Tenchi Muyo Fan Fiction ❯ The Masato Saga ❯ Ayeka's Eyes ( Chapter 1 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

Disclaimer: As much as I would love to take credit for the characters in
this story, I cannot. Tenchi Muyo and its characters are property of AIC
and Pioneer. "If We Must Die" by Claude McKay reprinted from the
Norton Anthology of American Literature, Fifth Edition, Volume 2,
copyright 1998 by W. W. Norton & Company, Inc. "Ayeka's Eyes,"
though based on pre-existing characters, is the property of the author and
may not be reprinted without permission. Ditto for all original characters
found therein. Now that that's out of the way, enjoy the story!

Note to reader: This is my first attempt at fan fiction, so please forgive
any misspellings of places or character names. I have omitted a few minor
characters for simplicity's sake, because their appearances would not have
contributed further to content.

Ayeka's Eyes

Chapter 1: Bounty Hunter

"So you want to play, huh?" questioned Ryoko of her unknown
pursuer in the craft behind her. "Okay, let's go!"
Ryoko never could have guessed that her evening would end up
like this. Her argument with Ayeka was particularly heated that evening at
dinner, even by their standards. She decided to take Ryo-ohki for a quick
spin around the solar system to cool off. However, her quest for peace
was cut short when this unknown ship began firing on her. She easily
dodged the volley of shots, and turned around quickly for Earth. But the
ship persisted, setting off in pursuit.
"Ryo-ohki, let's get back to Tenchi's now," Ryoko commanded of
her ship. "We'll be able to shake this guy once we hit the atmosphere."
Ryo-ohki meowed assent as she speeded her way to the Masaki residence.
Once Ryo-ohki broke through the atmosphere, the ship suddenly
broke off pursuit and headed off in another direction. "Too bad," said
Ryoko. "And I was looking forward to showing this joker a thing or two.
I guess he's not as stupid as I thought. Ryo-ohki, you can slow down now,
and begin our descent."
Ryo-ohki meowed and began the slow approach to Tenchi's.
About a mile from the house, the unknown ship appeared directly ahead
and opened fire.
"What the..." puzzled Ryoko. "How the hell did he get here? He
must have used Earth's gravity as a slingshot and come back around! But
he's way too low. Is he crazy?"
Ryo-ohki was easily able to dodge the hail of gunfire and managed
to return a blast of her own. The mystery ship dodged the blast, but due to
its low altitude, it scraped into a hillside, sending a shower of debris
raining down on the countryside. Smoking heavily and sliding awkwardly
toward earth, the wounded ship came down in a cloud of dust and a
thunderous roar.
"Yee-haw!" shouted Ryoko triumphantly. "I bagged us a big one!
Let's go see who the unlucky stiff is, Ryo-ohki."
Ryo-ohki gave a self-satisfied "meow" as she approached the crash
site.
The debris was thick on the ground, and the heavy perfume of
burning oil permeated the valley. Ryoko surveyed the damaged spacecraft.
She had seen similar wrecks before, and had never known anyone to
survive them. Scanning the twisted metal, searching for what she thought
would be a dismembered corpse, Ryoko was surprised to hear a weak
groan emanating from the cockpit. She rushed to the bridge and found a
man strapped into a chair. He was badly scraped and bloodied, but very
much alive. Ryoko knew that he would not survive without immediate
medical attention.
"You deserve to be left here to die," she addressed the
unresponsive pilot. "But I guess I should bring you back and get you some
help. I guess living with Tenchi has made me a little soft."
Ryoko unstrapped her injured pursuer from his chair and took him
swiftly in her arms to the Masaki home.

Everyone gathered around the cot in Washu's lab on which the
injured pilot lay. Washu worked feverishly to prepare all the medical
equipment she would need to help this unfortunate individual.
"Can you help him, Washu?" asked Sasami in a concerned tone.
Washu thought for a moment. "It's a miracle that he survived the
crash at all," she admitted. "We'll need another one if he's going to pull
through."
"I hope he'll be alright," said Sasami, the worry evident on her face.
"Hey, who's side are you on!" broke in Ryoko. "He did try to kill
me, you know."
"Well, then, he obviously has a sense of justice," remarked Ayeka
coolly.
"What do you mean by that?" questioned Ryoko sharply, turning to
face the princess.
"I'm only saying that, if anyone deserves to be shot out of the sky,
it's you," returned Ayeka icily.
"You take that back!" shouted Ryoko, anger burning in her eyes.
"Hey, you two, can you cut it out?" pleaded Tenchi, stepping
between the two of them. "It's your arguing that got us in this mess in the
first place."
"So you say you have no idea who he is?" asked Yosho of Ryoko.
Ryoko took another look at the man. "Never seen him before," she
confirmed. "He popped up out of nowhere and just started blasting at me."
Kiyone stepped forward and bent down to get a look at the man's
face. "There's something familiar about him..." she remarked.
"Kiyone, take a look at this," said Mihoshi, pointing to the
holstered weapon on the man's hip.
"That's a Galaxy Police-issue blaster," Kiyone said, upon
identifying his sidearm. "He couldn't have one of those unless..."
Suddenly, a look of horror crossed her face as she recognized the man.
"Oh my God!" she burst out. "Masato!"
"Who?" asked the procession almost in unison.
"His name is Masato Kiriyama," began Kiyone. "He was my first
partner after I graduated from the police academy."
"So you know him?" asked Tenchi.
"Yes," Kiyone continued. "He was a good friend to me. Even after
he was promoted ahead of me, he still requested me as his partner on a lot
of cases. But two years ago, he was involved in an accident that killed
five officers. Internal affairs somehow thought he was responsible, and he
was to be tried in court. Before the trial, however, he hijacked an
impounded ship and ran off. He's one of the Galaxy Police's most
wanted."
"Wow," marveled Mihoshi. "So he was your partner before me?"
"Yes," Kiyone confirmed. "But that was a long time ago."
"But what was he doing chasing you, Ryoko?" asked Sasami.
"I'm not sure," Ryoko said. "I'll guess we'll have to ask him when
he comes to."
"If he comes to," added Washu gravely.
"Oh, he'll come to," Ryoko reassured her. "Someone who gives me
the runaround like that can't possibly go down that easily."

True to Ryoko's prediction, about a week later Washu was startled
from one of her many projects when Masato not only came to, but
rocketed up off the cot with a loud shout. Washu wheeled around to face
him as his hand reflexively went to his holster. Upon finding his weapon
missing, he tensed and demanded in a harsh tone, "Where am I? Who are
you? How did I get here?"
"Relax," said Washu in a soothing voice. "You're safe. My name
is Washu, and this is my laboratory."
Masato looked puzzled. "But how did I... Ryoko! Where is she?"
he demanded.
"Ryoko is the one that brought you back," said Washu. "If not for
her, you'd be a goner for sure."
Masato looked even more surprised. "Ryoko? But why--aah!" he
shrieked as a sharp pain in his side sent him doubled over onto the floor.
Washu rushed to help. "You shouldn't be up," she said, helping
Masato back onto the cot. "You're still hurt. It will be a while before
you're a hundred percent. Take it easy and rest." Washu realized that her
plea was a mute point; Masato's eyes were already closed in a deep sleep.

