I don't own these characters or profit from them.


Straight forward
By, Clayton Overstreet


  Ryoko dodged one of Aeka's blasts and fired back. The blast hit at her 
feet where Ryoko had aimed, blasting the princess back onto her butt. She 
was about to knock her out when she heard Tenchi yelling at her. "Ryoko! 
Aeka! Stop it right now!"
  Aeka picked herself up and brushed the dirt off of her dress. "Tenchi, 
that woman was being inappropriate and I had to stop her."
  "I was not! I was trying to give Tenchi a hug when you cam screaming 
around the corner..."
  "You were groping him!" Aeka interrupted, "And Tenchi would never hug..."
  "That is enough!" Tenchi yelled again. "I wish you two would stop 
fighting. I don't even know why you do it."
  While Aeka tried to explain about teaching Ryoko a lesson, the space 
pirate was staring at Tenchi and mumbled something. Aeka stopped talking and 
stared at her.
  "What did you say?"
  Ryoko kept looking at Tenchi. "He honestly doesn't know. He really doesn't 
get it."
  Tenchi scratched his head. "Get what?"
  Ryoko teleported directly in front of him and as Aeka started towards them 
to throw her off Ryoko froze her in place. Aeka couldn't move a single 
muscle. Ryoko had never used this power before, but right now she needed to.
  "I love you Tenchi." She said.
  Tenchi nodded. "I love all you girls too Ryoko but I still don't..."
  Ryoko pushed him onto him back on the ground and sat on his lap. Putting 
her face right in his she said, "You don't get it. I love you Tenchi. I want 
to spend every minute of my life with you. You are the first and last thing 
I think about during the day. Every time Aeka gets near you I want to scream 
and pull my hair out. I get jealous! It takes every ounce of will I have not 
to blast her to dust and the only thing stopping me is how you would feel. I 
would do anything for you Tenchi and I can't think of any more ways to say 
it."
  Tenchi stared at her for a minute. "But I thought... I thought you just 
wanted your gems. That it was all some kind of game."
  Ryoko shook her head. "Forget the gems Tenchi! You can have the one you 
gave me back if you want it. I... love... you. It's not an act. It's not a 
game."
  "But... why? I mean I'm not that good looking. I get a nosebleed every 
time I'm around you. Why would you feel that way about me?"
  "Tenchi I've loved you since the day your grandmother carried you past the 
cave when you were a baby. I've been in love with you since you turned 
fifteen. I know you aren't perfect any more than I am, but I love you." She 
pushed her face a little bit closer. She kissed him softly on the lips and 
then vanished without a trace.
  The second Ryoko was gone Aeka's paralysis was too and she ran to Tenchi's 
side. "Oh Tenchi are you alright? I saw her push you down but I couldn't 
move and I couldn't hear what she said. Are you all right? Did that demon 
hurt you?"
  Tenchi stood up and shook his head, still a bit in shock. "No, she didn't 
hurt me. In fact... I think I hurt her."
  Aeka smiled. "Good, she deserved it for molesting you like that."
  "Aeka!" He said and frowned at her. "She wasn't molesting me! And nobody 
deserves to be hurt like that." Without another word Tenchi turned and 
walked into the house, not even realizing that Aeka was trying to talk to 
him. Mihoshi and Kiyone looked up from the couch where they were playing 
with the baby Mayuka and Sasami peeked out of the kitchen with Ryo-oki on 
her head. He didn't notice any of them as he walked to his room.

