Tenchi Muyo Fan Fiction ❯ Paper Lanterns ❯ Congratulations! ( Chapter 1 )

Chapter I: Congratulations

Paper lanterns waved in the warm spring breeze and the Masaki home twinkled like the stars reflected in the nearby lake. Lights and banners dangled from post to post on the porch and from trees in the yard. Written upon one of these banners, in bright red kanji was, "Congratulations! Tenchi!" This evening, Tenchi Masaki graduated from high school.

For any normal young man or woman to graduate from high school would be a great honor and achievement. However, Tenchi's success was elevated to godlike proportions due to the accolades from the six women who adored him- six alien girls who also happened to live in his home. Six women, Tenchi's father, grandfather and a cabbit all squeezed into a minivan, arrive to enjoy the festivities.

"Come on! Ryoko, cut it out!" Tenchi whined as he scrambled out of the minivan trying to avoid the spikey-haired pirate's groping.

"But Tenchi…..I'm just trying to congratulate you!"

"Miss Ryoko! Please mind your manners on this auspicious day!" Piped Princess Ayeka.

"Hey, I'll congratulate Tenchi anyway I want!"

"If you don't mind…"

"Girls!" Tenchi's grandfather, Yosho cut Ayeka off. "We have food to eat."

"Food!" yelled Mihoshi. "I'm starving!" She flew out of the van closely followed by her partner, Kiyone.

"Calm down, Mihoshi, they'll be enough for all."

"Right," giggled young Sasami also exiting the vehicle. "I've got to get the food set up outside." The girl ran into the kitchen.

"I'll help you there." Tenchi's dad Nobouyuki followed Sasami into the kitchen.

***

"There!" exclaimed Sasami. "It looks wonderful." She said of the enormous spread of food splayed out on two picnic tables.

"Sasami, it does indeed look wonderful. Thank you so much!" praised Tenchi.

"Just one minute, Lord Tenchi," uttered Ayeka. "I have something for you." She sneered in the direction of Ryoko and went into the kitchen. Ayeka returned carrying a huge and ornately decorated cake.

"This, I made just for you, it is chocolate."

"With a little scientific help from wittle ol' me of course," inserted diminutive Washu.

"Miss Ayeka, it's beautiful!"

"And yummy looking!" exclaimed Mihoshi.

"Teeennchhi,"

"Yes Ryoko?"

"I have something for you too." She returned the sneer toward Ayeka and then Ryoko's body disappeared. She reappeared next to Tenchi, only now she was holding huge burden -several bundles of Sake bottles.

"Uh, thanks, Ryoko."

"Hmmmmm, yes, thank you very much" uttered Yosho with a wink to Nobouyuki.

"Alright! Sasami's got the food, and I've got the drink, let's celebrate!" Ryoko levitated the bottles of sake until they landed on one of the tables and she then lunged toward the food.

Someone had brought out a CD player and pop music gently played in the back ground as this unusual family sat down to eat. Tenchi, who was the man of the hour, sat at the head of one of the tables with Princess Ayeka and the Space Pirate Ryoko on either side of him, each girl vying for his attention. The evening was winding down, they had each shared food, presents and stories about the good times spent with each other.

"Pssst! Ryoko," whispered Washu elbowing her daughter in the ribs.

"Huh?" she replied angry that Washu had torn her attention away from her Tenchi.

"Remember?"

"Oh, yeah, thanks!" A sly grin appeared upon the cyan haired beauty as she coyly turned toward Tenchi and batted her golden eyes. "Tenchi?"

"Yes?"

"How about a friendly wager amongst friends?"

"Just what do you mean?" snarled Ayeka.

"Get your panties out of a wad, Princess, everybody can join in. What I am suggesting is a contest."

"What kind of contest, Ryoko? What is the prize?" Asked Kiyone, pulling her blue hair back in a scrunchie.

"Well, since I brought all this sake, which no one is drinking...." As she said this Nobouyuki did a spit take of the sake he just ingested, trying to sneak a sip with Yosho.

"I thought we could have a drinking contest."

"How vulgar, Ryoko." Said Ayeka.

"Come on, Princess, are you woman enough to take me on?

"What's the prize?" asked Tenchi, trying to calm Ayeka down.