Chapter 2: Partners

Over the proceeding weeks, Masato's condition improved greatly.
And it was not long before he received his first visitor. He was
particularly surprised to see Kiyone. "Remember me?" she had asked him.
"How could I forget?" Masato returned. "How've you been?"
"I've been okay," she said. "Can I ask you something? Why were
you chasing after Ryoko?"
Masato sat up a bit straighter in his cot. "I was hoping to catch her
and collect the money that's on her head," he revealed. "I make most of
my living as a bounty hunter these days."
"Why did you run, after the accident?" Kiyone asked. "Why didn't
you defend yourself? A lot of people would have stood up for you. I
would have."
"I know that, I know," Masato said with a smile. "But that
wouldn't have done any good, believe me. All the right people knew I was
guilty, so for all intents and purposes, I was. Running was the only way to
save myself. And your career."
"My career?" Kiyone said with a start.
"You had to have known," Masato explained, "that, if I had been
convicted, internal affairs would have turned its attention to you. After
requesting you as my partner so many times, they invariably would have
thought something was going on between you and me. As long as they
can't prove anything, you're safe. By running, I saved my ass and your
future in one shot."
"What happened back there?" Kiyone asked. "What made them
think you did it?
"I guess because I was the only one that survived," mused Masato.
"They were looking for someone to blame. But I didn't do anything. You
have to believe that. I swear on my mother." Masato grasped Kiyone's
hand and stared intently into her eyes as he said these words.
Kiyone knew her former partner to be a good and honest man. "If
you say you didn't do it," she said, returning his gaze, "then that's enough
for me."
"That's why I always asked you to be my partner, Kiyone," Masato
said with a smile. "You always believed in me."

Curious as to the condition of the man she had laid up for several
weeks, Ryoko decided to pay Masato a visit. Upon entering the makeshift
infirmary in Washu's lab, Ryoko was surprised to see him on his feet
shadowboxing. His cuts had all healed, and there was little evidence of
any bruises he may have had. He moved swiftly, rhythmically, delivering
a series of punishing combinations to the shapeless opponent on the wall.
To see a man doing so well after such a horrible crash was nothing short of
miraculous.
"Well, I see you're doing much better," Ryoko addressed him.
"I've certainly had worse days," Masato responded, then giving a
stiff roundhouse to his shadow. He sat down on the edge of the cot. "I
suppose I should thank you for saving me back there. I guess I owe you
my life."
"Don't mention it," Ryoko said. "Besides, Washu did most of the
work."
"I'm just not sure why you put yourself out for me like that,"
Masato said. "It would have been so much easier to leave me for dead."
Ryoko gave a wide grin. "Well, if there's one thing I've learned
since landing here," she said, "It's that everyone deserves a second
chance."
Now it was Masato's turn to grin. "Thanks for the gesture," he
began, "but I'm afraid I'm a lost cause. Nothing changes the fact that I
have to spend my life on the run. I am wanted, you know."
"So am I," Ryoko said. "But I never let that get me down. Besides,
the Galaxy Police couldn't find their own asses if they had a map and a
mirror."
Masato wasn't sure if Ryoko meant what she said, or if she was just
trying to get a rise out of him. But, drawing from his experiences in the
department, he knew that she was mostly right. "Well," he said slowly, "In
my case, they certainly couldn't tell an innocent man from a guilty one."
"What do you mean?" asked Ryoko inquisitively.
"Well, I'm assuming that you actually committed most of the
crimes you're wanted for, right?" Masato asked. Ryoko could only nod in
agreement. "Well, I wasn't responsible for what they think I did."
"You mean that accident two years ago?" Ryoko asked.
"Right," Masato confirmed.
"What did happen, then?" asked Ryoko.
Masato thought for a moment. "We were tracking a bounty hunter
named Kazuhiro. We wanted him in connection with a murder. Anyway,
there were six of us on the ship, and we finally caught up with him."
"I can only assume that he resisted arrest," interjected Ryoko.
"In the worst way," said Masato with a nod. "He really put up a
good fight, but we were eventually able to subdue his ship. We had it in
tow and were heading back to the station when something happened. I
don't know if it was a mechanical failure or what, but a power surge shut
down the engines and the bridge controls. I went to the docking bay where
the manual switch for the auxiliary power was, hoping to restore power to
the bridge. All of a sudden, there was an explosion from the engine room.
Without thinking I jumped into one of the drop ships we keep in the
docking bay and sped off, just before the ship was engulfed in the
explosion. Needless to say, all of the other officers were killed, and
Kazuhiro escaped."
"So you have no idea what happened?" asked Ryoko.
"No," sighed Masato. "I wish I did. Then, I wouldn't be one of the
Galaxy Police's ten most wanted."
Before Ryoko could respond to the plight of their newest house
guest, Washu barged in with a chart. "I've been going over the tests I ran
on you," she said, "and from what I can see you're in nearly perfect shape.
It seems you're free to go."
"Great," said Masato. "But I'm afraid you're wrong. Without a
ship, I'm not free to go anywhere."
"Don't worry about that," said Ryoko. "I have a feeling that won't
be a problem."
"What do you mean?" asked Masato, a confused look on his face.
"Come on," Ryoko said with a wink, "There are a few people you
should meet."

Chapter 3: A New Housemate

That evening at the dinner table Masato met the members of the
Masaki household. Tenchi and Yosho agreed that Masato could stay as
long as he wanted, just so long as he helped with the upkeep of the house.
"So Masato," Tenchi had said, "Tell us about yourself."
"Not really much to tell," he responded, "apart from what I'm sure
Kiyone has told you all. I've spent the last couple of years scraping a
living out of being a bounty hunter. Ryoko would have set me up nicely
for quite some time, but I guess she was just a bit more than I could
handle," he added with a wink.
"Well, I am too much for most people to handle," Ryoko said,
glancing at Tenchi seductively.
As was her custom in such situations, Ayeka cut in. "So," she said,
struggling to find a topic, "do you have any hobbies?"
"Well, I do like to draw," confessed Masato. "And I'm a big fan of
poetry."
"Do you have a favorite poem?" asked Sasami. Kiyone chuckled
and sat back in her chair. Even after four years, she hadn't forgotten
Masato's invariable response to such a question. True to his past, Masato
began his recitation:

"If we must die, let it not be like hogs
Hunted and penned in an inglorious spot,
While round us bark the mad and hungry dogs,
Making their mock at our accursed lot.
If we must die, O let us nobly die,
So that our precious blood may not be shed
In vain; then, even the monsters we defy
Shall be constrained to honor us though dead!"

Masato slammed his hand on the table, causing the plates to jump. He
continued with his discourse, his voice growing stronger with each line.