  Ryoko appeared in front of Yosho. "I want you to spar with me."
  "Why?" Yosho asked.
  "Because you are the only one here besides Tenchi with enough experience 
so that I don't need to hold back so much and right now I don't want to talk 
with him."
  Yosho nodded and summoned his energy sword. He didn't really need the 
master key, which only allowed a person access to Tsunami's power. Ryoko 
grabbed his arm and teleported them to the training area.
  Yosho and Ryoko stood on either side of the sandpit. They each bowed and 
then in the blink of an eye their swords clashed.
  "So what are you mad at Tenchi for?" Yosho asked, dodging under her swing.
  Ryoko jumped back as he swung for her stomach. "For being completely 
clueless."
  "Ah I see." Yosho grinned and pressed his advantage, pushing her back a 
step. "But that is part of his charm isn't it?"
  She rolled to the side and brought her sword up to block his. "I also 
blame you. You're the one who pushed Aeka at him."
  "Well I did offer to marry her." He said as he swung at Ryoko's legs.
  She jumped up. "If you had taken off that stupid disguise..." She pushed 
him backwards, "Or at least fought Kagato with us she would have said yes."
  "You know I can't do that!" Yosho said. "I ran away from my people. I 
can't go back and if I married Aeka I'd have to." He blocked another swing, 
but tripped and fell onto his butt.
  Ryoko pressed the tip of her sword to his neck. "Well you'd better do 
something before he gives me my gems back because then you'll start to age 
again."
  Yosho let his sword dissipate. "What makes you think he will?"
  Ryoko smiled and helped him up. "Because I know him. Even if he never sees 
me as anything but a sister he is still Tenchi." She looked at him. "Thanks 
for the workout."
  Yosho nodded. "Without Tsunami I could never beat you."
  She shook her head. "No... You couldn't. There is only one real match for 
me." Ryoko jumped into the air and flew away, leaving Yosho to walk back by 
himself.
  As she flew over the lake Ryoko admired the way the sun shone off the 
water. There was nothing like this in space and the few planets she had been 
on were mostly on fire. Things like that tend to ruin the moment.
  Without warning she fired a bolt into the center of the lake. A huge wave 
shot out in all directions scaring some ducks and a few other birds.
  "Why does he have to be so thick?" She yelled. "I wouldn't be surprised if 
he still didn't get it."

