No Need for a Cabbit
Kiyone introduces herself, "I'm Detective First Class Kiyone Makibi, and Dragonwiles asked me to be the DJ for this episode's theme song. I don't really pay attention to such things as theme songs, so I agreed with Dragonwiles' recommendation of the song 'Morning.' Dragonwiles said to tell you that it was from the Earth TV show 'Naruto,' and to emphasize that Dragonwiles does not claim to own 'Morning' or 'Naruto.' " She shakes her head. "I hope that helped you. I found it more confusing, especially since I've never seen 'Naruto' before." She presses a button, and the hopeful strains of "Morning" begin to play.
Since his father had brought home more futons, Tenchi slept in his own room that night. Ayeka and Sasami relocated themselves and their effects to another room, one of the empty bedrooms. After quite a bit of cajoling, Ryoko had finally been persuaded to stay away from Tenchi while he was sleeping. She felt disinclined to take an actual room, being without the princess' luggage, so she determined to sleep on a beam in the ceiling. This made Nobuyuki acutely uncomfortable as a host, since it seemed so uncomfortable for Ryoko, but Ryoko claimed to enjoy it, and there seemed nothing else to be done.
On the following morning, Ayeka felt herself being called from slumber by her younger sister. "What is it, Sasami?" Ayeka asked tiredly.
"It's time you got up, breakfast is almost ready," Sasami gesticulated with a ladle. Ayeka slowly opened her eyes and saw that her younger sister had on an apron with a large carrot on the lower portion, and was holding a ladle in her left hand. Ayeka recognized the apron as one of her younger sister's favorites when cooking.
"I'm too tired, Sasami, and my head is bothering me," Ayeka bemoaned and closed her eyes. Sasami, peeved, knelt down and said sharply, "Ayeka, you need to get up and come down to breakfast! No one has seen you at all! Grandpa, Mr. Masaki, Tenchi, they're all getting worried about you!"
"Why don't they worry about the space pirate they shelter?" Ayeka wondered sleepily, then continued, "No, Sasami, I need to rest now."
Sasami stubbornly told her, "They did let us stay here after everything that's happened! If you keep this up, they'll start to think that Juraians have no manners-"
"They will not!" Ayeka snarled as she kept her face pressed against the blanket.
Sasami sniffed in the same way that their mother did, the way that irritated Ayeka to no end. Ayeka slewed her head up to see Sasami standing with her hands on her hips, the ladle pointed away from her body. Sasami said accusatorily, "You're making this very hard on me."
Ayeka slowly sat up. "I'm sorry, Sasami," she said, chastened. "I shouldn't have made you carry my burdens too." She stood and began to get herself ready for the day. Sighing in relief, Sasami left the room.
There was a window looking out on the lake in that room, and Ayeka wrinkled her nose as she saw Ryoko standing by the shore. "Really," she grumbled, "I never imagined we'd have to share a table with her. It's disgusting."
Ryoko stood expectantly by the shore, almost not daring to hope. She had not had many things to hope for in all her life.
Ryoko had been able to sense Ryo-ohki in her mind for as long as she could remember, even when Ryoko was in stasis in the cave, and Ryo-ohki in ruins under the lake. When Ryoko woke up this morning, she had expected to feel a horrible nothingness where Ryo-ohki once resided in her mind. Instead, she found something that made her smile. Ryoko had come out here and still felt it, and she allowed herself to believe.
Rising up into the air, Ryoko dove into the lake without a splash, phasing through it instead of entering normally. She propelled herself down towards the bottom, through the remains of Ryu-Oh, to her own dead Ryo-ohki. Guided, Ryoko moved to a certain spot on Ryo-ohki and extracted a small black ball, materializing only her hands. She rose again to the surface and rematerialized, only her hands and the ball wet. She clasped it close to her stomach. Water got on her dress, but she didn't care about that now.
Tenchi took off his shoes on the porch, somewhat discontented that his grandfather seemed to think he only needed one day of rest from his chores. He doubted his grandfather had any sound medical basis for his treatment plans, and really wished they had checked him into a hospital where there were competent doctors, not family members making guesses.
He tensed as the ten-legged lion prowled by again, but it didn't seem to notice him, and went on its own way. Tenchi stared after it, wondering how to keep some of Sasami's other pets out of the crops.
Nobuyuki walked out of the house onto the porch, dressed for work. "Hi Tenchi," he greeted his son. "Hi, Dad," Tenchi returned the greeting confusedly, "Uh, aren't you going to make breakfast?"