"O kinsmen! We must meet the common foe!
Though far outnumbered let us show us brave,
And for their thousand blows deal one deathblow!
What though before us lies the open grave?
Like men we'll face the murderous, cowardly pack,
Pressed to the wall, dying, but fighting back!"

Everyone was silent, staring back at Masato with wide eyes and
gaping mouths. Except for Kiyone, who sat smiling, thinking that he
hadn't changed in two years.
"That was... really good," Mihoshi finally broke the silence.
"Yes, very... intense," Tenchi added.
"Claude McKay," said Masato, identifying the author. "That's the
only poem of his I ever liked. To this day it is my absolute favorite."
"Well, I guess I should start on the dishes," Sasami said, beginning
to carry a few plates to the kitchen.
"I'll give you a hand," said Masato. "After all, I do have to start
pulling my weight around here, huh?" He smiled at Yosho.
"Yes, no more taking it easy and being waited on hand and foot by
Washu," Yosho replied sarcastically.
Sasami and Masato adjourned to the kitchen to begin washing up.
The others remained at the table.
"He's the same guy from the department, I swear," said Kiyone.
"He hasn't changed at all."
"So tell me, Kiyone," said Ryoko with a mischievous grin, "He was
your partner, right? Just how close did the two of you get?"
"Ryoko!" Kiyone scolded.
"Well, he is kind of handsome," Ryoko trailed off. "I can
understand how a young, impressionable officer like yourself may be
overcome--"
"Please!" Kiyone cut her off. "We were friends. That's it."
"Wow," said Mihoshi. "I just find it hard to believe that you had a
partner before me. I mean, we work so well together. He certainly
couldn't have been as good a partner as me, right?"
"You have no idea," mumbled Kiyone under her breath.
"What?" asked Mihoshi.
"Nothing," returned Kiyone.

"So Ayeka is your sister," mused Masato as he dried a plate, "and
you are both princesses of the planet Jurai?"
"That's right," said Sasami as she scrubbed furiously. "And we all
came here, and Tenchi let us all live with him."
"So you've got two police officers," Masato listed, "a space pirate,
a scientist, and two Jurai princesses all under one roof?"
"Yep!" said Sasami cheerfully.
"And everyone is okay with this?" Masato puzzled.
"You bet!" replied Sasami. "We're all happy here living with
Tenchi."
"Six women in the same house," marveled Masato. "I hope Tenchi
realizes just how lucky he is."
"So tell me about where you live," said Sasami curiously.
Masato smiled in a knee-jerk reaction to Sasami's naivety. "Right
now, I don't actually live anywhere," he said. "I stay on the move mostly."
"But you came from somewhere, right?" asked Sasami. "Tell me
about where you came from."
Masato thought for a moment. It had been so long since anyone
had asked him a question like that. "I grew up in the country," Masato
began. "My mother and father and brother and I lived in a small house
near a stream. To be honest, I don't remember much about my childhood,
except that I was very happy. My parents made sure I was well taken care
of, and my brother and I played all the time. I guess what I remember
most is the color of the leaves on the hillside during fall. The colors were
so fiery and vibrant, and the breeze through the trees rustled the leaves at
night. I can remember lying in bed at nights, listening to the wind through
those leaves, and feeling completely calm and at ease."
"So, where is your family now?" queried Sasami.
"My parents moved after I started running. My brother..." Masato
seemed to be gathering himself. He put his hand over his face. "He's
gone."
"Gone?" asked Sasami. "Gone where."
"He's dead" said Masato. Sasami gasped. "We were at a fair, and
he somehow got separated from us," he explained. "We looked for him for
months. He was finally found..." Masato caught himself in a sob. His
face went deeper into his hand. "I'm sorry," he said, trying to compose
himself. "I shouldn't be laying all of this on you."
"No, it's okay," said Sasami, taking Masato's other hand. "It must
be hard for you."
"It is," said Masato. "It's the reason I became a cop in the first
place. I wanted to make sure nothing like that ever happened to anyone
else. I wanted to spare someone else the pain of going through what my
family went through. Now even that hope is shattered."
"Don't worry, Masato," Sasami comforted him, gripping his hand
more tightly. "Everything is going to be okay. Things will work out, I
know it. Besides, you can stay with us as long as you want."
"Thank you," said Masato, bringing his hand down from his face.
"I certainly hope you're right. And I hope that one day I can repay all your
kindness."
Sasami smiled. "You don't need to do that," she reassured him.
She released his hand. "Now I've got to get an early start on the day
tomorrow, or I won't be able to cook breakfast for everyone."
"Wait a minute," said Masato, "you cook all the meals here? And
you wash up?"
"Yep!" said Sasami jauntily as she made her way upstairs.
Masato was dumbfounded as he watched Sasami gallop up the
staircase. Weren't there child labor laws anymore?

The next morning, upon entering the kitchen, Sasami was surprised
to see Masato already awake, busily working in a sketchbook. Ryo-ohki
was on the table in front of him, scratching her ear.
"Come on, Ryo-ohki, hold still," Masato pleaded. "If you keep
moving around, I'll never get this done." Ryo-ohki meowed in an
exasperated tone.
"Didn't I promise you a bunch of carrots if you helped me with
this?" reminded Masato to his model. "Just a little bit more; I'm almost
done, here."
"Are you drawing Ryo-ohki?" asked Sasami.
"Well, I'm trying," replied Masato, as Ryo-ohki resumed her
former position.
"Can I see?" queried Sasami anxiously.
Masato dropped his pencil and showed the sketch to Sasami.
Though the drawing was not finished, the resemblance to Ryo-ohki was
uncanny. It was almost a perfect rendering. "Wow!" said Sasami,
genuinely impressed. "That's really great!"
"Thanks," Masato replied. "I took this up while I was in school.
Never had one lesson."
Sasami and Masato both then heard a yawn behind them, and
turned around to face the recently awakened Ayeka. "Good morning
Ayeka!" Sasami cheerfully called to her sister.
"Good morning," Ayeka replied. She then spied the pencil sketch
in Masato's hand. "Did you make that?" she asked. "It's very good."
"Er, yes, thank you," said Masato.
Ayeka took a seat at the table. She then realized with a start that
Masato hadn't taken his eyes off her since she walked in. "Why are you
staring at me?" she inquired gently.
Masato looked as though he had just awakened from a dream.
"Huh?" he blurted. "Oh! Was I staring? I'm sorry. I must not be
completely awake yet." He then turned his attention intently to his sketch.
Still, periodically, his eyes nervously turned upwards to meet Ayeka's for a
moment. Then, just as quickly, they were once again upon his project.
Ryo-ohki, sensing that she was no longer the focus of Masato's thoughts at
the moment, meowed impatiently.
"Okay, Ryo-ohki, that'll be enough for now," said Masato,
dropping his pencil and sketch pad on the table. "Thanks for your help."
Masato then ambled to the cupboard where he withdrew a handful of
carrots, and ceremoniously laid them in front of an appreciative Ryo-ohki.
She meowed excitedly and proceeded to devour her payment none too
delicately.
"Breakfast will be ready in about twenty minutes," reported
Sasami, who had already begun preparing the meal.
"I guess I should go and wash up," said Masato. He glanced again
at Ayeka, and almost nervously departed the kitchen.
Ayeka was puzzled. "Have you noticed Masato acting a little
strange?" asked she of her sister.
"Uh, not really," replied Sasami.
Ayeka shook her head. Was she the only person to see Masato's
odd behavior?

