No,I am not claiming any of Tenchi Muyo! I wish.....This is just for general reading pleasure.So,standard disclaimers. My Little Demon............ > My little demon,come'in on down. My little demon's,turnin' me around. all of my friends keep on tellin'me that I ain't just the man I used to be.< ( Her soft,cyan colored hair swept across her,making shadows in front of her pale face.Fierce molten amber,hawk like eyes gleamed amidst the translucent beams of the shadowy moonlight.It's beams reflecting of her pale pink kimono,as she raised her hand to cover her tear streaked face. She murmured softly,not even truly words.She turned and faded into the growing darkness.He screamed after her.) Tenchi Masaki woke up with a yelp,hitting the bus seat in front of him. He tried to shake the weariness away,remmembering that he was on his way to school.He stretched languidly,and listened to the soft conversations around him.His head fell back on the seat with a sigh of frustration,and cursed himself mightily. He was never usually like this. School and his education were extremely important to him.He never fell asleep,not even on the bus.Even this early in the morning never bothered him. One of the Juniors leaned over the seat in front of him,and laughed. "Hey,Tenchi-san.What's wrong with you? Girl trouble?" Tenchi sighed.Why did every guy in the school think he had girl trouble? Where they all really that obsessed? " NO,Ishido-san.Nothing like that.I spent my whole summer at my Grandpa's shrine.It's way up in the moantians,remember." Tenchi grimaced and added. " I thought I told you last year." Ishido laughed,as did the others listening in on the conversation. " That's right." Ishido replied." I guess no good lookin' girls go high up in the mountains do they.Probably just old women.Do you like older women, Tenchi-san?" They all laughed as Ishido turned around.Tenchi inwardly smiled.Well,he thought,she is seven hundred-plus years of age.Perhaps you can say that. Perhaps. ................................................................................ ............................................. English was blaring from the front of the room,as Tenchi slouched and played with a pen.He was fluent in English,so he allowed himself to ponder on his daily dilemmas. Today it was the dream. Ryoko.Why her? Was he feeling guilty about his mother's ripped kimono again? The teacher asked him a question,which he readily answered.He sat back down and continued to probe his dream. The kimono wasn't ripped.Incorrect.But she was crying.Correct.He mentally cursed himself and made himself pay attention. "Now,class.Who can tell me the past perfect tense?" Boring. Tenchi resumed to thoughtfully chew on the end of his pen.Maybe stress, he thought.After lasts nights food fight between Ryoko,Ayeka and the rest of the girls,which really had been fun,wasn't very stressing. Maybe it was this morning. He let his mind drift to the scean this morning.He had come upon Ryoko, gracefully sprawled on the grass.She opened a yellow eye at him,and smiled demurely. "Aughhhh....Good morning,Tenchi-sama.How did you sleep?" She could speak so sweetly and innocently when she wanted too. It had sent shivers down his spine.But the shiver wasn't the age old fear.The fear of what? That she might actually love you? The question that had been ringing inside his head since the day he met her came running back. ( You know what your afraid of.Admit it.) He growled a negative.He wasn't afraid. (Afraid of what,you say? Afraid of the fierce,protecting,beautiful women right in front of you?) " Tenchi.Are you all right?" Ryoko asked.Concern creeping into her voice. " You look pale." She stood up,a frown on her face." Tenchi.Answer me." (Look,look at her! She fears for you for no reason.She loves you for no reason.Admit it.) Yes.She does love me.But...But I don't love her like that. ( You don't,neh?You do not sound so sure to me.) What are you saying? That I love Ryoko? ( When have you not?) I...I...He couldn't answer that. "Tenchi! Please!" He snapped out of his inward battle to see pure gold eyes peering at him. "Oh...Ryoko.I'm fine.Really.I'm sorry.I'm just a little tired,I guess." Ryoko hugged him in that way that made him scurm.His arms moved around her,and he pulled her closer.Just smelling her hair.It smelled like wild cherry blossoms.Why hadn't he noticed that before? Ryoko stiffened in surprise.But calmed quickly.She held on to him with a sad desperation.He rubbed her back soothingly. "Really.Everythings all right." He added softly."Everything's all right." " OK,class! Make sure you read chapters twenty to twenty-three.Class dismissed!" Tenchi blinked rapidly.He would have to get the assignment from one of friends.Sort of friends,it's not like they were little Sasami,he thought.He got up and walked into the hall,continuing his line of thought. Or clumsy Mihoshi,or troublesome Washu-chan,or feisty Aeka. And Ryoko. Ryoko had a class to herself.She had known him his entire life.She prob- ably knew him better then he knew himself.Every gesture,every little movement.The way he spoke,walked,talked and facial expression.Even when he thought he was using his best poker face,she would probably know if he had a queen of hearts.He chuckled softly. Do I really have a queen of hearts? "Tenchi-san.TENCHI-SAN!" The bellowing voice of