  Tenchi lay on his bed looking at the picture of his family that sat on his 
nightstand. He was still in shock over what Ryoko had said. 'I love you. I 
get jealous. Forget the gems."
  That last one had caught his attention. Until she said that he had thought 
she was just playing around. This entire time he'd thought that was what 
she'd been after. Why else would a girl that looked like her come after him 
like that? He was popular enough at school but Tenchi had never even been 
asked to a dance before Ryoko had blown the place up.
  The first time he'd even seen Ryoko he'd been a dehydrated monster. Then 
she'd tried to kill him and steal the sword. After that he'd been nearly 
killed by Aeka and since she'd been here the two of them never seemed to 
stop fighting. Even when he was in the fields he could hear it. Was it any 
wonder he'd thought that Ryoko's actions never had anything to do with him? 
The only times he'd ever seen her look like she even knew he was there as 
anything but a tool to make Aeka mad were when he saved her from being 
kidnapped. And the second time it wasn't the real Ryoko.
  Well that wasn't entirely true. That time in Yuzuha's lair Ryoko had said 
something similar. But it had been more of a dare for Yuzuha than anything 
else... he'd thought.
  He really did care for the girls. They were all gorgeous after all. He 
just didn't think any of them were really interested in him. Mihoshi used to 
have a crush on him she'd said, but had always supported anyone else who 
said the same thing. And when Kiyone had shown up it had stopped completely. 
Aeka just wanted him as a replacement for his grandfather and he just 
couldn't see himself marrying her. She and Sasami were his aunts after all.
  Washu had expressed an interest in him. But the fact that she mostly just 
seemed to want a baby and to use him for her experiments (he still had a 
craving for cheese whenever his alarm clock went off after the last one) 
marked her off the list. Ryo-oki just didn't interest him and Sasami was too 
young.
  So why did Ryoko like him? He just couldn't figure it out. She'd told him 
about watching him grow up from the cave. He hadn't done anything 
particularly romantic and the only thing he could think of when he was 
fifteen was when he'd taken his dad's hentai collection up there and... a 
blush colored his cheeks. No wonder she was so forward. She probably thought 
he liked that sort of thing.
  Actually he kind of did. Despite knowing that she had been doing it to get 
her gems back, Tenchi had always enjoyed Ryoko hugs. But with Aeka around it 
was just easier to avoid them than start another fight.
  Now Ryoko had come out and practically jammed this down his throat. If 
he'd known she really liked him, that all the groping and remarks meant 
something... ok he would have fainted. Especially back when he didn't know 
her as well as he did now. Not that he knew her that well apparently. How 
could he have been so stupid?
  There was a quiet knock on the door and Kiyone stuck her head in. "Hey 
Tenchi, can Mayuka stay with you for a while? Mihoshi and I need a break."
  Tenchi smiled. "Sure Kiyone, I haven't seen her since breakfast."
  Kiyone opened the door to let Mihoshi carry the baby in. She handed Mayuka 
to him and smiled. "Thanks Tenchi. Mayuka is great and all, but Kiyone and I 
still need some time alone."
  "It's alright," Tenchi said. "I really don't mind." He smiled at Mayuka 
and bounced her a little.
  "Dada." The furry purple baby said and giggled. Kiyone and Mihoshi turned 
and closed the door as they left.
  Tenchi smiled and cradled his daughter in his arms. Even given her unique 
origins Tenchi still loved her. He spent more time with her than almost 
anyone else except Ryoko. The others were a bit wary of her claws and did 
have other things to do. Though Washu spent a lot of time with her too. But 