"You, of course…. The winner gets a date with you, Tenchi."

"What…what if I win?" gulped Tenchi.

"Then you get to chose one of us or nothing at all." Ryoko stood up and held out her hand. A large bottle of sake materialized balanced on her palm. "So, I'm pouring…"

"Well, I'm in!" said Kiyone.

"Me too!" replied Washu.

"Me, me, me!" yelled Mihoshi.

"Ayeka, are you participating? You know, we can't let Tenchi win this!" snickered Ryoko.

"Oh my," exclaimed Sasami.

"I second that, this should be interesting." Said Yosho pouring more sake for Nobouyuki and then himself.

"Alright, we are all in agreement then, right Lady Ayeka?"

"Ryoko, I am only going to participate to protect Lord Tenchi from your sticky paws." Muttered Ayeka grabbing a glass of Sake from Ryoko's hand.

"Wait a minute! Don't I have any thing to say about this?" pleaded Tenchi.

"No!" all other rang in unison.

"Very well, let's get down!" Ryoko poured sake for Tenchi and each of the female participants minus little Sasami and the round of drinking began.

***

The breezy spring evening turned to a brilliant midnight blue and purple night. The only lights illuminating the Masaki property are of those colorful paper lanterns still swaying in the breeze and of tiny votive candles adorning the remnants of a spectacular feast. The starlight twinkling upon the lake added to this glow as the contestants lay splayed about the picnic tables and the ground adjacent. Yosho sat as if meditating calmly against a tree. Nobouyuki sleeps beside him. Mihoshi is half on and half off her bench in sake induced slumber. Washu is barley awake with her head on the table. The only ones truly competing are Tenchi, Ryoko and of course Ayeka.

"Ok, (hiccup) whoz ready fa enuther?" mumbled Kiyone. She raised her glass, tilted her head back and slammed the drink down. As she did, she fell back flat onto the ground, out cold.

"Oh, my." Said Sasami as she yawned. "I can't stay up for this. Someone let me know who won tomorrow morning? Ok? Come on Ryo-oki, let's go to bed." She sleepily picked up the furry cabbit and they both wearily went into the house.

"Guv Nite, (hic cup) Sasami!" mumbled Ayeka, trying to stay upright.

"Good Night, Sasami!" yelled Tenchi, himself very intoxicated.

"Now, down to the final three." Said Ryoko as she wiped her mouth with the back of her left hand. "Here we go!" She was also intoxicated but from the appearance of the three, the obvious winner.

Ayeka drank follwed by Tenchi, then Ryoko, peeking as she took her final sip. Ayeka started to sway. Her eyes grew smaller. Suddenly, she fell forward face down on the picnic table.

"Hmmm, this is interesting, my Tenchi."

"Uh, huh." Mumbled Tenchi playing with his glass, trying to see his reflection and giggling.

"I think this is the last round." She pried the glass from his hand and filled it up, then her own. "Bottoms up, my love."

They both drank. Ryoko turned her attention to Tenchi.

"Well, are you OK?" She asked.

"Ryoko, I feel fine….I can keep this up all night…." He trailed off. Tenchi's face turned green and his cheeks puckered up. He searched left and right for the appropriate place…to puke.

"Hey! Over there, over there!" Ryoko pointed to the bushes.

Tenchi high tailed it over to the edge of the trees and thankfully retched out of sight. Ryoko cackled in the background.

"Well, since you can't hold your liquor, looks like I won myself a date with you….how about now!"

"Come on Ryoko, "

"Tenchi! Let's just step away from this mess and put some food on top of this sake!"

"Oh, alright." Tenchi gave up protesting, he could never win with Ryoko anyway. He stumbled and staggered back to the tables and grabbed some potato chips and bottled water. Ryoko grabbed the beach blankets that Nobouyuki had rolled off of on the ground.

"This way, I want you to see someplace special." She turned to go and stumbled and fell into Tenchi.

"Well (hiccup) looks like I'm not the only one off his rocker tonight."

"Hey, at least I didn't puke."

Ryoko led them to the far side of the lake, to a secluded spot she often frequented to think and to be alone. The house was not visible from this distance. Tenchi realized that he'd been here several times, the last being his first meeting with Kagato. They were at the base of the beautiful tree/ship Funaho.