That evening before dinner, his allotted chores having been
completed, Masato took a stroll around the property. The sky was clear
and the sun was warm; a perfect day for a walk. In the distance, he could
hear a sort of clacking sound. He decided to investigate. Upon drawing
closer to the origin of the sounds, he could distinguish also a series of
grunts and shouts. He followed the sounds further, and eventually came
upon two figures who appeared to be locked in a sword fight. Upon closer
observation, he could recognize the two as Tenchi and Yosho.
Masato continued to observe the pair from afar. The fight was
intense, and it appeared that Tenchi was putting forth most of the effort.
Despite his punishing barrages, Yosho easily defended. Finally, almost in
a display of impatience, Yosho's sword came down heavily upon Tenchi's,
knocking it from his grasp. As Tenchi retrieved his sword, Yosho
remarked, "That's five in a row, Tenchi. Perhaps we need a bit more
practice, eh?"
"Sorry about that, Grandpa," said Tenchi timidly. Tenchi then
spied Masato at his observation point. "Masato! What are you doing
here?"
Masato came up from his crouched position. "I was drawn by the
sounds of battle," he said theatrically. "I wasn't aware that you were a
swordsman, Tenchi."
"Tenchi began training at a very early age," remarked Yosho. "He
has become quite good."
"You're right about that," admitted Masato. "But I did notice,
Tenchi, that when you block high your arms go out too far, and leave your
midsection wide open. If you keep your arms close, you present a smaller
target, plus you can recover quicker."
Yosho raised an eyebrow. "You can use a sword?" he asked.
"More or less," Masato replied, conveying an air of modesty. He
was, in fact, very good. As with sketching, he had been self-taught.
Yosho approached Masato, and handed him his wooden sword.
"Show Tenchi what he's doing wrong, then," he requested.
Masato took the sword and stood to face Tenchi in the center of the
clearing. Each stood in a ready position, staring each other down intently.
With a surprising burst of speed, Tenchi began his attack. His blows were
well-placed, but somewhat predictable, and easily blocked. Sensing that
Masato had him figured, Tenchi increased his attack speed. Masato had a
surprisingly difficult time defending against such a rapid barrage, but
ultimately held his ground. As Tenchi made a lunge, Masato spun around
to the side and made to make a blow down upon Tenchi from above. True
to his style, Tenchi recovered and faced him, bringing his sword up high
for the block. Masato once again spun, bringing his sword low and, none
too gently, slapping the flat of his blade into Tenchi's midsection.
"You see?" said Masato as Tenchi stood frozen in defeat. "Your
midsection is wide open."
"Not bad," remarked Yosho, who had been observing the spar.
"Now lets see how good you really are..."
Yosho took Tenchi's sword and stood to face Masato. For what
seemed like several minutes, the two stared at each other in absolute
silence. Finally, Yosho surprised Masato by breaking the silence with a
loud yell and a blazing attack.
Masato had to fight with everything he had to merely stay on his
feet. Yosho's attacks were similar to Tenchi's, but they were much more
rhythmic and swift. Inviting Masato to go on the offensive with a flex if his
finger, Yosho found that Masato's offensive strategy was erratic, making
defense a true chore. However, due to his experience and formal skills,
Yosho prevailed in preventing Masato from landing a hit.
As Masato struggled to penetrate Yosho's defenses with his
offensive strike, his attention was completely shifted to Ayeka, who stood
observing a short distance away. As he made eye contact with her, Yosho
brought the hilt of his sword heavily upon the top of Masato's head.
"YEE-OUCH!" shrieked Masato as he fell to his knees, clutching
the top of his head gingerly.
"Thank you, Ayeka, for distracting him for me," Yosho said
jokingly. He held a hand down to his fallen opponent to help him up. "A
bit easily distracted, aren't we?" he queried.
"Lucky shot!" returned Masato sheepishly as he grasped Yosho's
hand and stood. "You're the best sword fighter I've ever seen."
"Are you alright?" asked Ayeka of Masato.
"I, uh... I'll be okay," Masato half said, half stammered.
"I just came to say that dinner will be ready shortly," Ayeka
continued.
"Very well," said Yosho. "Let's call it a day, Tenchi. We'll
continue training tomorrow."
"Okay, Grandpa," returned Tenchi, who began to march toward the
house. Ayeka galloped to catch up with him, and the two walked side-by-
side. Masato stood back and watched the pair exit the clearing together.
"Tenchi and Ayeka," he mumbled dejectedly. "It figures."

Chapter 4: Confession

A week later Tenchi found himself in the carrot garden tending to
the crop. He took a short break to enjoy the lunch that Sasami had
generously packed for him. As he sat and ate in the warm sun, Ayeka
made her way into the garden. "Hello, Tenchi," she said, her voice almost
as warm as the sun.
"Hello, Ayeka," returned Tenchi between bites. "Did you finish
your chores early?"
"Yes," she said, "and it's such a beautiful day that I thought I would
share it with you." She sat beside Tenchi smiling, and was about to reach
for his hand when Ryoko appeared, simultaneously shoving Ayeka out of the
way and wrapping her arms possessively around Tenchi's neck.
"Tenchi, my darling," she swooned, "why not take the rest of the
day off and we can go and have some fun!"
"Get your hands off him, you treacherous snake woman!" shouted
the displaced princess. "Tenchi is spending the afternoon with me!"
"That can't be right," Ryoko returned as she smiled wryly, "because
I'm sure Tenchi would much rather have fun than be bored to death with
you."
"What was that?!" shrieked Ayeka, gnashing her teeth.
"Besides," continued Ryoko, barely breaking stride with her caustic
commentary, "you've got a perfectly good suitor now."
"What on earth are you talking about?" responded Ayeka
flippantly.
"I'm talking about Masato," Ryoko said in a cool voice.
"Masato is in love with Ayeka?" Tenchi asked.
"What?" queried the princess. "That's preposterous!"
"Is it?" asked Ryoko suggestively. "I've seen you and him together.
Don't you notice how he can't seem to say anything around you? The way
he constantly stops and looks at you? The way he looks all nervous and
uncomfortable? I'm telling you, the boy's crazy about you! You should go
shack up with him and leave Tenchi to me."
"That's preposterous!" Ayeka repeated. "It's really beneath you to
make up such lies like that!"
"I'm not lying," Ryoko said. "Go ahead and ask him yourself."
"Alright, I will!" shouted Ayeka. "Then I will prove once and for
all that you are a vicious liar!" Ayeka turned around and began storming
back to the house.
Before Ryoko could celebrate driving her off, leaving her alone
with Tenchi, Ayeka swiftly turned again and shouted, "And keep your
hands off my Tenchi!"