"Oh, well, Sasami ended up handling everything just fine," Nobuyuki said with a grin.
"She's doing all the work?" Tenchi gawked at him. Nobuyuki shrugged, and said, "Well, I didn't mean for that to happen, but she was just having so much fun doing everything herself, I didn't want to stop her."
"She knows how to cook with Earthling ingredients?" Tenchi asked, surprised. Nobuyuki blinked and rubbed his head nervously. Tenchi groaned, but then, the question had only just now occurred to him too. He supposed they'd all find out soon enough.
Sasami appeared at the door and said cheerily, "Good morning, Tenchi! Breakfast is ready!"
"Thanks, Sasami!" they said with smiles that changed into worried expressions when she wasn't looking.
Ryoko commented as Ayeka appeared downstairs, "You're still alive, Princess? I thought Sasami was trying to cover over your death." Ayeka ignored her by turning away her head.
Sasami walked into the room, followed by Tenchi and Nobuyuki. Sasami noticed the polished black sphere in Ryoko's lap and asked, "What do you have there?"
"It's an egg," Ryoko told her.
"Wow!" Sasami breathed.
"She's only teasing you, Sasami," Ayeka said airily, "it's probably some ill-gotten gem."
"May I hold it?" Sasami asked. Ryoko nodded, and passed the egg to her. Ayeka screeched too late, "We're about to eat breakfast, don't touch that dirty thing!"
"I didn't know you laid eggs," Nobuyuki said unsteadily.
Ryoko smiled darkly and said, "Watch and see." She hadn't taken her eyes off the egg for a second.
"I feel it moving!" Sasami squealed joyfully, setting it down carefully on the floor. Sasami burbled, "I think it's going to hatch!"
Tenchi stared at the egg, wondering what sort of alien was about to pop into his life now, and whether this one would contribute to general mayhem if it had the chance.
A crack appeared on the top of the egg, then cracks appeared around the bottom. Each crack was regular, more like a crystal fracturing than an egg tearing. One section began to bulge as well as crack, and the egg tilted towards that side slightly until a dark grey rabbit's foot popped out of the egg.
"That's a nice rabbit child you've got there," Nobuyuki said uncertainly, feeling he had to say something to be polite, "Boy or girl?"
Another rabbit's foot stuck out of the egg. The two feet planted themselves on the floor, and the rest of the egg cracked open in half, revealing a small rabbit-like creature that had been pushing against the shell with its folded arms. The creature fell backwards from the momentum, its long ears flopping to the floor, revealing their pink insides and dark brown outsides. A fringe of white hair was between the ears and head. All the creature was covered in brown fur, except for a red gem centered on its brow, its white paws, the pink skin on the underside of its ears, and its white eartips. It turned itself over with a soft mew and began to lick itself, though there was no amniotic fluid to be seen.
Ryoko walked over and picked it up, and it gave a happy meow as Ryoko cuddled it to her cheek. "Oh, my precious Ryo-ohki!" Ryoko cooed at it.
"No way! Your spaceship?" Tenchi's mouth dropped open.
Ayeka stepped forward, furious, "Your ship died! This can't be happening!"
"That's what I thought," Ryoko commented as she nestled Ryo-ohki in the crook of her arm, "but I never felt her mind totally leave me. This morning, I realized her body felt totally different, and I came out to the lake and saw what had happened. I had no idea you could do that!" Ryoko hummed melodically at Ryo-ohki and petted the creature's back, which elicited a happy meow from it, just like a kitten. Ryo-ohki rubbed her head against Ryoko's arm, causing Ryo-ohki's long white whiskers to sway and brush against Ryoko's dress.
"So your spaceship gives birth to cats?" Nobuyuki felt definitely out of his depth. "Or is that a rabbit?"
"What are you all doing out there?" Katsuhito's voice called from the dining room. "It's an insult to the cook to keep all this good food waiting." Sasami nodded smartly and dashed into the kitchen to wash her hands again.
"We aren't going to miss out on a good breakfast," Ryoko replied gaily, walking quickly towards the dining room, Ryo-ohki cradled securely in her arms.
"Come back here and clean up your battleship's egg this instant!" Ayeka demanded, pointing at the black crystalline shards on the floor.
"I'm not your servant," Ryoko said saucily as she disappeared into the dining room.
