Author: Ok Miss Ayeka, just read the cue card
Ayeka: Tenchi Muyo is the property of AIC and Pioneer, the writer 
owns nothing more than the story and her own characters. (Turns 
to Author) How was that?
Author: Wonderful Miss Ayeka, just perfect
Ayeka: Of course, you wouldn't expect less from Jurai's princess
Author: (rolls eyes)

					
					Purple Flame-Ayeka's Story
						~~~~~

	A man dressed in royal robes walked down the main corridor 
of Jurai's palace, with him walked a slight girl with pale pink 
hair. Knocking on a large door, the girl called, "Majesty, his 
highness the Prince of Keracuta has arrived." Ayeka opened the 
door and greeted him, turning to the girl she frowned, "That will 
be all Nayori." Saying nothing, Nayori turned and left. Ayeka led 
the man into the room and they took a seat on two rather large 
chairs. "I don't believe I know your name." Ayeka said. "Prince 
Rikko, but no need to use the prince title. And you are Princess 
Ayeka, right?" "Yes, now I ask why have you come to Jurai?" she 
crossed her legs and sat back, "I don't believe I've ever heard 
of your planet." Rikko scratched his head, "No, I'm not surprised 
you haven't. Keracuta is about three light years from earth, yet 
about ten from Jurai. I have come here, because I heard you were 
still single." He gave her a sly smile. Ayeka giggled, "Mother 
told you that, didn't she. She never could mind her own business. 
But tell me, did you only come to see me?" Rikko hung his head, 
his bangs dangling in his face, hiding his eyes, "Yes, sorry to 
disappoint you, but I don't have any enemies that need blasting 
today." He laughed.

	A knock again came at the door, and Ayeka went to answer it. 
Nayori stood there, "Majesty, Lady Misaki wishes you present for 
dinner." "Oh, Thank you Nayori." Ayeka replied, she turned back 
to Rikko, "Please, won't you join us?" Fabian stood, "Of course, 
I'd be happy too."  He held out his hand which Ayeka gladly 
accepted. Together they left the room and walked down to the 
dining room. Nayori made no effort to follow them, and she 
entered the room to clean it up. Every scrap of paper she picked 
up she checked to see if it weren't a note. Nayori was very 
nosey, but if she had been in the dining room she would have 
heard something she'd never forget. 
~~~
	Rikko pulled out a chair for Ayeka.  He was obviously trying 
to score points. Ayeka smiled as she took her seat. Misaki smiled 
as Azusa and Funaho joined them at the table. Ayeka looked 
around, "Mother, where is Sasami?" "I told her to wait, that you 
and Rikko needed some time to get to know each other." Misaki 
replied. "I know how much you miss Tenchi, but when you marry 
Rikko you won't even think about him." She laughed. Ayeka was 
speechless for a second, before she stood slapping her hands on 
the table. "Ayeka!" Azusa yelled, surprised at the actions of his 
daughter. "Marry?!" Ayeka yelled, "Look Mother, there is no way 
I'm going to marry him. No way!" Misaki looked at her with a 
blank stare, "Ayeka, what . . . " "Tenchi will wait for me, I 
know he will. He is my destiny and will not allow you to stop 
that." Rikko stood and went to Ayeka placing his hand on her 
shoulder, "Ayeka, you need someone who cares about you. This boy 
obviously didn't if he sent you away." Ayeka turned and mearly 
slapped Rikko, leaving the Keracutian prince in shock. Azusa's 
short temper was wearing down, "Ayeka that is enough, you may 
leave the table!" Ayeka looked at her father, he said nothing to 
her and she ran out

	Ayeka cried while running to her room. She flung the door 
open and threw herself on her canopy bed. A small crash was heard 
and Ayeka looked up from her pillow, seeing Nayori sitting on the 
floor in a pile of her stuffed toys. "Nayori, what are you doing 
in here?" Ayeka asked. "Apologies Majesty, I was just cleaning 
up. I'll be leaving now." She bowed and headed for the door. 
"Nayori wait." Ayeka called, Nayori stopped and turned around, 
"Yes Majesty, do you want something?" "I want you to call me 
Ayeka." Ayeka said. "Miss Ayeka." Nayori said, trying it out. "Do 
you know anything of this Prince Rikko, or Keracuta?" Ayeka 
questioned. "Well, I know a little." "Please, come sit and tell 
me." She placed a hand on her bed to signal to Nayori it was 
okay. 

	Nayori took a seat beside her and smiled weakly, "I know 
Prince Rikko is big on battles. If a fight is in the making, he 
won't try to stop it." Ayeka listened closely, <That's not good> 
she thought. "Miss Ayeka, I know I may not be the best person to 
ask for advice, but if you marry Prince Rikko I do not believe 
you will be happy." Ayeka stood, "Thank you Nayori, you have been 
most helpful. You may leave now." Nayori smiled and left the 
room. Ayeka sat back on her bed, "This may be dangerous, but I 
must do whatever necessary to avoid marrying this Prince Rikko."
~~~~
	Ayeka walked through the garden as she carefully planned out 
her escape from Rikko. It was not often she went against her 
father's wishes, but this was something she would not do. "I 
can't believe him, trying to force me to marry that incompetent 
fool." She said on the garden wall, brushing her hand across the 
carpet of flowers.  "Ayeka?" She turned around to see Rikko 
standing in front of her, "Rikko, what do you want?" He sat 
beside her, turning to her, "Look Ayeka, I had no clue your 
father was going to do that, honest." "Don't try to get out of 
it.  Nayori told me all about you." Rikko grabbed her hand, "I 
know, and she lied. Ayeka, I swear I'm not like that. Give me a 
chance please?" Ayeka turned and looked into his eyes, all she 
saw was honesty, so she accepted. "Fine."