Ayeka made her way to the house lost in thought. She was sure
Ryoko was lying, trying to drive her away from Tenchi. However, she was
beginning to wonder. Masato did act awfully strange around her, kind of
the way she acted around Tenchi sometimes. When asked about the truth,
Aeka was sure that Masato would chuckle and tell her that she was being
foolish. Ayeka was sure that there was nothing to Ryoko's pack of lies.
She looked around the house. Masato was nowhere to be found.
All she found was Masato's foot locker, one of the few items that had been
saved from his crashed vessel. A piece of paper was sticking out the side.
Her inquisitiveness overruling her proper nature, she removed the paper
and looked at it quizzically. It was a pencil sketch of her.
Ayeka was puzzled. She had never modeled for Masato. How did
he manage to draw her so perfectly? Truly intrigued, she opened the
locker and found several more drawings. There was a picture of her by the
lake, another sweeping the balcony, and even one of her folding laundry.
There must have been a dozen drawings. The last one she came to was of
her facing Masato. The two were holding hands and gazing into each
other's eyes. The pair was surrounded by the outline of a heart.
"I could never get your eyes right," said a voice behind her.
Ayeka was startled. She dropped the sketches and they all tumbled
to the floor. She turned and found herself face to face with Masato.
Neither spoke. Ayeka stood with mouth agape, hands trembling.
She stared back into Masato's eyes, which expressed nothing. He looked
as though he had just been ruined.
"So then it is true," said Ayeka, finally breaking the silence. "You
are in love with me."
Masato stood stark still, the blank expression on his face not
changing. Finally he broke the silence, motioning for Ayeka to follow him
out onto the balcony. "I have some things I need to tell you."
Masato took a seat across from Ayeka, and sat looking at the lake
for quite some time. Ayeka wondered if he would ever speak. Finally he
did, saying, "You're right, Ayeka. I do love you."
Ayeka was shocked beyond response. Masato continued, "I don't
just love you, in fact. I'm obsessed with you. You're all I think about, day
in and day out. Whenever I see you my very heart aches. I see your face
every time I close my eyes. I love you so much I can't stand it. I can't
think about anything else."
Ayeka continued staring at Masato, not believing the words that
had just come out of his mouth. They had known each other barely over a
week; she had no idea that he could harbor such feelings for her. She
sighed and dropped her gaze downward, saddened at the prospect of
delivering her unavoidable response.
Masato did not take this as a good sign. "I'm sorry," he said softly,
"I didn't mean to offend you."
"It's not that," Ayeka assured him. "It's just that, well..." Ayeka
decided to start over. "Masato, since you first arrived here I have grown to
care about you a great deal. I look upon you as someone I can trust, and
someone I respect. And I am beyond flattered that you feel this way about
me. But, the truth is that our love cannot exist."
Masato did not react. He continued to listen, his chin propped on
his folded hands. Ayeka continued, "You see, Tenchi and I, we were...
destined to be together. I am certain of that. He is the only one that I
could possibly be in love with. So, while I care about you greatly, I cannot
possibly feel the same way about you that you feel about me. I hope you
understand, Masato."
Masato still did not move. His eyes once again took on a blank
look. "I appreciate your honesty," he said slowly.
"You have to understand, Masato," added Ayeka earnestly, "I don't
mean to hurt you. It pains me to have to say this to you."
Masato managed a weak smile. "It's okay," he said. "I
understand."
Ayeka smiled at this. "I'm glad you're taking this so well," she
said.
The smile vanished from Masato's face. "I'm not taking it well,"
he said weakly. "It's all I can do to keep from bursting into tears."
"Masato, I'm sorry," Ayeka said, "I really am."
Masato stood up and once again gazed into Ayeka's eyes. "I will
always feel this way about you," he said. "Nothing can change that."
"I know," Ayeka said, a tear rolling down her cheek. "It hurts me
to have to tell you all this."
Masato stood in thought for a moment. "You know," he began in a
much lighter tone, "if it were anyone else but Tenchi, I would be insanely
jealous. I might even do something I would regret. But Tenchi is a good
man, and I must admit that you do deserve each other. I can tell that he
cares about you, as much as or more than I do. And if destiny has decreed
that you two are to be together, who am I to stand in your way?" Masato
managed a smile.
Ayeka returned his smile. "Oh, thank goodness," she said.
"Just know that, no matter what your decision is, I understand,"
said Masato.
"Masato, thank you so much!" cried Ayeka, wrapping her arms
around him for a hug. "You're a wonderful person!"
"Don't mention it," said Masato, barely able to keep his tears from
choking off his words.

