The Eden Chronicles Chapter IV: A Night on the Town "He's waking up." With a small groan of pain, Roric opened his eyes. Washuu's face hovered over him, and she seemed to be examining him silently. Ryo-Ohki was on the other side, her tiny arms folded with concern, and her little face contorted into an expression of worry. "There he is," Washuu grinned, and backed off. The entire household was clustered behind her, including Tenchi, who had a bandage on one cheek and athletic tape wrapped around his torso. He winced a little with a grin. Sasami smiled mysteriously. She was holding the Naginata in her hands. "Welcome back to the land of the living," Tenchi said. "You all right?" "What...happened?" Roric asked weakly. His arms and legs felt absolutely drained from that one small attack he had implemented. He sat up, pressing a hand to his forehead. He felt like he was going to vomit. "Did I pass out...?" "After you drove away those two weirdoes," Ryoko leaned on Tenchi's shoulder casually. He winced again. "What happened, anyway?" "I guess I was just tired..." He tried to sit up, but Washuu pushed him back down. "Is everyone all right?" The little scientist grinned. "Yep. All thanks to you. I contacted Kiyone and Mihoshi, and they'll be here momentarily. Do you think you can get up and move around?" "Yeah..." He sat up successfully this time. Everyone turned to leave, but Sasami stopped, turned around, and handed the spear to Roric. She stretched up on her tiptoes and gave him a child-like kiss on the cheek. "Tsunami says hello," She whispered, and scampered out of the room, leaving him alone with Ryo-Ohki. The little cabbit-girl meowed, and scrambled up onto the side of the bed. She snuggled up into his lap, and fell asleep. Roric smiled quietly. "RORIC!" He was just coming out of Tenchi's room when Mihoshi, wearing her GP uniform, nearly swept him off his feet in a flying hug. Her arms were thrown around his neck, and her cheek was pressed against his, soaking it with tears. She was bawling comically in his ear. Kiyone, who was standing at the top of the stairs, smacked herself in the forehead. "Mihoshi, you bubblehead," She mumbled. "Roric! Roricroricroric!" She pulled back and looked at him with huge, wiggly eyes. "I heard what happened, are you okay? Goodness, you're not hurt or anything, are you? How do you feel? Can you hear me okay? Roric, say something!" "I...would...if...you'd...stop...shaking...me...Mihoshi!" She hugged him tightly again, blubbering like a baby. He winced. "I'm all right, Mihoshi. Just a little sore," He patted her head with one stiff arm. "You don't have to be so...tight." She loosened her grip-but only slightly. Her tears began to fade a little. "You're sure?" She sniffed heavily. He winked. "By the way, Mihoshi, before I forget..." The young man took a step back, and bowed formally. "Would you be so kind as to accompany me on a date into Tokyo?" The silence was deafening. Kiyone face faulted down the stairs. Mihoshi's arms loosened from Roric's body, and she took a slow, bemused step back. The floorboards beneath her feet groaned quietly. "I'd...I'd love to..." She half-whispered. Roric felt as if some tremendous weight had been lifted from his shoulders. He grinned with a wistful sigh. "All right then," He said quietly, backing away nervously. He could feel his face start to heat up. "I guess...I'll see you then, okay?" "Y-yeah," She likewise backed up, only to follow Kiyone down the stairs in a heap. From the bottom came the sound of repressed giggling, and the sounds of skipping feet. For the second time that day, Roric smiled quietly. He turned on his heel and walked down the hall. * * * * * * "Who the HELL was that kid?" Gear stormed down the hallways of the Battleship Eden with Axis close behind. His dark eyes were set in a picture of annoyance as he threw open the door to the control deck, where several servitor androids were working the controls. He strode up to the bridge, and gripped the rail with white-knuckled fists. "How the hell did he manage to break my energy sword with just a plain old spear?" Gear asked to nobody in particular. "Not even that brat Tenchi could do that! I'm going to make those two pay six hundred times over! Tenchi for slaying my father...and that boy for humiliating me!" Axis cleared his throat nervously, adjusting his mechanic's hat. "If you don't mind my saying, sir, you miss Master Kagato, don't you?" "Of course I do, you dolt! He was my father! And as for my mother..." He growled a deep, guttural growl. Axis shivered. Those two boys were seriously in for the full brunt of Gear's rage. * * * * * * "What are you doing, anyway?" Roric didn't respond as he wrapped a brown cloth around the ancient