Disclaimer: I don't own Tenchi or any rights to write this fic, but I did it anyway. Please don't sue me. You wouldn't get much. I don't think I even hold the rights to the plot of this fic, but please don't steal any plotpoints from me. I like my story original. If you get lost, there are notes at the bottom, after this part. All I Ask Of You Part I: Love Me He sat in the shadows. The long grass (having been touched never by a machine of any sort to keep tight length for belief of leaving nature untouched,) bent and waved in the evening breeze. He’d been there, alone, sitting, for about a half hour, watching her. Witnessing what every male feels should be a crime not left unpunished when it’s just absolutely perfect: natural beauty. Of course, few humanoid-types ever see true beauty. Yet, on the rare occasion that one does, the results can be indescribable, even by his few words. ‘God, she’s gorgeous. Even more than last night,' A sharp stab of guilt crawled its way up his spine at the thought of having followed her out into the clear orb of the nocturnal world every night for the past week or so. 'I just can't understand why I never saw her this way before!’ He was thinking of all the times he’d ignored her or pushed her away from him. With all his heart and soul, he was regretting every single one. “Ryoko, I love you,” he whispered. No one heard it. If only she had. He closed his eyes and slowly, ever so slowly, lay his head back, to feel the soft breeze caress his face and whisper through his dark hair, dappled with silver moonlight. Deep in his heart, he knew it. He did. But not another soul carried this knowledge that was worthless to the world, for it had not been spoken. He wished, though wishes had been taken lightly his whole life, that she knew. Maybe she did. To himself, he thought, ‘I just wish you knew how much.’ He looked at her again, completely drunk on and overthrown in her beauty. Ryoko was standing on the roof of the Masaki house, the house she'd come to know as home, in a loose robe, her bare feet gripping the red shingles gently, warming them slightly. The robe she sported was deep navy blue with a pattern of cherry blossoms, floating on an invisible breeze, frozen in time and silk. All the different shades of pink, maroon, and mauve danced across the dark surface of it. Her favorite robe. Her favorite flower. The time-polished, glistening topazes that were her eyes were turned up to the moon, her smoothly tanned skin drinking in as much of the cool, silver light as it could. Her stunningly cyan hair was blown back from her face, what amounts of it that had dried. It lay flat during the day, sometimes braided by Sasami who just loved to style it with gold ribbons, to clash charmingly with the silver-cyan of it. She’d grown it down to her ankles, thanks to a quick visit to her mother’s lab, and it was now too long and heavy to spike in the way she used to. It looked to the young man as though she were trailing a river behind her, the moon-bleached locks weaving in an endless dance on the wind. The robe she wore glided around her as the breeze grew a little more, only a little. The soft, velvet lining tickled her calves as it brushed against her and the breeze cooled her body as it found its way into the folds of her garment. She’d taken a bath less than an hour before and had been up there since. It was a warm, summer night with a slightly cooler breeze. The moon would be full the following night. That was her stargazing night, since the moon set early. And even though she loved those nights, tonight was a moon night. Nights like these were endless for her. Nights when she could stand alone and think. Think of her mother and how they’d both finally escaped Kagato and that past life of torment. Think of what games she’d play with Sasami the next day after the little princess gave her another hour-long cooking lesson. Think of what she could tease Ayeka about playfully and add to her list of teasers. But mostly, she could think of him. Her last chance at life. She wondered if he’d ever know how she needed and loved him. How she truly felt was that she absolutely could not live with herself if he ever chose anyone else. But she had a plan. She never liked thinking of it, but figured a long time ago that it was the only thing she’d be able to do to keep the pain away in case he never chose her. Just in case... Ryoko mentally shook herself. Tears clear as crystal had begun falling from the golden depths of her eyes and crashing on the ruby roof. Now was not the time to think of The Plan. She went back to concentrating on the moon and it’s intoxicating lumination. She needed moonlight to explore her soul. And out here, the sky was so clear, even stars, so far away they were pinpoints, could be seen clearly. As the silver orb started on its unstoppable sinking to the horizon, she bowed her gorgeous head, moved her soft lips in a last whisper of his name, and phased through the roof back into her room. Tenchi sat a moment longer, having burned her image into his mind’s eye. What was he going to do now? He knew he would never get to sleep after that. A shuffling noise behind him made him leap to his feet and ignite the burning blue blade of the Tenchi-Ken all in one smooth, flowing movement of his trained nerves and muscles. “Tenchi, dear, what are you doing out here so late?” She sounded as if she knew the answer