Chapter 5: Past Made Present

Several weeks later saw the arrival of another strange ship, its pilot
not nearly as deserving of a warm reception as the previous one. The craft
touched down on the shore of the lake, and the Masaki household at once
rushed to see who had alighted on the fresh-cut grass. "What is going
on?" shouted Tenchi.
Masato stood beside him, watching just as intently. "I think I
recognize that ship," he said. "This is not good..."
The main doors of the ship opened to reveal a strikingly tall figure
stepping down onto the lawn. Masato recognized him immediately. He
said his name with bitterness. "Kazuhiro."
Kazuhiro smiled. "So, you remember me. I'm flattered," he said.
"I was sure the Galaxy Police would have caught up with you by now. I
guess they really are incompetent."
"Hey!" shouted Mihoshi. "I am not incompetent!"
"What do you want here?" demanded Kiyone.
"I came seeking someone," said Kazuhiro. "Someone who is
worth a lot of money."
The group was sure he was referring to Ryoko. "You can't have
her," said Tenchi firmly, as he and Masato stepped in front of her,
shielding her from the aggressor.
To everyone's surprise, Kazuhiro began laughing. "Oh, please!"
he chided. "I have no use for such a pitiful creature."
"Step a little closer and I'll show you pitiful!" shouted Ryoko from
behind her protectors.
"In truth," said Kazuhiro, his sickening smile still wide on his lips,
"I came for Ayeka."
The group gasped. "What do you want with her?" questioned
Sasami.
"Yes, what?" echoed Ayeka. "I have no bounty on my head."
Kazuhiro turned his eyes upon the princess. "Do you remember
Hotaro?" he queried of her, trying to elicit a response.
Ayeka gritted her teeth. How could she forget that despicable
man? He used to be one of her father's advisors on Jurai's royal council.
Her father exiled him after he found out that he was embezzling money
from the treasury. Hotaro swore revenge on Ayeka's father. He became
the head of a high-profile revolutionary organization dead-set on
overthrowing Jurai's royal family. He was Jurai's greatest enemy. "What
business do you have with that horrible man?" Ayeka demanded.
"Well," began Kazuhiro in a tone of forced patience, "after a series
of unsuccessful assassination attempts against your father, he realized that
it would be much easier to get at him through you. So, he scraped together
all his funds and hired me to get you for him."
"You won't get Ayeka!" shouted Tenchi. "I won't let you!"
"Don't be so hasty," said Kazuhiro. "I don't plan on hurting her.
Hotaro plans to hold her hostage for one hundred million jurai. Between
the twenty percent of that he promised me, and the service fee he has
already paid me, I plan to retire on you, princess."
"My father does not negotiate with terrorists!" yelled Ayeka
defiantly.
"Gee, that's too bad," said Kazuhiro mockingly. "Because if he
doesn't pay, he'll have to live with the loss of his eldest daughter."
"You monster!" shouted Tenchi as he made a rush at Kazuhiro.
Kazuhiro easily stepped to the side and sent Tenchi to the ground with a
single stiff blow.
"Tenchi!" shouted Ryoko. "I'll make you pay for that!" She
prepared an energy blast and heaved it at Kazuhiro, who made no attempt
to dodge. Instead, he went to his wrist, and pressed a button that threw a
shield around him. Ryoko's blast was absorbed harmlessly.
"Hotaro was kind enough to outfit me with the highest quality
shield equipment," said Kazuhiro, all the while grinning. He reached
behind him and pulled up a blaster, sending a quick shot at Ryoko. Ryoko
took the blast full force, and with an agonizing scream fell to the earth
unconscious.
Masato could stand watching no longer. "You son of a bitch!" he
shouted, lunging at Kazuhiro. Kazuhiro attempted to reload his weapon
and fire a shot at him, but Masato was too quick and knocked it to the
ground. He then proceeded to fight him with everything he had. But each
punch thrown and each kick delivered was met with only air as Kazuhiro
nimbly dodged each offensive strike. Then, growing tired of Masato's
antics, he drew a dagger from his belt and plunged it deep in Masato's
side. Masato collapsed to the ground, clutching his bleeding wound. The
pain was incredible.
"Masato!" yelled Ayeka, who rushed to help. Before she could
meet him, Kazuhiro heaved a small, spherical device at her which burst
open at her feet, sending a forcefield around her.
"Don't bother trying to escape, princess," taunted Kazuhiro. "That
shield operates at the exact frequency of Jurai's royal power. By now you
have to see how fruitless it is to resist!"
Kazuhiro made his way back to the ship, the captive Ayeka in tow.
As he placed her on the ship he heard a voice behind him. "I won't let you
take her," it said.
Kazuhiro turned to face the bleeding Masato, who had struggled to
his feet. "Oh, please," he said flippantly. "You can't even stand up
straight. How do you expect to stop me?" Suddenly a devilish smile
crossed his face. "Okay," he said, "I guess I should give you a fair chance
to heal some old wounds."
"What do you mean?" asked Masato, the pain from his side
sending a tremor through his voice.
Kazuhiro once again laughed. "You mean you haven't figured it
out yet!" he said. "How sad! Surely you can recall when you and your
five friends from the Galaxy Police captured me."
"What about it?" asked Masato.
His laughter building, Kazuhiro said, "I was the one who caused
the explosion!"
Masato was at a loss of words. "But... but how--"
"I sent a computer virus up through the tow clamps you had on
me," said Kazuhiro. "It caused the overload in the ship's engine."
Masato stood in disbelief, hatred burning in his eyes. It was
Kazuhiro all along. It was his fault that his life had been turned upside
down. "You treacherous little--"
Masato was cut off by Kazuhiro's laughter. "Don't worry,
Masato," he said, "I'll give you a chance to make it all better. Meet me in
space in two hours. We'll settle this in a fair fight. I'll make sure the
princess is well taken care of until then. Don't disappoint me, Masato," he
added as he glided into his ship and closed the doors behind him.
The group watched as the ship took flight and disappeared into the
blue sky. Masato keeled over, clutching his side. Kiyone rushed to her
fallen partner. "We've got to get you to a doctor," she said.
"We don't have time," he snapped at her.
"Don't tell me you're actually going to fight him like this," Kiyone
returned.
"I have no choice," said Masato. "He took my life away once. I
won't let him do it again!"

Chapter 6: Battle Plans

In Washu's lab Tenchi, Ryoko, and Masato were receiving
treatment for their injuries. Ryoko seemed to get the worst of it; she was
still unconscious. Tenchi received little more than a bump on the head.
Masato's bleeding had been stopped, but his injury was still very serious.
"You can't fight in this condition," said Washu. "I shouldn't even
let you be walking around."
"I'll be okay," said Masato, no longer in such agonizing pain. "It
feels better already. How is Ryoko?"
"She's not in really bad shape," said Washu. "In time she should
recover completely."
Masato nodded. "Kazuhiro will pay for what he has done, I
promise," he said. He then turned to his former partner. "I'm going to
need your help. Will you help me?"
Kiyone nodded. "I'll do whatever I can," she said.
"Right," chimed in Mihoshi. "We're with you!"
"I'm in, too," said Tenchi, holding his head gingerly.
"Tenchi, you had best stay here with Sasami and take care of
Ryoko," Masato said. "She really needs your help right now."
"Don't worry, I can take care of Ryoko," said Washu.
"I'm afraid I'm going to need your help too, Washu," said Masato.
"What can I do?" she queried.
Masato turned to Kiyone. "The Yagami has a drop-ship, right?" he
asked her.
"Yes," she said. "We use it for routine patrols."
"Washu, I'll need you to make some modifications on it," said
Masato. "And didn't you say once that you had a teleportation device?"
"Yes," Washu confirmed, "but it only works within a few hundred
meter radius."
"That will be fine," said Masato. "I've got a plan."
"A plan?" asked Mihoshi. "What is it?"
"I'll explain everything soon," said Masato as he gingerly walked
through the exit to the lab. "If you'll excuse me for a few minutes, I've
got something I need to take care of."

