Tenchi Muyo Fan Fiction ❯ What Should Have Been ❯ Chapter Three ( Chapter 3 )

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

A/N Don't own them

What Should Have Been

By RingPrincess

The Royal Family of Jurai

Tenchi and Azusa sat in the shrine, as it was the most private place
on the property. Ryoko was off somewhere with Funaho and Misaski.

Tenchi was dressed in an orange and dark green formal kimono and his hair was down, it
hung around his face, the top finally grown into the sides. He was
pouring tea and lighting the candles.

Azusa relaxed on the cushion and watched his great grandson with
masked emotions.

"I came here to give you a set speech." Azusa sighed. "I had it
all planned out and ready."

Tenchi gave a small smile, it was just a twitch of his lips and
a slight spark of his eyes. "Plans have a way of changing on you."

Azusa nodded and accepted the tea cup from Tenchi. His robes
of office rustled quietly, the blue and purple, contrasting greatly
with Tenchi's orange and green.

"You have changed, Tenchi."

"All things change, Azusa." Tenchi dared to look him in the eyes
as he said that.

"I wish to make you my formal heir to the throne of Jurai." Azusa
nodded. "When I came here I didn't, but once I saw you again, I noted
that you would be a good emporer."

Tenchi kept silent, there was silence between the two men for a good
while.

Azusa was willing to wait for Tenchi to make a decision.

"Did you know Azusa that when you came the first time, I thought you
hated me? Now you are asking me whether or not I would be willing
to be the Emporer of Jurai." He raised his eyebrows and humor lit
up his brown eyes. "That is quite the switch."

"It is a justified switch."

Tenchi cocked his head. "You came here fully prepared to tell me to
die and stay away from your daughter and now your saying that you were
wrong about me."

Azusa gave him a small nod and a slight glare. "You know too much."

Tenchi snorted. "It's the knowledge is power idea."

"So. . ."

"I have to talk to Ryoko." Tenchi took a sip of the green tea and looked out
the long window, even though he knew he couldn't see anything but blackness.
He looked back at Azusa. "My decision would effect her. Besides, there must
be a string attatched besides going to Jurai."

"No, you wouldn't have to marry Aeka unless you truley wanted to." Azuda humphed.

Tenchi carefully set the cup down. "Did you accomplish what you wanted when you
called her home?"

"No." Azusa blew air through his nose and rubbed his temples. "She is being obstinante."

"Of course she is. She is a princess." Tenchi smiled gently at the other man.

"I want her to marry."

"But you don't want her to marry me."

"No, she. . ."

Tenchi put up his hand. "She is still my friend, Emporer Azusa, I do not wish for
you to speak ill of her."

"Tsunami says that things will take time, and that she has a husband already picked for
Sasami." Azusa shook his head.

:That's interesting, I didn't know Tsunami was married.: Tenchi grinned. "Sasami will make
someone a very good wife. However, they should be very active or they'll get fat off her
cooking."

"She is only eleven years old." Azusa sighed.

"Nobody is good enough for the baby girl of the family." Tenchi snickered.

"No."

"Right Emporer." Tenchi shook his head. "Right."

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Aeka sat in her room, trying to deal with the dissappointment. The night
made the walls as black as the floor and the ceiling, perfectly fitting her
mood.

She didn't know it, but Sasami was also awake.

"Sister, you are hurt." Sasami said quietly.

"He doesn't love me, Sasami." Aeka buried her head in her hands, her tresses
looking as dark as a ravens wing.

Sasami sighed and turned on a small light, so not to hurt their eyes.

"I'm sorry, Aeka."

"No, you're not, you're happy for them, I know you are." Aeka cried bitterly.

Sasami rocked back on her heels and scooched over to her sister. "You are right,
I am happy for them, but I am sorry for you. Tenchi is a wonderful guy and I hope
to find someone like him one day."

"But it will not be him, Sasami." Aeka looked at her through her fingers, her tears
glistening between the webs of her hands.

"No," Sasami shook her head. "It won't be, but he'll be a good man, just like Tenchi
is a good man. He won't be a knight of Tsunami like Tenchi, but hopefully he'll have
the same honor, the same moral code of Tenchi."

"A good man is such a broad term, Sasami." Aeka whispered. "What if you don't find
him?"

Sasami giggled. "Oh, I'll find him, even if I have to search the galaxy. I don't
believe in if you wait, the right guy will find you, you have to be a little active
or else you could wait. . .oh, FOREVER."

Aeka scrubbed her eyes and then examined her hands. "But what if you miss each other."

Sasami snorted. "You make love sound as if it's convienent."

Aeka looked at her sharply. "Shouldn't it be."

"If you wanted love of convience, you'd still be going from marriage meeting to
marriage meeting instead of being here, defying father." Sasami said emphatically.

"What if it is really the other way around?" Aeka got up and began to
pace, Sasami looking up helplessly from the slatwood floor. "What if this
was just convenience and going to marraige meetings is what I should be doing, instead
of waiting for my nephew to tell me that he cares for me."

Sasami blinked. "I don't know." She said it slowly and thoughtfully. "It could
be seen as that way."

"Oh, Sasami, what am I to do?" Aeka whispered.

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Funaho and Misaski were quietly watching Ryoko. She was making a pie, a strawberry
pie.

Funaho wasn't really watching Ryoko measure out pie dough ingredients, but rather
the sparkling object on her left ring finger. It was a western tradition, but she
knew an engagement ring when she saw one.

"So when is the big announcement, Ryoko?" She asked suddenly.

Ryoko poured the white flour into the bowl and checked the recipe again. "Announcement, Funaho?"