spear that Sasami and Tsunami had given to him. The weathered, aged blade had old Japanese scrawled along the side of the blood trough that read; Tatsuyari. "Those guys that attacked yesterday," Roric responded as he fastened it closed. "Were obviously after you in particular. They could attack again at any moment, and I want to be ready." Tenchi was buttoning up a white shirt, and he then turned the collar down. "Aren't you going a little overboard, though?" "Maybe. But I don't want to be as useless as I was in the last battle. So just let me do this, all right?" Roric rose to his feet, crossed to Tenchi's bed, and pulled on a white t- shirt. Over that, he donned a sturdy, blue denim jacket, and examined himself in the mirror. The effect combined with his blue jeans made him look pretty good, he thought. Tenchi pulled on his blazer, and folded it up a little at the sides so it looked formal, yet relaxed. They stood in the mirror together, and grinned. "Well..." Tenchi took a deep breath. "Ready?" Roric nodded with a nervous smile. "As ready as I'll ever be." They descended the stairs with trepidation, taking each step with a growing sense of exhilaration. Standing at the foot of the stairway were their dates. Ryoko was modestly dressed in a knee-length blue dress and a yellow blouse with a white kerchief tied around the collar. She had her hands clasped in front of her with a tiny, triumphant smile. Tenchi blushed faintly. Mihoshi was wearing a white, tight-fitting skirt and a white blouse beneath a blue blazer, with a purse slung over her shoulder. Her golden hair was done up in a ponytail. She was wearing lipstick and mascara and, all in all, looked lovely. Roric sniffed the air. She was wearing lilac perfume. The Galaxy Policewoman placed both hands on the sides of her face, and giggled with a very pronounced blush. Ayeka was standing near them with an indignantly regal expression on her face. "I must admit I'm surprised, Miss Ryoko," She said. "You managed to look half-decent, and you haven't mauled Lord Tenchi like an angry golfer just yet. What IS the matter with you?" Ryoko giggled, and blushed deeper. "I get a date with Ten-chi..." She sung half-to herself. The young Masaki simply blushed deeper as well. "We ready to go?" Roric asked, slinging the spear over his shoulder. "Have a nice time," Sasami waved at them as they opened the door and stepped down the porch. Ryo-Ohki, still in her child form, waved from beside her. "Don't stay out too late!" "Thanks, 'mom'!" Roric yelled with a friendly grin. "Wow, she can be so parental sometimes..." * * * * * * They arrived at the restaurant "Aoi Tsuki" later that evening. It was sort of a combination of a bar and a diner, and the sign above the door said 'karaoke night' in large, bold letters. Roric and Tenchi held the double-doors open for their dates, who nodded with smiles and entered the diner. "So far so good," Roric whispered to Tenchi as they entered behind Mihoshi and Ryoko. They took a seat next to the small platform that housed a portly, middle- aged man and a karaoke machine. The waiter came by to take their orders, and left them with four glasses of water. "Well," Tenchi said nervously, tugging on his rat-tail. "We're here, we've ordered. How is everyone doing tonight?" Silence. The tension was clear. There was a cacophonous roar as the man on stage stepped down. Ryoko tugged on Tenchi's arm, pointing at the stage. She had a kittenish, schoolgirl look in her wide golden eyes as she spoke to her date. "Tenchi," She said cheerily. "Let's sing!" "What?!" "Come on, don't be a little wussy boy, Tenchi!" "What the...? Let go of me! I said let go!" Mihoshi and Roric sipped their water with wide eyes. The song began with Ryoko gazing upward with glittering eyes and Tenchi, looking rather distraught, scratching his head. When the music started, Ryoko nudged her friend with her hip, and began singing in a surprisingly beautiful voice. Tenchi joined in shakily, but gradually began to solidify his voice. Together, they actually sounded pretty nice. "They're good," Roric commented. Mihoshi sat next to him, twiddling her fingers. "They sure are," She responded, walking her fingers through a small ring her water glass had left. "Excuse me, Roric. I have to go to the bathroom." Roric watched her go with an oddly detached feeling. She looked almost disconsolate as she made her way between the tables towards the bathroom. The young man sighed, and turned to watch Tenchi and Ryoko finish their song. "Good job," He remarked to a blushing Tenchi, who had Ryoko clinging fiercely to his arm. "I didn't know you guys sang that well." "Neither did I," Tenchi admitted with a faint blush. Roric noticed wryly that he