someone hanging over his locker beside him made him jump about a foot. "Yes,Zataki-san? What is it?" He replied to the outburst. "Well,Tenchi-san," Zataki answered with a knowing grin." I've been standing here calling for at least a minute,while your day-dreaming!" Tenchi cleared his throught."Uh...Sorry.I guess I'm lost in my own little world today." Zataki laughed loudly. "OH...So that's how it is.What's her name,and does she have a sister?" He laughed loudly again.Tenchi calmed himself and gathered his patience around him. "NO...It's not like that at all.Didn't you speak to Ishido-san today?" "Oh,yeah.I remember.You were unlucky again this year weren't you? To bad,neh?" " Yeah,too bad." Tenchi offered sarcastically. "You know Tenchi-san.Everyone says you've been acting weird lately. Definitely not like yourself.Are you sure it's not girl trouble? You know I'm pretty good at advice in that area!" "Oh.I'm sure you are." Tenchi started down the hall,stopping to wave once.Zataki shook his head. "He sure is acting weird lately." > I really don't like it.....ain't nothing I can do. I really don't like it.....I'm leaving it to you.< ................................................................................ ....................................... > My little demon,making me choose. Making me an offer I can't refuse. Hard as a rock,dry as a bone........ Big or little,know that I will take you home.< Ryoko pushed herself away,looking him in the eyes."Are you sure your all right?" She smiled in that disarming way of hers, and proceeded to take out Tenchi's hair band.His hair flew around his shoulder freely,as if missing freedom of movement. "Maybe you have a head-ache? No doubt because your always keeping your hair in this..this damned thing." She threw it on the ground behind her. Tenchi just stared into her eyes.Where they always that bright? He found his hand coming up to twine it's way in her exotic colored hair.She didn't breath. "Tenchi....I really think you should lie down.You must have a fever.I think your getting delusional." He moved his hand to cup her oval face.She was so surprised she couldn't move if she wanted to. "Tenchi...Are you sure your sane right now?" "No.Actualy,I'm not quite sure.I don't think I've been sane for a long time." Ryoko stood still,not wanting it to end.A loud beeping of a horn sounded just below the hill.Tenchi didn't move,he was still confused about his next course of action.Ryoko pushed him away slowly. "Well," She said huskily."You better get going.I don't want the Princess to yell at me for making you late." She pushed him down the dirt road. "Go on." She phased away. Then he had gotten on the bus.And his inner turmoil had started again. " Tenchi-san,Are you going to eat that?" "Hmn...What? Oh,no.You can have it,Ishido-san." Ishido delicately picked up the morsel of food with his chop-stick,and proceeded to fight for it with Zataki.Others soon joined in. Tenchi looked down at his food,it lay untouched.His mind was on other things.The princess.What would she think.What did he himself think? Did he even like Aeka like that? No.No he didn't. He sighed sadly.Aeka was a sweet person beneath her bosy mask,but still.He couldn't get over the fact that she was his great Aunt.It may be accepted on Jurai,but this was earth,and he had been raised with earth traditions.That and the thought of her marring her own brother,his grandfather,made him sick to his stomach.No,no way. But have I really choose Ryoko.After this morning,and the hurt look in her eyes,and thinking he was delusional to even hug her,he had to choose.He couldn't put it off any longer.Someone was going to get hurt in the long run,and he had to do it now,before he added more harm. He picked up his chop-sticks and digged in with a vengance.Might as well fill up,he had a lot of work to do when he got home........ > I really don't like it....ain't nothin'I can do. I really don't like it...I'm leaving it to you.< ................................................................................ ....................................... > Why try to hide it? Fight it...fight it! I really don't like it....ain't nothin'I can do. I really don't like it...I'm leaving it to you.< Tenchi Masaki sat up in his bed,unable to sleep.A tear of sorrow slid down his face.Aeka. He had came home,and went straight to her and told her.Leaving her after awhile to her tears,he had came back to the house,to his room so he could be in peace.He had missed dinner. He looked out the window to the starry night,a crescent moon hung in the sky.His thoughts turned to Ryoko. He hadn't found her when he got home,and he had woken from a restless sleep with the exact place she would be.He got up,threw his jeans on,and stumbled out of his room to find her. > My little demon is coming after me. My little demon........