No Need for Alternate Earths. Chapter Six: No Need for a House. "Well," sniffled Lady Misaki, as she gave Princess Ayeka a hug, "I guess this is good bye." Princess Sasami also sniffled and hugged her mommy's right leg. "Why do you have to go so soon?" "Now, now," said the mother, patting her youngest child on the head, "I have to return to Jurai. New ships have to be built, new crews trained and new officers sworn in. Your father needs me strong..." She started to cry, the flood gates spraying out a waterfall of tears. The shadow of the Juraian flagship drifted over them. It had already beamed up the Lady's packages and luggage a few moments before and was now just waiting for her. She crushed her daughters close to her body, even the tiny cabbit as the two men watched. Katsuhito and Nobuyuki stood by, watching with visible sadness in their eyes. Ryoko stood next to them, in a house dress, a somewhat conservative choice when compared to her normal outfits. She had braided her hair into two big ponytails, modeled after Ayeka's hairstyle. "We will miss you very much," said Tenchi's father, as he wiped at his own eyes. "You may visit us whenever you wish," stated Katsuhito, as he adjusted his glasses. "We enjoyed having you here," commented Ryoko, as she decided to part in good terms with the Lady. "Oh thank you," Lady Misaki bubbled, as she held close the bag of pop corn Ryoko had made for her to munch on during the flight home. She suddenly was pulled upwards, without a visible signal, to disappear into the floating ship with a flash of light. The flagship moved upwards, increasing the speed of its ascend, until it was nothing but a twinkling light in the sky. "Miss Ryoko," said Princess Ayeka, as she waved one last time, "I wish to thank you for being so nice to my mother. I can't really express how much it means to me and my sister." "Well," replied Ryoko, "she's had a bad time lately and I didn't wish to add to her problems." "Still," continued Ayeka as she turned to face Ryoko, "I owe you so much for being so nice. Even with Becca. Princess Sasami said she has found sake bottles at the lake." "Well," said Ryoko, blushing, "I just thought she might want more company than just another tree." Princess Sasami ran over to hug Ryoko as the two men stared at the sky, as if still able to trace the ship's flight path. "So," said Katsuhito, "Becca stays with us for the next few weeks." "This might be a tad over the topic," pointed out Nobuyuki, "but what have the Guardians been doing lately?" "Oh no," said the tiny Princess Sasami, "we forgot to tell them the invasion fleet was defeated!" "Why are we out here?" The voice came from a tree. It did not LOOK like a tree, but was a very good attempt at trying to be one. The two Guardians had strapped branches and glued leafs to their body. They were more likely to be mistaken for rejects from a Peter Pan play than for real trees. Real trees did not talk, move about or have enough firepower to blast other trees to ash. "You know why we are out here," replied Kamidake while scanning the sky for invading ships, "so be silent." "While we're out here," repeated Azaka for the hundredth time, "we can't protect Princess Ayeka." "This is the best position to allow us to fully cover all approaches to this valley," answered Kamidake. "If we can knock down the enemy craft before they land, we will increase the chances of the Princesses surviving the first wave of the attack." "What's that noise?" asked Ayeka was she walked up to the house. "I was about to ask you," stated Ryoko, "I can feel the noise vibrating my bones." "It is getting louder," complained Princess Sasami as she looked up at the sky. "What IS that?" yelped Nobuyuki as he pointed up at the ripple in the sky. It looked like somebody had tossed a rock into a pond, the waves of reality spreading out, distorting the very light. The effect seemed to be changing, becoming bigger. "Some kind of hole?" suggested Tenchi's grandfather as he examined the anomaly. As they watched it spread it did not only became bigger, but lines of color started to grow out of the middle, like a rose unfolding. The whips of energy started to lash about, like live vines of pure thought searching for something to pull in. One of the lines plowed its tip through the lake, leaving behind thunder and steam. "It's getting bigger!" shouted Ryoko. "The edge is going to touch the lake soon!" added Ayeka as she grabbed Sasami, pulling her away. "Is that an enemy ship?" asked Azaka. "My sensors can't tell," remarked Kamidake, "but it does not fit known readings of any friendly spacecraft." The hole in the time lines gave birth to the Jumper. It slipped out, covered in lightning and energy fields, bouncing between the ripples. The Jumper seemed to be battered and dented, trailing blue flame and living shadows. It slammed into the water, sending up a plume of mist and sound. It seemed to disappear and then broke upwards, floating on the surface of the lake. Above it, above the blue waves of the lake, the hole started to heal. The wound, a very insult to time and space itself, swiftly closed. It was gone within seconds, having deposited the offending piece of matter. "Do we fire?" probed Azaka. "We can't," commented Kamidake, "it is below our angle of fire. Nor do I believe it is a Hive ship." "Can we get out of this branches now? I have birds building a nest on my head." The Jumper, with its last units of remaining power, was able to push itself onto shore and open the door. Washu, Tenchi, Kiyone and Mihoshi poured out, panting in the fresh air. "I need another vacation," whined Tenchi, as he crawled away from the ship. "My suitcase is burning." "My shoes are burning," whimpered Mihoshi as she looked back into the doorway of the Jumper. "My pistols are burning," sighed Kiyone as she examined her empty holsters. "My hair!" said Washu as she slapped at the smoking strands. "My home!" yelled Nobuyuki as he turned to look at the house which seemed to be burning also. "My wardrobe," said Princess Ayeka as she pulled at her hair. Ryoko pointed towards the flames as they spread and added, "One of the lightning bolts from the hole must have hit the roof! Look at how fast it can move!" "My kitchen," exclaimed Princess Sasami as she thought of her poor pots and stainless steel woks. "MEOW!" said the horrified Ryo-Ohki as the fire spread down to the food shed. 'My carrots!' thought the cabbit. Everyone looked at Tenchi's grandfather, for his reaction. He took off his glasses and cleaned them slowly. As he put them back on, he smiled and nodded towards the flames. "Lucky for me," said Katsuhito, "I live up at the shrine office." Epilogue: "Are you sure you want to go to the Hot Springs Inn?" Katsuhito asked Tenchi, as the girls and Tenchi's dad finished loading up the van. "Well," said Tenchi, "until the house is repaired we might as well take a PROPER vacation. Anyway, every time we visit the inn, good things DO happen." "Like Ryoko calling up demons," remarked Tenchi's grandfather with a smile. "She's promised not to do that," chuckled Tenchi, as the last suitcase was tossed into the van and the rear door was slammed shut. "Come on Tenchi," called out Mihoshi from the van, "there's room enough in the back with me!" "Lord Tenchi is sitting in front with me!" declared Princess Ayeka. "Where?" snickered Ryoko, "in your lap?" "Lord Tenchi is going to sit with me," stated Washu from somewhere within the van. "Ouch!" complained Princess Sasami, "Kiyone, your gun is poking me!" "Gun?" stammered Nobuyuki from the front driver's seat. "Are we going to go OR not?" demanded Kiyone. "Meow?" "Oh, this is going to be fun," mumbled Tenchi as he walked over to the crowded van. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ -------------------- Tenchi Muyo! and related characters are owned by AIC and Pioneer. The rest is my fault. I'm sorry.