Ryoko had appointed herself Mayuka's trainer. That should have given Tenchi 
a hint.
  Mayuka poked his arm with her claws and brought him out of his thoughts. 
Tenchi smiled down and rubbed her cheek. "How about it Mayuka? What do you 
think of Ryoko?"
  Mayuka's response startled him. "Mama!"
  Tenchi's eyes widened. "What?" Mayuka kept quiet. "Ryoko."
  "Mama!" The baby said again.
  Tenchi bit his lip then said, "Mama."
  "Ry-ko." Mayuka said and giggled.
  He smiled at her and put his thumb in her hand, using a bit of the Jurai 
power so she couldn't hurt him. "So you think Ryoko is your mommy huh?" 
Mayuka giggled and squeezed his finger. Tenchi smiled at her and shook his 
head. "Well she thinks so too. What am I going to do about it?"
  "Mama. Dada." She said. Then she put her arms on his chest and leaned 
against him, closing her eyes. With a cute little yawn that showed off her 
fangs, she fell asleep.
  Tenchi sighed and lay back on his bed. Pretty soon he fell asleep as well.


  Aeka twisted one of her ponytail in her fingers and chewed on her lip. She 
wasn't sure what worried her more. The fact that Ryoko just froze her like 
that or the way Tenchi had behaved afterwards. She had been completely deaf 
during the whole thing but had been able to see. Ryoko had knocked Tenchi 
over, yelled in his face, and the kissed him. Tenchi hadn't laid a finger on 
her. He had barely said anything and most of it had looked like the word 
'but'.
  "So how could he have hurt her?" Aeka asked herself.
  "How could who hurt who?" Washu asked. Aeka turned and saw Washu standing 
there drinking a soda.
  Sasami stepped out of the kitchen with Ryo-oki asleep on her head. "What 
are you two talking about?"
  Washu shrugged. "Aeka said something about someone being hurt." They both 
looked at her expectantly.
  Aeka sighed. "Not me. Tenchi said he hurt Ryoko somehow." She told them 
what happened. "And he said he'd hurt her."
  Washu frowned. "Huh... he's more observant than Ryoko gave him credit 
for."
  "What do you mean?" Sasami asked.
  "Well, until today Tenchi didn't actually believe anyone of us was really 
in love with him. He knew that you, Mihoshi, and Kiyone see him more like a 
brother, that Aeka just wants him to replace Yosho, and that I wanted him so 
I could have a baby. So she thought..."
  "I most certainly do not want him just to replace Yosho. He is of royal 
birth and should marry me." Aeka said.
  Washu rolled her eyes. "Anyway as I was saying he thought Ryoko was just 
after him for her gems and Ryoko figured this out."
  Sasami smirked. "Uh oh." Aeka just frowned.
  "So Ryoko stopped playing around for a minute and froze Aeka in place." 
Aeka had figured out some time ago she couldn't beat Ryoko really but kept 
trying anyway. "Then she pushed him over, sat down on his lap, and told him 
flat out that she loved him and the gems didn't matter to her. And of how 
jealous she is of Aeka."
  "Aww, that's so romantic." Sasami said, earning her a glare from her 
sister. "Oh come on Aeka you know that on Earth they don't marry their 
relatives." Aeka just snorted and turned her back on both of them. Washu and 
Sasami looked at her, then at each other and shrugged before returning to 
the lab and kitchen.
  Aeka sat there for quite some time just staring at the wall in front of 
her. It took a long time for the tears to flow. When they did it wouldn't 
stop. She had everything a man could want: Looks, grace, charm, and her own 
galaxy. Ryoko had even admitted to being jealous of her. But the problem 
wasn't that she was missing something. No, it was that she had something... 
the thing that she had thought would ultimately bring him to her.
  "You know that on Earth they don't marry their relatives." Sasami's words 
echoed in her mind, mocking her. The crown princess of Jurai sat there, with 
those words repeating in her head, and continued to cry.