and was waiting for him to know. “Washu,” Tenchi sighed with great relief and extinguised the weapon. The little girl smiled a very knowing smile at him. “You were watching her again, huh?” Tenchi blushed a deep crimson. “Um, yeah. Don’t tell her, Washu. Please.” Now she looked pouty and suspicious. “Why not?” Tenchi glanced quickly back toward the house. “I like watching her like this,” he said, hoping not to sound perversed. “She’s so beautiful. And she seems so natural when she’s up there. Compared to the usual way she is.” He sighed and con tinued with his head down, as if his feet wanted to get in on the conversation. “If she knew, she’d probably either stop standing up there or get mad at me for spying on her. Not that I am,” he added quicker than he probably should have. “I just wanted to know what she was up to and I couldn’t help following her out here for the last few nights.” Washu nodded her red-rimmed head and said, rather seriously, “I’m sure you couldn’t have helped it. But I think you ought to tell her how you feel about her.” Tenchi’s eyes widened for a moment. “How did you know, Washu?” She giggled slightly. Like a little girl, which she’d happened to take the form of on a normal basis. “I’m a mother, Tenchi. We know these things. Especially me. And yes, she feels the same way about you. I shouldn’t tell you this when you could just ask her, but if you’d really like to know, I’ve been monitoring her thoughts and I discovered something that may come as quite a shock, Tenchi. She really is not as vile, loud, or exhibiting as everyone makes her out to be. The only two reasons she started acting that way in the first place were, one, because she needed a cover-up for her true feelings. (I really don’t think it is possible for anyone to know how much pain she endured whilst under Kagato’s control.) And, two, because she thought you were like most guys who enjoy that sort of thing.” “Well, I’m not,” Tenchi said, very quietly. Washu looked at him as though she’d counted on him saying that. “I know you’re not, Tenchi. And, I figure I might as well tell you sooner rather than later, but she knows it too, now. You see, and I feel guilty beyond belief, but while you were in my lab yesterday, I created a mental link with you, a one- way link at that, and read your personality traits. Her link, sorry to say, opened just as I got to your thoughts about women. She read it too, very unwillingly, I might add, and figured that was why you pushed her away. Now she won’t talk to you the old way because what I read was quite surprising, even to me.” She checked his expression before continuing, just to make sure she hadn’t lost him. He had an eager look about his face. “Now, Tenchi,” she said quietly, as though the trees would gossip. “I know you think the opposite on a more shallow layer of brainwaves, but the truth in your head is that you love women of gentle, frail stature. Like Ayeka.” She stated the last two words barely above a whisper, and very hesitantly. Tenchi was hit with it like the proverbial ton of bricks. “What? Ayeka? Washu, that has to be wrong. I love Ryoko. I know it now.” To himself, he thought, ‘I think.’ Washu burst that thought with a rather sharp exclamation. “That’s not what your mind is telling you. You’re not thinking deep enough right now. I know you think you love Ryoko, but the section of your mind that tells what you want in a woman describes Ayeka perfectly.” It seemed as though Washu felt sad that things were, apparently, as they were. “Washu, I’m afraid you’re wrong. I know what’s in my heart. I love Ryoko,” his voice grew stubborn, “and your science can’t prove any different!” This last expression hung in the air. Washu knew ‘her science’ really had proved different. This idiot just wouldn’t know. Tears welled up in her eyes. “Fine, Tenchi! Believe what you want, but she won’t until you tell her.” With that out and expressed, Washu went back to the house, back to her secluded lab, leaving Tenchi on a million-mile guilt trip. He’d just insulted the thing that meant the most to her. And he just couldn’t get her words out of his head. “You love women…like Ayeka.” That’s why Ryoko hadn’t glomped him for a morning kiss today. And why she hadn’t looked at him with the old spark in her eyes. His mind swimming with the conversation of the last five minutes, he went back into his house. As he quietly shuffled past Ryoko’s room, he had to fight a terrible urge to go in and tell her how he felt, how Washu was wrong, and see if maybe she’d let him prove how he felt. Dear God, how he wanted to prove it to her. In more ways than one. He ran his tongue over his lips, longing to taste her and leave a kiss with her, and continued, overwhelmingly put-out, to his room. He threw the Tenchi-Ken onto his floor and fell down on his bed. Slowly, he drifted into a deep sleep, wishing he could love her. Wishing Washu was wrong. Wishing… Wishing… Wishing… As Ryoko changed into her favorite pajamas, which happened to be one of Tenchi’s black t-shirts and a pair of his boxers, she simply thought. Not like on the roof, but still thinking. First, she had a soft, flowing thought of how comfortable his clothes were. His shirts were so much softer across her bare chest and back than any of the ones she herself owned. The white boxers were tight enough around her hips to keep from falling, but loose enough that they didn’t chafe her. She always thought it a little funny, though, how guys’ boxers always had the whole in the front. She giggled quietly to herself, knowing she should be decent about it, but not able to control the girly bubbling. Next, after she calmed herself, she thought of how good he smelled. She wrapped her arms around herself and relished the wave of scent surrounding her that came from his clothes. “Mmm…Tenchi, you smell so good,” she exclaimed to herself, putting both hands over her mouth to stop the giggles. She absolutely loved it all. The scent of Tenchi and herself mixed. She loved it more than Saké. More than moonlight. More than stars. It was the world for her. She giggled again at the warm feeling that came from her when she thought of him. And the late afterthought, ‘I wonder how you taste, Tenchi?’ To herself, through giggles, she said, “I really should find out. Maybe I’ll have Washu lure him into a trap for me. Naw, better be nice to him.” She giggled yet again and sighed, not being able to deny her wild tendencies. After that, she thought of the yesterday, when she’d found out what he really liked in a girl and a wave of sadness came over her. She knew the description fit Ayeka and that she’d made the promise to herself that if he picked someone else she would…but he hadn’t picked someone else. He couldn’t. He’d have to tell her first. She knew he would tell her first who he chose. But he hadn’t told her so he hadn’t chosen. His brain had simply stated what he liked in a girl. It was all she would have to be and more. She knew she’d have to change for him. After all, he was her last chance to live. If he didn’t like her one way, she’d act the other. But it was so hard. So hard to change for someone else. “It’s a challenge I look forward to,” she said to herself and stood up proudly, her right fist resting in her left hand. There she kept hitting her palm like she meant business. And just the mere fact that he liked the other girlish traits made it even harder. She knew deep down that he didn’t love her like this. His mind had been stated clearly. But she willed herself to believe she could change for him. She had to. “The rest of my life depends on changing. I will go through with My Plan if he chooses her.” She sighed and layed under her blankets. ‘Why the hell am I thinking of…’ she yawned and turned over. Slowly she went to sleep, thinking of all of the girls in the house as a ratio. ‘Oh, God, I’m thinking! Yeesh! Well, like mother, like daughter.’ This ratio gave out her chances. ‘Let’s see there’s Ayeka, Mihoshi, Washu, Sasami, and me. I have a 1 in 5 chance of getting Tenchi to choose me.’ That was 20%. Less than she liked. She hated the odds. ‘Screw the odds,’ she thought as she yawned again. The last thought that crept through her mind before the peaceful world of sleep absorbed her beautiful body and soul was, ‘Tenchi. Please love me. I love you so very very much.’ ************************************************************************ NOTES FOR AFTER READING IN CASE YOU'RE LOST: This is an OVA based fic, so there's no Kiyone, Mayuka (I don't care much for this character's connection with the OVAs, 'cause the movie came out AFTER the 13 episodes), Sakuya, Haruna, Achika, Kain, etc. There're only the characters mentioned in the OVA series. Yes, I know Kiyone was, but only in the Mihoshi special, so there's no real space for her character in my story. Sorry, Kiyone fans. I do not believe in horribly bashing a character, because, to tell the honest truth, I like them all, even Ayeka. But take note that Ryoko is my favorite. At points in this story, Mihoshi acts a little blonde, as usual. Don't get the idea, Mihoshi fans, that I think she is stupid. On the contrary, she's one of my more favorite characters. I wouldn't dream of making fun of her. Tenchi acts quite out of character in this story. Take heed that this is how I wanted this fic to go, so if you have problems, I don't mind the flames in the feedback. On that note, please give me feedback, good or bad, so I know whether to submit the remaining chapters of my story. Yes, I have already written the majority of it, but I want to know what people think first. Tsunami acts very different from the OVA character we see a couple of times. She explains why herself, at some point of other. This first chapter may be quite boring, but the plot WILL escalate, I promise. I plan to write this series first, then a prologue series, (The prologue will be a collection of "Thoughts" from each of the characters to describe why some things in this story are apparently the way they are), then a follow-up series to this one, and maybe, if feedback is good, more follow-ups after that. Some parts of this story, mostly dealing with the Light Hawk Wings, Ryoko's power, assimilations, and the ship, Tsunami, are based on assumptions. They may not really be what goes on. Take note that this is a love story. Tenchi chooses, though when, I'm not too sure. It may not be in this series. This series is in the lemon section, only for cursing and hinting at adult situations. There's nothing hard core, but some of the characters hint at sex. I don't believe in writing pointless lemons where all there is is sex. THIS STORY HAS A PLOT! Even if it's not too good to some people. Well, those turned out to be some long notes, but there won't be anymore until the first of the prologue series, I promise.