	Leaving the garden Funaho stood at the gate, "Ayeka, are you 
okay now?" "Yes, thank you." Ayeka replied. As the two walked 
away Funaho caught a glimpse of Rikko, suddenly he looked very 
familiar to her. "That boy, he may be trouble." Just then a 
crashing sound startled her and she whirled around, "Nayori!" 
Funaho exclaimed, the pink-haired girl lying on the ground in 
front of her. "Sorry Lady Funaho." Nayori stood and smoothed the 
wrinkles out of her clothes. "Nayori, I want you to keep an eye 
on Ayeka, ok." Funaho said. "Oh, sure." Nayori replied
~~
"Winter winds, summer scenes
Stars that fall like the rain"

"Eagles soar in a mystic sky
And burns the purple flame"

Rikko smiled that Ayeka knew this old song, they continued to 
sing.

"November leaves seem to dance
Strangers caught up in romance
Saying give my heart a chance
I know that you will see"

"Once I knew of a world
Where sun shined day after day
Now the memory dies
Slowly as the flame"

"Still I hear whispers cry, calling out my name
Tears flow down from my eyes
Like the purple flame"

	They laughed and Rikko turned to Ayeka, "I can't believe you 
know the song. It's an old song." "My mother used to sing it to 
me when I was little. It's a favorite of mine." Ayeka said. 
"You're a favorite of mine too." Rikko said. Ayeka turned to him, 
"What?" "Oh nothing." Rikko looked away, "Ayeka I, I want you to 
marry me." "Wha . . . Rikko I barely know you." "Not know, give a 
year or so. Ayeka I know that you'd be happy with me. Ayeka?" 
"You will come back, won't you Ayeka? " "Tenchi." Ayeka thought. 
"I am twenty-two, and old enough to marry. But I do not feel 
right about it. I'm sorry Rikko, but I cannot." Rikko stood, 
whipping his cape around, "That's ok Ayeka. If it is meant to be, 
then it will be. I believe I have overstayed my welcome, and I 
must be returning to Keracuta." He bowed and kissed her hand, 
making her blush, "Farewell, my princess." With this he was out 
the door. Ayeka watched him leave and then left for her room.
~~~~~
(Three years later)

	"Ayeka, you can't stay locked up in there forever!" Azusa 
yelled as he pounded on his daughter's door. "Yes I can.  You 
just watch me!" Ayeka sat curled up on her bed, in a midst of 
pillows and stuffed toys. Her father had forbidden her to return 
to earth, which she did not take lightly. Rikko had made constant 
visits since their first meeting and now Ayeka was to marry him 
next week. He stayed at the palace in a room in the east wing. 
Ayeka was looking forward to her marriage, but also her long 
awaited reunitance with Tenchi. And her father wasn't helping 
any. Suddenly she heard a bang on her door.

	"This isn't fair to her. You only live once, let her go!" 
Misaki yelled to her husband. Misaki was aggressive when 
nessacery and wasn't afraid to stand up to Azusa."Fine, she can 
go!" Ayeka heard him yell, then walk away. Opening her door she 
stepped out into the hallway, "Thank you mother." Misaki smiled, 
"Anything for my little Ayeka." Ayeka sighed as she walked down 
the corridor. Rain could be heard tapping on the roof. A brisk 
wind blew down the hallway, making Ayeka cringe.

	She turned and saw Rikko standing before her, he didn't say 
anything. Just wrapped his arms around her and held her close to 
him, "Ayeka I can't wait." He whispered to her. She could feel 
the blush going across her face. "I want to marry you now Ayeka.  
I love you. Please Ayeka, now." She pulled away and looked up at 
him, his dark green eyes seem to stare into her. "Ok Rikko, now."
~~
	The guests from Jurai and Keracuta gathered in the church 
where they were to be married. Rikko's parents had not attended 
which Ayeka thought strange, but she did not mention anything 
about it. When the time came, she proceeded to walk down the 
aisle in her long white gown. As she went thoughts poured through 
her mind. Could she still go back? Will she have to go and live 
with Rikko? What will Tenchi think? "Tenchi . . . Tenchi" Ayeka 
thought. "Please come back Ayeka,  . . . I'll miss you Ayeka,  . 
. . We'll all be together again, together again, together again." 
Tenchi's words echoed in her mind. When she suddenly threw down 
her bouquet and screamed, "Stop!!!!" "Ayeka!" Azusa rose from his 
seat and she promptly turned to him. "No father, I cannot marry 
Rikko, because I do not love him."A hush fell over the audience 
as she continued, "I am returning to earth and I am not coming 
back. Soon it will be the first day of summer, the day we all 
pledged to return, the day I will take this." She pulled a rather 
large, yet rather small piece of ceramic from the cloak she was 
wearing. "Take this and complete my piece of the puzzle. 
Farewell, all of you." "Ayeka don't!" Rikko called. Ayeka paid no 
attention as she ran out the door.

	Nayori stood at the exit as Ayeka ran by, "Miss Ayeka!" she 
called. "Ryu-oh is all ready for you out back. Have a safe 
journey." "Thank you Nayori." With this she left, running out the 
door to her spaceship. Once on board Ryu-oh she stood aside her 
guardians and smiled, "To Planet Earth, now!" with a flash of 
light Ryu-oh was zooming across the galaxy once again.

Author's notes: I know this one wasn't as good as the first
The next one will be better I promise. Coming soon, "United" 
Sasami's
Story. The Tenchi Saga continues.
Please send all flames or comments to 
washukobayashi@amaonline.com