< He stepped out of the attic window gingerly,taking care not to make too much noise.He stood upright,letting the wind blow threw his hair.He remembered that he was in her territory,and he had to be careful.She might phase away when she saw him. He padded softly across the long tiles,till he reached the very top.Then he saw her. She was leaning against the roof,her legs leaning down off the jutting of a window,her arms behind her head casualy.She looked off into space above her,where she had once roamed the way's pirating. "I thought I was there when you're mother taught you that it wasn't polite to stare." Tenchi jumped at the sound of her voice cutting through the silence.He murmured an apology and walked up beside her.She moved over slightly and he sat down beside her. "So...Er...How long have you been up here?" He asked lamely.Ryoko smiled softly. "Not long." Tenchi tryed to swallow the lump that had suddenly found a home in his throught.He gathered his courage and wits about him.Opened his mouth. "I here tell you told Aeka." Tenchi closed his mouth.Then managed to speak. "Um..Yeah." Tenchi frowned,then added,"But how could you now that? You've been gone all day." Ryoko's smile broadened to a grin. "Oh,I have eyes all over.You forget,Ryo-oki and I are conected.She told me earlier." Tenchi nodded dumbly at the news.Ryoko's smile softened, her eyes questioning."Tenchi,did you come to say something to me,or to chit- chat." Tenchi stared down at his hands meekly and began to speak. " I told Aeka that it wasn't going to work.I love her,but I love her as my friend and my great Aunt,but that was how far it was going to go. I would like her to stay,but I'm not going to force her.And I asked her to let me tell some of the others,she could tell Sasami if she wished. Didn't you once call all of this a carnival,Ryoko? I am sorry...I...I just didn't want it to end." Tenchi stopped,he couldn't think of anything else to say.He looked up at her finaly,yet she still had that peaceful smile on her face. "If you're worried that you hurt the others,don't be.Sasami came to me a month ago and told me that she knew.Don't ask me how she did,because it probably had to do with Tsunami.Mihoshi...Well she'll just cry and say how romantic it is.And Washu," She frowned."She'll want to now when the wedding is." She looked at him and a sheepish grin went on her face. "Not that I'm hurrying you,I mean,with you finishing school and.." Tenchi smiled and raised his finger to her lips.She fell silent and just stared at him. "You know,I'm not in a big hurry.Besides," He smiled." It'll take you that long to figure out where we're going on are honey-moon." She smiled and phased to come behind him and hug him. "Really?" She breathed deviously in his ear." I have a few suggestions all ready." He smiled.Same old Ryoko. "You know I love you." Tenchi whispered. He heard her laughter ring out in the night,as she spun to face him,joy painting her features,she answered him. "When have you not?" ................................................................................ .................................... In the blackness of the Japanese night,under the shade of cherry trees,the soft moonlight reflected off a pair of glasses and a upturned mouth. "Damn you." The light flicked to his companian,reflecting bright green eyes and crimson hair,and a broad grin on her face. "Well,well,Katsuhito.You didn't think she'd do it did you?" He sighed as the couple on the roof kissed."Well...She has grown hasn't she?" "Of course,she's my daughter.I don't even know why you insisted that Aeka go with him.Out of guilt for your own selfishness I can see now." The man sighed again as the wind whistled through the trees."I didn't think...Aughhh,the stupidity of an old man,Washu." The women,girl,beside him thought carefully. "You did what you thought best at the time.Of course,you didn't know that Tenchi was already in love with Ryoko at that time.It was bound to backfire.You didn't know." Lord Katsuhito nodded his agreement,then turned towards the door."I must see to Aeka now.I will speak with you later,Washu-chan." He headed towards the door,but stopped as Washu called out to him. "Don't think this is going to stop me from getting that three-hundred yen you owe me from that bet we made about this long ago." He went back to the house murmuring obscenities. Washu stood there watching for awhile,then called up a portal to her lab.Her last words carried away by the wind. " I believe she's won,Katsuhito." >It's all that I can do to keep that little demon.... To keep that little demon.... Just to keep that little demon away from you!< The first time I heard this song by the lovely Fleetwood Mac,I knew it was prime material for a Tenchi fanfic.It is slightly sappy,but I tried to keep that down as much as possible. It was hard keeping them in character.Most of the time they are,all- though Ryoko does go out there abit. As for Aeka.No,I don't hate her.It's just that she is Tenchi's great Aunt, which is kinda wierd in my opinion.When I put myself in his place,which is hard I must say,I can't get over that,and that Ryoko just deserves Tenchi so much more.She's strong and an independant women.Aeka just seems like she allowed to let herself love him because of what he was, just like Yosho.I mean,how could you seriously love your brother like that.But,I am brought up on western culture.So,how would I know? Well,that's my story.So if your an Aeka fan,please don't flame me! I recommend not to read this.If your neutral,or Ryoko fan,please don't flame me anyways! But,I would greatly appreciate sound advice. This is my first Tenchi fan-fic.But if you liked what you read,you can find more of my work on Aishiteru,were all of my work is currently Gundam Wing,under the same name.Domo. Thank you, Seiyuri Hana Maxwell..................