wasn't making any attempt to disengage Ryoko from his arm. "But all's well that ends well, right? Where did Mihoshi go, anyway?" "To the bathroom," He responded. "Don't count your chickens before they're hatched," Ryoko grinned as she pointed towards the stage. "Look." Roric turned his eyes towards the stage. And there, in all her glory, stood Mihoshi. He could feel his body slacken, and his jacket hung loosely from one shoulder, but he didn't care. Her beauty kept him completely focused. The way the light played across her bronzed skin and wheat-gold hair made his heart ache with some sort of longing he had never felt before. And as she opened her mouth to sing, it was as if a siren had descended from on high. "Ue O Muite...arukou...namida ga kobore naiyouni... Omoidasu, haru no hi, Hitoribotchi no yoru... Ue O Muite...arukou...nijiinda hoshi O, kazoete... Omoidasu...natsu no hi, Hitoribotchi no yoru... Shiawase wa kumo no ue ni... Shiawase wa sora no ue ni... Ue O Muite...arukou...namida ga kobore naiyouni... Nakinakara...aruukuu... Hitoribotchi no yoru... Omoidasu...aki no hi... Hitoribotchi no yoru... Kanashimi O hoshi no kage ni... Kanashimi O tsuki no kage ni... Ue O muite...arukou...namida ga kobore naiyouni... Nakinakara...aruukuu... Hitoribotchi no yoru... Hitoribotchi no yoru..." Mihoshi leaned away from the microphone as the last of her sweet notes echoed in the vaults of the diner. There was a moment of pin-drop silence followed by thunderous applause and several whistles from some of the obviously single men. Roric could only blush as he fumbled to wipe fog from his glasses. "Thank you," Mihoshi bubbled, bowing over and over to the crowd. "Thank you so much!" Roric's hands rather giddily found each other, and he, too, began to clap. Mihoshi sat next to him with a look of pride on her face. Tenchi flashed a grin across the table at her, tapping his fingers on the smooth, polished surface. "So, Mihoshi..." He said musingly. "Why were you staring at Roric the entire time you were singing?" She giggled with a blush, but said nothing. Dinner passed uneventfully, but the four of them had a marvelous time. Mihoshi once more looked worried when they went over the details of the fight between the Masaki Household and the crew of the unknown ship called Eden. Ryoko didn't even eat, merely hugged Tenchi's arm. Tenchi just blushed and picked at his food with a tiny smile. And Roric spent most of the time with his hand on the table next to Mihoshi's. As conversation was flung back and forth, their hands inched their ways towards each other. Roric took a deep breath, and was about to place his hand on Mihoshi's, when Tenchi stood up with a grin. "Let's take a walk through the park, okay?" "What?" Roric jumped a little. For one evil, flaming instant, he hated his friend for interrupting a task that required so much iron will. "I like the idea!" Mihoshi shot out of her chair. "Come on! Let's go, let's go!" Roric had no choice as he was bustled out of the diner. He turned and threw a few Yen on the table for a tip as he was ushered out the door. They emerged onto the sidewalk, and crossed the street to a small, forested park that lay on the other side. The moon was peeking through the trees with it's own stoic light, and the streetlights were just flickering on. Tenchi had at last relinquished himself to Ryoko's ministrations, and the two held hands, walking close to each other. The young Masaki had an oddly contented look on his face, and Ryoko looked serene as she brushed her fingers along a cherry blossom. "Kinda mushy, isn't it?" Roric whispered to Mihoshi as they walked a little behind. He pushed his glasses up on his nose. "I like it," Mihoshi slowed down a little more, and Roric was forced to compensate. Ryoko and Tenchi drifted further away. "Tenchi has been a little slow when it comes to girls. Now he's finally starting to see the light." "Don't you like Tenchi?" The young man ran a hand through his hair. Praying that her answer would be what he hoped. Mihoshi stopped dead in her tracks. Her face had turned a faint shade of pink, and her enormous blue eyes suddenly seemed to glisten. She lowered her head with a tiny giggle, poking her index fingers together. "Well...you see..." She giggled again, lowering her head a bit more. "There's...kind of somebody else that I like...and he's...y'know...hee hee..." "Mihoshi?" The night was silent. Mihoshi's eyes slowly rose to meet his. Roric could feel a knot in his stomach, and his throat was suddenly very dry. A few crickets began to chirp, and fireflies flittered from the bushes, making the entire path shine like some ethereal fantasy world. The young man took a deep breath, trying to calm the frantic beating of