"Thank you," Tenchi turned to Ayeka awkwardly, "but we'll clean it up later. Sasami did go to a lot of trouble for us." His mouth quirked as he wondered if it would result in trouble for the humans' stomachs later, but Ayeka didn't notice.
She bowed slightly and said formally, "No, I must thank you for your hospitality to the royal family of Jurai."
"Uh, you're welcome," Tenchi said simply, "Please, come this way."
They walked towards the dining room together, and Nobuyuki followed them, muttering to himself, "...sure it meows, but it's got long floppy ears. Whatever, it must be a cabbit!"
Tenchi was relieved that he didn't have to disappoint Sasami's eager anticipation, which showed so clearly on her face. "I really like this, Sasami," he told her honestly.
"Wonderful!" Nobuyuki said during a mouthful of it. "Dad!" Tenchi growled at him. "What?" Ryoko asked during a mouthful of food, not realizing that Tenchi was irritated at his father for the impoliteness and dangers of eating while talking, "It is good, you said so yourself. Ryo-ohki and I think so too!" Tenchi dropped his head and growled, "Ryoko, don't talk with your mouth full!" Ryoko ignored him to hand feed Ryo-Ohki from the extra place Sasami had set for Ryo-Ohki. Ryo-Ohki did indeed raise her ears, smile, and emit a pleased "Meow!"
Katsuhito paused a moment to compliment Sasami, "Yes, it tastes good, just like the way my mother used to make it."
Ayeka nodded, proud of her sister, "Your practice with Lady Funaho has certainly paid off, Sasami."
"I'm glad," Sasami smiled modestly. "She was so helpful, teaching me all about how to cook with Earth ingredients. Earth food was always one of her favorites, so of course Father always got plenty for her."
Katsuhito nodded sagely.
"Oh, so your mother's name was Funaho," Tenchi commented, interested.
"No, our mother is Misaki," Ayeka corrected him gently. "Funaho is Father's other wife."
Tenchi blinked. Nobuyuki gaped. "Other wife?" Nobuyuki ventured after a pause.
"Yeah, Funaho's the mother of Yosho," Ryoko explained. "So he's her half brother."
Ayeka glared at her. "It's a bit much to hear you talking about him like you know him!" she said cuttingly.
"Believe me, I got to know Yosho a lot better than I liked," Ryoko said disinterestedly.
"I'm sure he felt the same," Ayeka said archly and nodded.
"He was kinda cute. Not as cute as Tenchi, but-" Ryoko mused idly.
"That's quite enough from you, monster woman!" Ayeka ground out, bracing her hands on the table.
Ryoko grinned evilly, "But why am I talking as if it's all in the past? I can tell you where he is right now, if you like!"
"I wouldn't trust you to tell me any such thing!" Ayeka snapped.
Ryoko hugged Tenchi fiercely. "Such an unforgiving woman," Ryoko murmured, idly poking Tenchi's chest, "how can you stand to have her around?"
"Ryoko, I'm trying to eat-" Tenchi began in irritation.
"How can you stand to have that monster draped around you, you brainwashed fool!" Ayeka shouted. "Is this some sort of mockery? I'm not staying for it any longer!" She stood up in a swift movement.
"I'm not making fun-" Tenchi began, but she swept past without a word. Sasami called after her, "Ayeka!" but she left the room and went outdoors.
"I don't suppose you're going to apologize?" Tenchi asked Ryoko in disgust. Ryoko shook her head. "You caused the trouble, you should!" Tenchi insisted. Ryoko turned bright eyes upon him, "Oh, how wonderful! You're really concerned about whether or not I do bad things, aren't you?" He hung his head in despair of getting the point across.
Ayeka left the house in a rage. She forced herself to calm down. Gripping her key, she said, "Ryu-Oh, how are you?"
"I feel rested, Ayeka," Ryu-Oh replied from beneath the lake. After a moment, she added, "I'm glad you called. I was hoping your brother's ship would've called me by now. I'm sure Funaho is here close by, but I can't find her."
"It's not fair," Ayeka clenched her free hand, "that hideous Ryo-ohki should be regenerated, and you must remain here."
She leapt in surprise, for something had touched her ankle. It touched her again, and she stepped backwards in a panic, lifting up her skirts, to find Ryo-ohki there.
"Scat!" Ayeka waved it off haughtily.
Ryo-ohki mewled piteously at her, nudging into her ankle as though she could force her to turn to the side.