  Noboyuki sighed and looked around his office. It was so dull here 
sometimes. Nothing ever seemed to happen to him. Sighing he picked up his 
protractor and got back to work.

  Ryoko arrived back at the house a few hours later. She walked in the front 
door for once and looked around for Tenchi.
  "He's in his room." Aeka said from the couch. "You can go up now if you 
want."
  Ryoko nodded. "Thank you..." She stopped and stared at the back of Aeka's 
head. "What did you say?"
  "Ryoko, you heard me quite well." Aeka said. Ryoko walked around the couch 
to look at her.
  "Aeka, what's wrong?"
  Aeka let out another sob and more tears flowed. "Oh now you're being 
considerate. Filthy monster always making things worse."
  Ryoko squatted down in front of her and looked into Aeka's eyes. "What's 
the matter? Just tell me you little brat or are you trying to make me feel 
guilty?"
  Aeka shook her head. "You... you and Tenchi. I can't have him."
  Ryoko rolled her eyes. "No kidding. Until today he didn't know that either 
of us liked him. I'll bet he still doesn't."
  "No I mean I can't have him, ever. Even if he doesn't pick you or anyone 
else. Because of what I am I can't have him."
  Ryoko smirked. "Hey Aeka, if he does pick you I'm sure your father can't 
stop it. I mean just because you are a princess..."
  Aeka looked at Ryoko's eyes. "I'm his aunt."
  Ryoko looked down. "Oh." She bit her lip and said, "I'm sorry Aeka. I 
really am."
  Aeka frowned at her for a second, then sighed and lay back against the 
couch. "I want to be mad at you but it's not your fault. Just stop 
apologizing. You're making it worse. Just go talk to him already."
  Ryoko nodded and stood up. "Thank you." She turned away and headed towards 
the stairs. When she got there she stopped and looked back at the princess. 
"You know if you weren't his aunt he might have picked you..." Aeka nodded 
and Ryoko walked up the stairs.
  When she got to the door she knocked to disarm the lock on the door and 
slid it open. Tenchi was lying on his bed with Mayuka on his belly. As she 
stepped inside the baby opened her eyes and looked up at her. Ryoko smiled 
and bent down to pick her up, then sat down on the bed.
  Mayuka smiled and bit down on Ryoko's thumb. The space pirate just smiled 
as Mayuka's claws and teeth worked on her hand uselessly. She cradled Mayuka 
softly and ran a finger through the tuft of blue hair on her head.
  Tenchi opened his eyes. "Ryoko what are you... oh I see."
  Ryoko smiled at him and looked down at the baby. "I wanted to talk with 
you, but she looked like she needed me."
  He smiled at her and nodded. "I guess she did. You know she thinks you're 
her mother."
  "How can you be so sure?" She asked.
  Tenchi bent down and looked at Mayuka. "Ryoko."
  "Mama!" The baby said.
  Ryoko looked shocked then looked at Mayuka. "Aeka."
  "Eka." She said.
  "Sasami."
  Mayuka giggled. "Sammy." They got similar effects with Mihoshi, Kiyone, 
Washu, and Ryo-oki. The only one she called mama was Ryoko.
  Ryoko looked down and smiled at her. "Silly little thing. I wonder where 
she got this from."
  Tenchi smiled and rubbed his daughter's cheek. "I guess because it's true. 
You take care of her more than anyone else; I think she really does need 
you." Ryoko nodded and kept her eyes on the baby. Tenchi watched her, seeing 
how her eyes softened and the smile on her face. That more than anything 
else influenced his next words. "She isn't the only one."
  Ryoko looked up at him. "What do you mean?"
  Tenchi closed his eyes. "I mean without you we'd all be toast by now. We 
might never have even met without you. You are what hold everything together 
Ryoko." He opened his eyes and looked at hers. "I've been thinking about 
what you said today."
  Ryoko smiled. "Look Tenchi about that... I meant it, every word of it, but 
if you don't feel the same way that's fine too. If there is even a chance 
I'll keep trying, if not then I just hope you are happy."
  "I love you too." Tenchi said quickly. Ryoko's jaw dropped and she didn't 
even notice as Mayuka pulled on her hair. "I have for a long time really. I 
just thought that... well that you wanted your gems. I can't figure out why 
you would love me. I'm not handsome, I haven't done anything particularly 
romantic, and you look like an angel. I just don't know why you would like 
me so I just assumed you were hitting on me so you could get your power 
back."
  Ryoko stared as Tenchi reached into his nightstand and pulled out the 
sword. He closed his eyes and after a minute the gems appeared on Ryoko's 
wrist and neck. Power coursed through her for a minute and she glowed blue. 
Mayuka smiled at the light.
  Ryoko shook her head and said, "Tenchi you don't need to do this. You can 
keep the gems. You don't need to test me."
  Tenchi smiled at her. "It's not a test Ryoko. It's a gift. I don't want 
there to be any reason for you to doubt me when I say this." He took a deep 
breath. "I love you Ryoko. If you want to leave you can. There is nothing 
holding you here."
  She laughed and looked into his eyes. "Tenchi this is why I love you. I 
have met so many people in my life, but none like you." She leaned closer to 
him, just like she had earlier. "You are my perfect match Tenchi." She 
kissed him before he could speak.
  Tenchi was surprised, but after a second he kissed her back. They both 
began to move closer, when suddenly they each felt a stab of pain in their 
guts. Breaking apart they looked down and saw Mayuka had dug her claws into 
each of them.
  Ryoko laughed and lifted her up to look her in the eyes. "You know, you 
really know how to ruin a moment kid."
  Mayuka just giggled and hugged her.

The End

Author's note
  Ah, yet another and strangely original way for me to get Ryoko and Tenchi 
together. Some people might have gotten tired of that combination by now... 
but not you or else you wouldn't be reading this. For a show with less than 
90 episodes Tenchi Muyo sure has inspired a lot of fan fics. I guess because 
they leave so much unsaid. Maybe the new OAVs will finally have Ryoko and 
Tenchi kiss so we can get on with our lives. I know I'm trying to work on a 
book but keep getting distracted by Tenchi story ideas.
  In this one I got the idea that Tenchi might not know what was going on. 
So I had Ryoko jam it down his throat! Then I did the same to Aeka so she'd 
see she never stood a chance. Even those of you who like the idea of Aeka 
getting Tenchi you have to ask yourself 'Would you marry your aunt or 
uncle?' even if you were once removed. That pretty much eliminates whatever 
Aeka has over Ryoko. If you wish to comment, email me at 
clayton_n@hotmail.com