his heart, which he was sure she could hear. He took a step forward, bringing himself barely three inches from Mihoshi. "Hey..." He placed his hand gently on her cheek. Somewhere in the back of his head, he heard a voice that told him to kiss her. But...he just couldn't find the courage... * * * * * * Washuu grinned as she surveyed the goings on from her place in the bushes. All was going exactly as planned, but it looked like the blond-headed kid could use a little boost. She waved her hand in front of her holographic computer, and began keying in commands. "Time to make a little romance," She whispered with an evil grin. Fangs and all. * * * * * * He gasped as his feet were lifted clean off the cobblestone path. Mihoshi also left the ground, and she wrapped her arms around his waist with a faint whimper. Roric protectively enclosed her in a loose embrace. Tatsuyari spun from his grasp and stuck point-down in the stones of the path. The two of them were enclosed in a gentle, radiating aura of deep blue. Roric looked first one way, then the other as they hovered about a foot off the ground. "What..." He whispered. "What's going on?" Mihoshi placed her hand on the side of his face and turned his eyes back to meet hers. Her face was dead serious, eyes a warm, glistening blue. Roric could feel his face heat up. "Roric," She was whispering as well. "Y-yes...?" "Can...can you..." His breath caught in his throat. As much as it had surprised him, being suspended a foot in the air in a gentle blue flower of energy seemed suddenly and incredibly romantic. He swallowed heavily even as the whispered words left her lips. "Can you...kiss me?" His entire train of thought screeched to an absolute halt. Washuu, meanwhile, was grinning like a demon. Roric had always wondered what it would be like to kiss a girl. Never once in his life had he been that close to somebody, not even for a moment. When their lips met it was as if all sound and all doubt flushed from his body. For one brief instant all motion stopped. The birds stopped chirping, the wind stopped blowing. The trees and grass melted away into blackness. There was nothing in the world. Nothing but the two of them. He barely registered the fact that they had touched the ground. Mihoshi's mouth was glued to his, and her arms tightened around his shoulders. As they stepped away from each other, her eyes were half-closed, her mouth barely open, and a look of profound truth in her eyes. "I've wanted to do that," She whispered. "Since I first saw you..." He couldn't say anything, merely nodded in response. Mihoshi's face slowly flushed, becoming a picture of girlish embarrassment. She suddenly began to giggle, and hopped about in a small circle, hands on her glowing red cheeks, eyes closed. "My first kiss!" She squeaked. "Hee hee hee..." Roric! The young man suddenly stumbled back, gripping the shaft of Tatsuyari for support. Mihoshi turned her wide blue eyes to him with a look of concern. Who...who are you...? Get ready, Roric! Gear is headed your way! Gear? Who the hell is Gear? "Roric?" Mihoshi gripped his upper arm. "Are you all right?" "This is so amusing!" A new voice sounded from down the path. The white- haired fellow from the other day was slowly making his way down the stones of the street, glowing green energy sword in hand. Roric ripped his weapon from the ground and spun it skillfully, snapping it into position at his hip. Mihoshi began fumbling through her purse for her blaster. "How touching. I hope I'm not interrupting anything." "You must be Gear!" The young man spread his stance. "That I am, boy. And you must be the kid who so humiliated me not too long ago." "Gear!" Washuu, to everyone's surprise, had stepped from her hiding place. "What are you doing on Earth?" "Ah, mother!" The man clad in green held his sword forward. "So nice to see you again!" "M-mother?" Mihoshi had finally retrieved her weapon, and held it trained at the sword-bearing man. Washuu's face had hardened to stone. "Cut the crap!" Roric raised the spear, spun it once, and charged. "Shut up and fight, you bastard!" "Very well." He had no time to react. Gear's form blurred as he closed the distance with impossible speed. His knee found the young man's gut harder than Yosho's ever had. He doubled over, only to have the heel of Gear's palm strike him in the jaw. With several grunts of pain he rolled backwards down the path to slam into the trunk of a tree. "What are you doing?" Washuu pointed her hand. A bright crackle of red energy flared from her palm, striking her son full in the face. When the smoke cleared, however, he was untouched and smiling. "I took the liberty of having Axis design me a barrier that negates the energy given off