"Leave me!" Ayeka hissed at it. Ryo-ohki looked up at her and meowed again, then shook herself, and dashed back and forth in an incredible display of dexterity. When done, she cautiously rotated her head around towards Ayeka.
"Bravo," Ayeka said sarcastically, and Ryo-ohki sighed. Katsuhito approached them, and noted, "Ah, so she did find you for me. Thank you, Ryo-ohki."
Bounding up to him with a happy mew, Ryo-ohki dipped her body, then continued back towards the house at a quick clip. Katsuhito looked at Ayeka. "There's a grove of old trees further up the mountain that has a wonderful view," he slowly intoned. "It would gratify an old man if a lovely young lady like you would join me there."
Ayeka didn't wish to do that very much, but she did not wish to do anything else either, so she accompanied him. Katsuhito was very quiet as they walked up the incline. When they reached the grove, Katsuhito gestured to a fallen log, where they sat together, looking down at the lake and the house.
"It is a wonderful view," Ayeka agreed at last.
"Mm. Not like Jurai though," Katsuhito theorized.
"No," she agreed again. Katsuhito asked, without taking his eyes from the valley, "Please, tell me, what is it like?"
Ayeka began to tell him, slowly at first, then at greater length about Jurai's biology, and its politics, and her own family life, and what her life had been like for the past 700 years.
Eventually Tenchi came to the grove, and Ayeka was startled to see how late it was. Katsuhito waved at him, and Tenchi began a series of sword maneuvers while they watched. Ayeka started after the first maneuver, and whispered to Katsuhito, "The swordplay is that of Jurai's royal family."
"Yosho passed it on to us," Katsuhito agreed. He called to Tenchi, "Move your elbows more!" Ayeka thought Tenchi appeared exceptionally nervous today with more than one person watching him.
"Please, tell me, do you know where Yosho is?" Ayeka asked Katsuhito.
Katsuhito looked at her, and after a moment said sympathetically, "I can't be sure, of course, but I think your brother would say that he would be saddened to see you spending your life looking for him. He'd want you to be happy. That's why he fought Ryoko, wasn't it? To keep you safe and happy?"
"It was because of that!" Ayeka cried impassionedly. "He went where we couldn't help him, and then he disappeared! I did what I had to do as a princess, and I continued living my life, but I couldn't bear the thought that somewhere he was suffering, alone, without our help. When Funaho's call reached us, I knew I had to follow it, I had to help him."
He turned slowly away, back towards the house, and mused, "You love your brother a great deal." After a long pause, he got up, and told Tenchi, "Take the princess around and show her the sights. We haven't given her much of a tour so far." He walked past while Tenchi called after him, "Grandpa, it's gonna rain! What kind of tour would it be in the rain?" Katsuhito called back as he continued down the path, "Nonsense, you're imagining things."
"You always say that, and then..." he trailed off, and looked at Ayeka uncomfortably. "You haven't seen the tree yet, have you? We might make it there before the rain." She agreed diffidently, and they set off on their own silent path.
The rain interfered with them, forcing them into a maintenance shed Tenchi often stored his farming implements and produce in. Awkwardly, he lit a brazier in the shed, adjusted the flue, and stepped outside, into the cold rain- it didn't seem proper for him, somehow, to remain.
A scream from the inside brought him running, to find Ayeka standing, disheveled, before Ryo-ohki, who meowed piteously.
"I'm sorry, Ryo-ohki startled me," Ayeka regained her breath. Tenchi grunted and headed outside, but Ayeka stopped him with her words. "Please come back. I apologize for my behavior towards you earlier." Tenchi didn't know what to say, but he had to say something, so he said, "Sure." He stood there a moment longer.
Ryo-ohki meowed. "And you, I aplogize to as well," Ayeka allowed, still not quite over her shock. Ryo-ohki meowed happily.
"All this time I assumed you and your family were in league with Ryoko," she explained. He blinked at her. She looked expectantly at him, and he finally asked, "Why does that bother you so much?"
"Seven hundred years ago, she and an accomplice raided Jurai," Ayeka said. The memories seemed almost distant now, she thought sadly, that she could control her anger when she spoke of it. "Ryoko and Ryo-ohki broke through our planetary defense systems, which no one had done in centuries. They razed large portions of the capitol. My brother Yosho fought her off, and pursued her when she fled."