Aboard the Yagami, Kiyone, Mihoshi, Washu, and Masato were in
the last stages of preparation. Washu worked on the drop ship in the
docking bay, while the remaining three were rehashing their plan of attack
on the bridge. Masato called to Washu through the com system, "Did you
make all the modifications I asked for?"
"Yep!" she said, a streak of grease running across her forehead. "I
fortified the forward shields and increased engine output by three hundred
percent. What's this for, anyway?"
"It's my last resort," said Masato. "Is the teleporter ready?"
"All set!" said Washu. "I'm ready when you are."
"Oh, I almost forgot!" Kiyone said, reaching underneath one of the
seats. "I've been holding this for you." In her outstretched arms she held
Masato's police-issue blaster, in its belt-mounted holster.
"So that's where it went," said Masato, strapping the sidearm to his
waist.
"I was hoping you wouldn't need it," Kiyone said, "But under the
circumstances, I think it would be best if you wore it.
Masato smiled. "Thanks, partner," he said. "Now, let's go!"
The ship broke from its idle and broke through the atmosphere into
space. "So how are we supposed to find him?" asked Mihoshi. Just then,
a signal came through on the tracking system.
"Well, how generous of him," Masato remarked sarcastically, "he
placed a beacon for us to find him. Let's lay in a course."
Very soon Kazuhiro's ship came into view. "I think he's hailing
us," said Mihoshi.
"Put him on screen," said Kiyone.
Kazuhiro's face then filled the view screen. "Well, well," he said,
"I was afraid you wouldn't show up."
"Let me see Ayeka!" shouted Masato.
"Don't worry," said Kazuhiro, stepping aside to bring the princess
into view behind him. "As you can see, she has not been harmed."
"Ayeka, are you all right?" asked Masato.
"Masato, please!" begged Ayeka. "You have to help me!"
"Don't worry, Ayeka," he reassured her, "I'll get you out of there."
Kazuhiro stuck his head back into the picture. "I seriously doubt
that," he said menacingly. "I can't wait to see Ayeka's face when I destroy
all of you!"
"We'll see about that!" shouted Masato, cutting off the
transmission. "Kiyone, Mihoshi, let's begin the attack. Just like we said."
"Got it," Kiyone said, beginning to guide the ship in line with
Kazuhiro's.
"Mihoshi, open fire!" commanded Masato.
The first hail of shots were deflected by the shield on Kazuhiro's
ship. He then returned with a barrage of his own. Kiyone expertly
dodged, and Mihoshi continued to fire, all the while drawing closer to
Kazuhiro's ship. Masato once again called to Washu over the com system.
"You ready down there?"
"All set," she said.
"Thirty seconds," Masato said.
"Got it," Washu replied.
The Yagami continued its approach, heading straight at Kazuhiro's
idling vessel at almost full speed. Masato opened a channel to the
opposing ship. "I suggest you get out of our way," he said.
Kazuhiro laughed. "Not a chance," he said, "I never back down."
"Well, then, don't come crying to me when they're scraping your
flesh off the nearest asteroid," Masato replied.
"Don't make me laugh!" said Kazuhiro curtly. "You'd never hit
this ship with Ayeka on board. You don't have the guts."
"Care to try me?" asked Masato, a wide, fiendish grin overtaking
his face.
Neither ship seemed to back down. A line of sweat began to form
on Masato's brow. He would need to get the timing perfect. Suddenly, he
shouted, "Now!"
Kiyone slammed on the brakes and the ship began to slow to a
halt. Kazuhiro's stationary craft loomed too close for comfort, as Kiyone
applied stiff force to the brakes, praying that they would hold. They did
indeed hold, and the ship ground to a halt a scant few meters from the
other vessel.
Kazuhiro laughed through the view screen. "I knew you'd chicken
out!" he said. "You are the biggest coward I have ever met!"
"Maybe," Masato said, "but you're the one with problems."
"What are you talking about?" Kazuhiro chuckled.
"Take a look behind you," said Masato with a smile.
Kazuhiro turned around. He was aghast at what he saw. While
Masato's ship had been struggling to brake, Washu used the teleporter to
slip in behind him, deactivate the shield holding Ayeka, and bring her on
board. By the time Kazuhiro turned around, Ayeka was gone and Washu
was half through the teleporter, waving an insulting goodbye at him.
"Washu," called Masato through the com system, "do you have
Ayeka?"
"Sure do!" she said jauntily.
"You conniving little wretch!" shouted Kazuhiro. "I'll get you for
that!"
"Kiyone, get us out of here," said Masato.
Kiyone put the engines in full reverse and sped from the furious
Kazuhiro, who began to wildly open fire. The blasts hit the shields and
delivered minimal damage to the ship. By the time Kazuhiro was out of
range, the ship showed little damage, the shields having absorbed most of
the blasts. However, their progress was stopped when a series of objects
appeared on the radar. "It's an asteroid field," said Kiyone. It's too dense
to fly through. We'll have to go back."
"We can't," said Mihoshi, "Kazuhiro's ship has already started an
intercept course."
"We'll have to make a stand right here," said Masato. "How are
the shields?"
"The shields are down to thirty one percent," said Kiyone.
"That will have to do," said Masato. "Mihoshi, ready all
weapons."
"Umm, I can't" said Mihoshi.
"What? Why not?" shouted Kiyone.
"We're out of ammunition," reported Mihoshi.
"What?!" shrieked Kiyone through gritted teeth. "Didn't I tell you
to order more from headquarters?"
"Sorry, Kiyone, I just forgot," Mihoshi said.
Just then Washu and Ayeka made their way to the bridge.
"Kazuhiro is on his way," said Washu. "What do we do now?"
Masato sat in thought. They had no weapons, low shields, and
nowhere to go. It looked like their was no other choice. He got up and
began to make his way to the docking bay.
"Where are you going?" asked Kiyone.
Masato responded, "I'm going for my last resort."
Washu frowned. She did not like the sound of that at all.

Chapter 7: Last Resort

Masato launched the small drop-ship from the docking bay and
plotted a course. Washu opened a channel to him from the bridge. "So,
you're just going to run off and leave us here?" she queried indignantly.
"I wouldn't dream of it," Masato said, who set the ship on its path
and began to bring the engines up to full power.
"Well, then, what on earth are you doing?" Washu asked.
"The only thing I can do right now," responded Masato gravely.
Mihoshi suddenly broke in. "The course Masato laid in is in a
direct line with Kazuhiro's ship."
"You can't be planning on getting into a dogfight with Kazuhiro's
ship, can you?" asked Kiyone. "The ship would never take that many
hits."
"I won't need to take a lot," said Masato.
Suddenly Masato's actions were clear to Washu. The fortified
shields; the increased speed; so that's what he needed them for. "Masato,
don't do it!" she shouted. "We can find another way!"
"There is no other way," Masato responded. "If I wasn't sure, I
wouldn't be doing this."
"You can't mean..." Kiyone trailed off.
"Sorry," said Masato, "but I have to do this."
"No!" shouted Ayeka. "You can't! I cannot allow it! As princess
of Jurai I command you to turn the ship around!"
Masato saw the pain in Ayeka's eyes as they looked back at him
over the view screen. He was tremendously sad that he had to do this. But
he was out of options. They all were. "I have to do this, Ayeka. I'm
sorry."
Masato turned the screen off, afraid that another look from those
eyes would make him change his mind. To remind himself of what he was
doing, and who he was doing it for, he removed a piece of paper from his
pocket. It was a sketch of Ayeka, the last one he completed. He had kept
it in a pocket next to his heart for a week. It was a special drawing; he
finally got the eyes right. The eyes were perfectly expressive, and endless
in their depth. The eyes said, "I love you."
With a clear mind and a heavy heart, Masato began his recitation:

"If we must die, let it not be like hogs
Hunted and penned in an inglorious spot,
While round us bark the mad and hungry dogs,
Making their mock at our accursed lot."

Kazuhiro opened a channel to Masato's ship. "Don't try this
again," he said exasperatedly, "you know you can't do it!"