by the Goddesses. Your feeble powers won't work on it, mother." "Dammit," She swore under her breath. "But MINE will work on YOU and your friends!" He cackled as he raised one hand, sending a great green beam straight for the recovering Roric. With the sound of crackling electricity the beam was diverted. It sailed to the left, leaving a great smoking crater and burnt trees. Tenchi, wearing his full Juraian battle gear and carrying the Light Hawk Sword in one hand, knelt in front of his friend, clutching a bleeding hand. "Th-thanks..." Roric rasped, smiling through the blood dribbling from the corner of his mouth. "Tenchi..." "You owe me one," The young Masaki grinned, then turned back to Gear. "But we'll talk about that later. We've got something to do, first!" "Taking out the trash!" Roric rose to his feet, readying Tatsuyari. "How tedious," Gear yawned. "Axis. Get them." Gear's form shimmered and vanished. From above, Axis dropped directly into the path. The greasy mechanic wore some sort of metal frame that clung tightly to his skinny body. In one hand he carried a gigantic firearm, which he had trained right at them. "Washuu," Tenchi whispered softly. "Mihoshi and Ryoko...get them out of here." "I'm staying," Ryoko materialized next to Tenchi, holding her energy sword. "I don't care what..." "Nobody is going anywhere!" Gear had appeared behind Mihoshi, and wrapped one arm around her waist, subduing her hands. Seizing this opportunity, Axis also dashed forward and held fast to Ryoko. "Roric!" Mihoshi wailed as she dropped her blaster. All four of them began to shimmer and blur, then all at once, they vanished. "Ryoko!" Washuu and Tenchi wailed in unison. Roric's eyes narrowed, and had one been paying attention, one would see his gray eyes flash a momentary and bright green color. He dropped his spear and clenched his hands at his sides. He, too, began to vanish, but reappeared moments later along with Axis. They were suspended in mid-air, Roric clinging to the mechanic's leg. Ryoko was nowhere to be seen. "Bring them back NOW!" With a mighty heave, Axis was sent plummeting into the ground. Roric landed next to his spear and gripped it tightly in both hands. "If you want to see them again," Axis sneered as he pointed his gun. "Go up to our battleship, the one called 'Eden'. Come alone, just you and the Crown Prince of Jurai. Gear only wants you." Several shots were loosed at the trio remaining. Washuu dove for the bushes whilst Roric and Tenchi split ways. Roric spun his spear and drove forward, ready to drive the point straight through Axis' throat. The mechanic turned and bowled him over with strength that was almost inhuman. He turned on his heel and sent a blistering kick into Tenchi's face. Both parties were sprawled on either side, Roric with ribs that were clearly broken, and Tenchi with a bleeding nose. "God...dammit..." Roric rose on one knee, and pressed a hand to his broken ribs. "Roric..." Tenchi glanced at him, holding the Light Hawk Sword in both hands. He nodded discreetly. He's trying to tell you something. Like what? Attack at the same time. I'll get creamed! I won't let you, Roric. Just close your eyes...and let me into your soul. Even as those strange words echoed in his head, his hands tightened on the haft of Tatsuyari. His body began to emit a soft, gentle aura of green, emerald power that simply blazed from him. Tenchi's body had as well begun to give off a faint blue glow. "Now, Roric!" "Let's do it!" The two dashed for each other in unison, and for one brief, shining instant they were side by side, facing opposite directions. And then it was over. Ruby blood stained the grass as Axis' head bounced away. Roric's stomach began to churn as the stench of blood and death rose about him. There were two thoughts running through his head at the moment. He had just killed a man. Mihoshi was in danger. The latter outweighed the former. Roric turned back to the crouched figure of Washuu, standing tall despite his wounded ribs. "Send..." He whispered hoarsely. "Send me up there." He let out a deep breath, falling back into the grass. Good job, Roric. You can sleep again. I won't rest until Mihoshi is back...with me... The end of Chapter IV: A Night on the Town! The stakes have risen greatly, and bounty is forgotten as Gear's rage escalates into all-out madness. It's up to Tenchi and Roric to storm the Battlecruiser Eden and rescue Mihoshi and Ryoko! Can they make it inside, much less save their loved ones? Chapter V will reveal the mysterious power that resides in Roric, and all questions will find an answer in the blackness of space. It all comes down to the wire in the next chapter of the Eden Chronicles. Chapter V: Garden of Tranquility!