"The last time I saw her, we were within an instant of crossing blades," she continued. "Then I saw her here, with you, one of my dear brother's descendants. I couldn't stand the shame you brought on him. But I've misunderstood everything, haven't I?" She looked at him with humble sadness.
Tenchi shook his head and lamented, "No, all of this is my fault! Grandpa convinced me to release the seal Yosho put on Ryoko. I was supposed to subdue her, but I wasn't nearly strong enough for that. So she just hung around. I, I should've been stronger. I should've done something more. Or different. Now you and Sasami are stranded here because of me."
He realized with alarm that Ayeka was on the verge of tears. "Hey, but, now I bet you can find your brother! Somehow! I mean, he should have as long a lifespan as you! He must just be hiding here someplace, but you can find him! So, cheer up!"
Ayeka had to smile. There was something about his honest concern that did make her want to cheer up.
There was a scuffling noise from the back. Tenchi turned around sharply to find Ryo-ohki rummaging in a basket of carrots. She turned bright, inquisitive eyes on him. "Yeah," Tenchi called out to her. "They're carrots. We eat them."
She continued to stare at him. Tenchi went over to her, picked up a carrot from elsewhere in the basket, and waved it before her nose. She pawed at it, then took a large bite, then fluffed her ears so much that they were vertical and meowed happily. Ayeka laughed.
Ryo-ohki grabbed the carrot, and munched on a few more bites. Tenchi smiled. Ryo-ohki then dragged the carrot to Ayeka.
"Don't you remember I hated you?" Ayeka smiled down at her. Ryo-ohki snuggled against her ankle and continued to munch.
When the rain stopped, Tenchi apologized, "I'm sorry you haven't gotten to see too much. We'll only be able to see the tree before dinner."
"Oh, no," Ayeka disagreed as they walked, "even seeing this place after rain has been wonderful for me. Nature on Jurai is beautiful as well, but this is gorgeous too. Thank you for showing it to me."
"You're welcome," Tenchi returned easily. "Hey, we're almost there! This is it, the oldest tree on our property. Some people even say Yosho planted it. Isn't it great?" The tree was indeed tall, and massive in girth. It was located in a knot of similar-looking trees, but it stood taller than all of them. There was a clear path between it and the lake, in which was a channel where lakewater spilled into a moat around the tree. Stepping stones were placed from the bank opposite the lake to the earth where the tree's trunk stood.
"It's just as wonderful as I remember it," Ayeka gasped. Tenchi boggled at her, "Huh?"
"Funaho! I'm so glad to see you!" Ayeka called to the tree, and bowed in greeting to it.
"This is Yosho's mother?" Tenchi asked in astonishment.
Ayeka had started walking across on the stepping stones, "No, it was a strange coincidence. This is Yosho's ship." Reaching the ground, she touched her key to the trunk.
Her key glowed, and Tenchi felt his key glow too. He was startled to hear a female voice say, "I suppose the game is over. I'm so glad to see you again, Princess Ayeka." Ayeka breathed, "I am as well, Funaho!"
Tenchi wanted to twitch, or sneeze, but all of his muscles felt dead and frozen. He'd passed by and rested under this tree all his life, and it had never said a word!
"I wish this were under better circumstances," Funaho told Ayeka. She replied, "So do I. But you will tell me where Yosho is, won't you?"
"If only I could," mused Funaho with frustration and sadness. "He made me hide from you and Ryu-oh, and he hid himself even better, for 700 years. If I were to reveal him, he'd probably disguise himself again, or even run away."
"But at least I've found you," Ayeka rested her forehead against the tree, continuing, "Now I have more confirmation of my hope. And Ryu-oh won't be so lonely anymore."
"It will be good to hear her again," Funaho commented. A beam of shifting rainbow light suddenly shot out of Funaho's branches and into the lake. Tenchi watched openmouthed as another beam emerged from the lake and impacted Funaho's branches. When the exchange was done and the beams faded, he came back to himself, bowed politely, and introduced himself, "Pleased to meet you, Funaho. I'm Tenchi Masaki."
"It's good to finally know your name after seventeen years," Funaho communicated wryly. Tenchi laughed nervously, but Ayeka laughed relaxedly and said reminiscently, "Oh, Funaho. You're as bad as Yosho." Tenchi hesitantly decided to approach the tree, cautiously reaching its trunk and standing next to Ayeka.
Straightening up, Ayeka asked, "Please, can you show us some of your memory banks from Ryoko's capture? It may give us some clues as to where my brother is."
