of popcorn at the screen she had been using to spy on Ryoko and Ayeka.

“I don’t believe it!” Sasami exclaimed, flicking another piece of popcorn for good measure. “The soaps on TV are so much better than this...”

Washu tsked. “No kidding.” She grinned nonetheless. They deserved to be together.

“And I do not like Ryo-ohki! Not that way at least.” The younger of the two juraian princesses shook her head in mild disgust.

“Myah,” Ryo-ohki added, then yawned and went back to sleep in Sasami’s lap.

The fiery-haired scientist laughed. This was only the beginning. She couldn’t wait until Tenchi got home from school.

The End.

(Except that this is gonna be a series, so it isn’t really the end. But it is. Am I making any sense at all? No, probably not.)

Post Author’s Note: I’m so happy! I actually finished a fic! *Is happy* :) :) :) Y’all should be proud. I haven’t actually finished something I started writing since like 8th grade. And it’s not even all that bad, if I do say so myself. But please, review and share your opinion with me. Criticism is helpful, flames are annoying. All is welcome. It’s winter, I’m cold, I could probably use a little fire, ya know? I’m so moving to Hawaii. Maryland sucks...