"If we must die, O let us nobly die,
So that our precious blood may not be shed
In vain; then, even the monsters we defy
Shall be constrained to honor us though dead!"

"Masato, don't be foolish. You know you won't survive."
Kazuhiro then began to open fire on the drop-ship, but the fortified shields
held.

"O kinsmen! We must meet the common foe!
Though far outnumbered let us show us brave,
And for their thousand blows deal one deathblow!
What though before us lies the open grave?"

"Masato, turn your ship now! You'll kill us both!"

"Like men we'll face the murderous, cowardly pack,
Pressed to the wall, dying, but fighting back!"

"Masato, you fool!"
The drop-ship tore through the hull of Kazuhiro's ship in a shower
of sparks. Even from a distance, the crew of the Yagami could see a great
fireball envelop the two vessels, and send a shower of debris scattering in
all directions. When the fire dispersed, nothing was left on the screen but
a few floating chunks of metal, the remains of the two ships.
Kiyone, Mihoshi, Washu, and Ayeka could not find words. They
only sat, feeling very helpless indeed as the shards of scrap drifted further
away, increasing the space that filled the gaps between them.
No one spoke as they made their way back to Earth. Occasionally,
Washu would shake her head, and Kiyone and Ayeka would alternately
catch themselves in a sob.

Chapter 8: Last Goodbye

"I can't believe it," was all Tenchi could say after he, Sasami,
Yosho, and Ryoko had been told what happened.
Ryoko sat in silence, still wounded but well enough to sit upright.
Sasami burst into tears at the news, wrapping her arms around Tenchi's
waist and crying into his shirt. Yosho could only lower his head in a silent
prayer.
"I can't believe he's gone," said Kiyone, hunched in a chair with
her head in her hands. "I can't believe I've lost him again."
"Masato, why?" asked Ayeka, tears nearly choking off her words.
"Why did you have to be so noble?"
Yosho cleared his throat, and all eyes turned to him. "Masato gave
me something before he left," he said, reaching into his pocket and holding
up a pair of disks. "He said to let you play them if something should
happen to him."
Washu silently took the disks. "This one's addressed to all of us,"
she said, placing it into a nearby player. The group gathered around the
screen to watch.
The familiar face of Masato appeared on the monitor. "Hello,
everyone," the recording began. "If you're watching this, it means that I
am gone. I can only hope that everything turned out for the best. I thought
being given the opportunity to live here would allow me to leave my past
behind, but it seems that I have brought it down upon you. For that, I am
truly sorry. Tenchi, I would like to thank you and your grandfather for
allowing me to stay with you. Seeing as how I attempted to destroy one of
your friends, it would have been easier to turn me away. I dare say I might
even have deserved it. But, thank you for giving me an opportunity to
make it up to you. Ryoko, you told me once that everyone deserves a
second chance. I'm not sure how true that is, but I can see that you are
making the most of yours. And I thank you for allowing me to have mine.
Washu, if not for you, I certainly would not have survived long enough to
get to know all of you. I thank you for allowing me to have the
opportunity to call you all friends. Sasami, your childlike charm and your
innocence reminds me of how my brother used to be. When I lost him, I
thought I would never get to experience those qualities again. Thank you
for allowing me to have some of yours. It has truly elevated my spirit.
Kiyone, you're the same person I remember; reliable and trustworthy to
the last. I'll never forget our times together, past and present. You are
truly a wonderful person, and I feel privileged to call you a partner and
friend. And Mihoshi, take care of our partner. She may not act like it
sometimes, but she needs someone at her side, too. Well, that's about all I
can think to say. I'm sorry things had to turn out like this, but I did all I
could to set things right. I wish you all good luck, and Godspeed."
The procession was motionless, silent. Kiyone stared
dumbfounded at the monitor, tears steadily rolling down her face. Ryoko,
Sasami, and Ayeka reacted in much the same fashion. Washu once again
resumed shaking her head, and Tenchi and Yosho bowed their heads in
unison.
"He... he said nothing about me," said Ayeka. "Why didn't he say
anything about me? I must have hurt him so badly!"
Washu strolled over to Ayeka, the second disk in her outstretched
hand. "This one is addressed to you," she said, handing her the disk.
"We'll wait outside until you're finished." She motioned for the others to
follow her through the exit.
Alone in the laboratory, Ayeka slid the disk into the player. As
before, Masato's face appeared on the screen. "Hello, Ayeka," the
message began. "I guess you know by now that I won't be coming back. I
am so sorry that I did what I did, but just knowing that you're safe makes it
worth it to me. There's so much I want to tell you, but I can't seem to find
the words. I guess I should start by telling you that I care about you more
than anything, and to see you safe I would gladly give my life a hundred
times over. I don't want you to feel that this is in any way your fault. If
it's anyone's fault, its mine. I had to put a stop to all the pain that
Kazuhiro caused. He has already taken so much from me. I couldn't bear
the thought that he might take you, too. I have no regrets. A great man
once said that if a man has nothing he is willing to die for, he does not
deserve to live. I believe that, now. When I first looked into your
beautiful eyes I knew that I would give everything for you, and that it still
wouldn't be enough for me. I only regret that I could not do more. I wish
I could have given you everything you have ever wanted. This was the
best I could do. I will never forget you, Ayeka. Goodbye, my princess."
Ayeka could not find her breath. She could not believe that
Masato would give up everything, even his life, for her. Just for her.
The others were standing around the entrance to the lab when
Ayeka opened the door. The dark streaks on her face indicated that she
had been crying hard.
"What did he say, Ayeka?" asked Sasami.
"He said..." Ayeka could barely utter, feeling fresh tears begin to
well in her eyes. "He said that he will miss us all very much. I'm sorry, I
have to..." she trailed off, bounding up the stairs sobbing.

A few nights later, Ayeka stood on the balcony, looking at the stars
shining into the lake. Tenchi approached from behind. "Ayeka?" he
asked. "Are you thinking about him again?"
"Yes," she said, not turning to face him.
Tenchi stood beside her. "I know he cared about you, Ayeka. I
just didn't know how much. To do what he did meant that he really must
have loved you." He paused to stare into the lake for a few moments. "He
was a good man. He cared about you as much as I do, maybe more."
Ayeka turned to him with a half smile. "He said the same thing
about you," she said.
"Will you be coming inside soon?" asked Tenchi as he turned back
to the house.
"In a moment," said Ayeka. Before Tenchi could enter the house,
Ayeka halted him. "Tenchi, am I really worth dying for?"
Tenchi stood expressionless, truly clueless as to what to say.
"Well, Masato thought so, so I guess you are," he finally decided on.
Ayeka turned her gaze back to the glassy surface of the lake as
Tenchi closed the door behind him. She stood motionless, her gaze
transfixed on the water, not sure where it ended and the sky began. A cold
shiver ran over her body.
"Am I really worth dying for?" she echoed. All her life she didn't
think so, and was truly touched beyond emotion that someone else thought
she was.