"Yes," Funaho agreed, and added her reservations: "But your brother thinks of everything. He's insisted that I block out portions of it. And I think he turned off the audio on some of the most exciting bits for spite."
The multicolored light shot down from branches all around the circumference of the tree. They reflected off the water, back into the branches. Tenchi was astonished to see visions forming before his eyes.
Against a starfield, there was a Juraian vessel shaped like a giant English letter, the lowercase 't', chasing a familiar seeming black vessel, with upswept spikes surrounding a hub with a red hemisphere and a downward-pointing spike. Realizing he needed context, Ayeka explained, "That's Funaho, chasing the original Ryo-ohki!" Tenchi nodded- he hadn't seen Ryo-ohki from the outside much, but it certainly matched what he recalled of the ship's hull when it pierced Ryu-oh.
Funaho cut ahead a bit, skipping through time beyond the space battle, starting again at the point where Ryo-ohki fled into Earth's atmosphere and she gave chase. They were now over land, and Ryo-ohki was firing back desperately, but Funaho hit her mark and Ryo-ohki went down in a sudden plunge, impacting the ground and spewing a huge amount of debris into the air. There was a large explosion from inside of it, and the crater it had created grew even larger and deeper.
"That's how the lake was made," Tenchi breathed in awe. Just like in his grandfather's story!
There was another scene change, and Tenchi exclaimed, "Ryoko sure looks scary." Her outfit was blood red contrasted with black, and she was furiously using her energy saber against a Juraian warrior, whom Ayeka lovingly identified as "Yosho." Tenchi realized that it was the same man he had seen in the hologram in her bedroom on Ryu-oh. Blood ran down the warrior's temple, and though he looked quite strong, he was panting. Ryoko looked like she was desperate in addition to being fatigued. Yosho stepped just slightly to the side of one of Ryoko's mad charges, and thrust his sword into her throat, where a red gem rested on Ryoko's neck. She desperately clawed her arms at him, trying to reach him, but the red jewel escaped her, traveling the length of Yosho's blade until it joined the other two gems at the hilt. Tenchi recognized the gems- they were the ones that gave Ryoko her power. Only two were in the sword's hilt now- just a few days ago, he gave Ryoko the other one so that they could escape from Ayeka and Ryu-Oh.
In Funaho's display, Ryoko collapsed to the ground. She was still breathing, but Tenchi could tell that she might easily perish. Yosho stood over her, and seemed to be thinking, then speaking to someone, but they couldn't hear the words. Finally, he pinioned her wrists in one hand, then started to carry her up the mountainside, pausing for a moment as a fresh wound acted up. He reached the cave after quite some time. Tenchi could see long, thin roots breach the cave wall, reach out, and envelop Ryoko, taking her from his arms. The sound had returned - he could hear the roots pushing through the wall, then he heard Yosho's voice. "I guess that'll have to do for now," Yosho panted, and leaned against the cave wall to rest.
The visions disappeared. "Thank you," Ayeka whispered. She turned and smiled at Tenchi. "I thank you as well."
"You don't have to- I had no idea!" Tenchi held out his hand to stop her. She shook her head, "But you have been willing to help all this time, even when I was not. I'd be very grateful if you continued to shelter my sister and I on this planet."
"Ayeka!" Sasami called, running up the path towards them. Ryo-ohki ran ahead of her, and bounded to Tenchi and Ayeka. Ayeka turned towards Sasami. Sasami apologized, "I'm sorry Ayeka, I didn't know how to access the weather control! I didn't stop the rain for you!"
"You can control the weather on Jurai?" Tenchi was astonished. Sasami looked at him, and realized, "Oh." She continued, "I came to get you both. Dinner's going to be ready soon!"
"Thank you, Sasami," Ayeka looked lovingly at her little sister. "Please, stay a little longer. I'd like you to meet your brother's ship."
Next Chapter
Ryoko snorts. "Another long chapter, and most of it filled with nonsense. What does that Ayeka think she's doing, pulling the moves on my Tenchi?" Ryoko folds her arms and proclaims, "I tell you what, though, he can see right through her wiles. I have faith in my Tenchi."
Ryoko turns towards the audience and announces, "Well, the next historical interlude involves the making of my dear little Ryo-ohki, although it's more sterile and dark than you'd imagine. Kinda different from her personality, I'd say. Be sure and join us for No Need For Preparing."