"Yeah, left hand, ring finger, that announcement."

Ryoko looked down at her hands and blushed scarlet. "I forgot all about it."

"Ryoko, forgetting your engaged." Funaho mocked. "Somehow I doubt that."

Misaski squealed in delight. "Have you chosen a date yet?"

Ryoko finally looked at the two of them. "This is leading in a direction that
I am not sure I want to talk about."

"Well, if Tenchi accepts Azusa's offer, that will make you first empress of Jurai." Misaski
chattered.

Funaho quickly clamped a hand over her sister-wife's mouth. "Misaski." She hissed.

Ryoko sat down in shock. "I wish you people would stop doing this to me." She muttered.
But logic got ahead of her. "But that is not possible, the people would never accept an
alien and the killer of Jurai to lead them." She looked up at the two Empress' who
were staring at her wide eyed.

Misaski backed away from Funaho's hand. "See, she thinks fast on her feet, she'd. . ."

Funaho clamped down on her mouth again. "They'll accept you as much as they are able."

"Which will be not at all." Ryoko took off her ring and her watch and strung the ring
on the watch and the watch on her beltloop, and began to mix the dough with her hands.
"Besides, Tenchi hasn't said he'll accept."

"Jurai could use some shaking up. The nobles made their bed when they allowed Azusa to marry
me, now they can deal with the consequences." Funaho emphatically said.

"Wouldn't they prefer Aeka."

"Aeka is more marriagable material than Tenchi is. Her husband could greatly affect the balance
of the senate, with Tenchi, he is marrying you, whenever you get around to it," Misaski said
pointedly, but went on. "So, nothing so drastic would happen since your family is not part of
the council."

Ryoko dumped the slightly gooey ball of pie crust on the table. "I am the space pirate Ryoko,
wouldn't that upset the council even a bit."

"You have expertise the council needs." Misaski began.

"But they won't respect me, Misaski, they will fear me." Ryoko bared her teeth in a grimace.
"I killed their women and children, what if I do so again?"

"I heard an if." Funaho said brightly. "If is not certain as when."

Ryoko set began to roll the dough, "Very well, what will happen when I have to send them
to war. Will they follow the orders of an emporer with the demon empress. Who knows the
orders could have come from her and they could be suicide. She could lead us to ruin."

"You will have to teach them to respect you, we didn't say that this would be easy."

"I never implied it would be." Ryoko nodded back at her. "However, all this depends
on whether or not we even accept this offer."

"We?" Funaho raised her eyebrows.

"Tenchi and I will have to discuss this, together." Ryoko draped the crust over the rather
large pie plate.

"Very well." Funaho sighed.

"Just don't make us wait too long." Misaski added.

Ryoko grinned at them. "We won't."

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Tenchi phased into their room. Ryoko was lying on the bed reading a magazine.

"So, was your night as interesting as mine?" She commented, looking over the mag
at him.

He just snorted. "I wonder if Aeka knows her father just offered me the crown
of Jurai."

"Well, we kinda forgot to announce our engagement." Ryoko grimaced, "as Funaho
so kindly pointed out to me."

"I sense she said more." Tenchi muttered.

"They want me as your empress." Ryoko snorted. "I can not understand why, she
went on about how the council could just deal with it and how I have certain
knowledge that would be helpful and. . ."

Tenchi placed a finger on her lips, effectively silencing her. "You doubt yourself
too much."

She leaned away. "So does this mean you will accept Azusa's offer."

"We haven't talked about it yet." He turned down the sheets before slipping
in between them.

She looked at him in disbelief. "You are seriously thinking about accepting."

"It is an option." He shrugged, pounding his pillow.

Ryoko closed her mouth with a snap. "Tenchi I am a space pirate."

"Correction, you were a space pirate. Now you are. . ." He trailed off, an
odd look in his eyes.

"I am what?" She prompted.

::The keeper of my heart.::

Ryoko blushed. "How is it that you can make me blush like a schoolgirl?"

He grinned. "Special gift." He took her left hand and held it to his chest. "Ryoko,
to me you have never been a space pirate."

"But to others. . ."

"I don't CARE what others think, beloved." He leaned foward, millimeters away
from her lips. "I love you, and you are a very beautiful, kind woman."

He brushed his lips across hers and she leaned into the kiss.

::Tenchi, have I told you lately how much I love you.:: She mind whispered.

His mental chuckle was low. ::You just did.::

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The next morning breakfast was a quiet affair.

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Aeka sat down on the deck next to her mother.

"Mom," she took a deep breathe. "I was wondering if I could start
marraige meetings again?"

Misaski set down the magazine she was reading and turned to face
her older daughter. "That would be up to your father, Aeka." Her
face for once was serious. Very few were privileged to see
the calm and collected Misaski.

Aeka drew herself up. "What do you suggest I do mother?"

Misaski smiled. "You are no longer my little Aeka and haven't
been for a long time." Her eyes turned happy. "Go and actually
talk to your father, Aeka. In fact, take a day and just be together,
you two haven't done that in ever so long."

Aeka cocked her head and tapped her nose with her finger. "I could
do that."

Misaski reached over and gave her daughter a gentle hug. "I love
you Aeka, never forget that. You deserve the best man there is."

Aeka held back tears. "He's already taken." She choked.

"Maybe he isn't the best man for you." Misaski pointed out.

"Maybe there isn't a 'best' man for me." Aeka was miserable. "I want
a man who will treat me as a 'person'. Is that so hard?"

"You are a princess, and some people can't look beyond that, sweetheart."
Misaski soothed.

Aeka gave a short laugh. "You haven't called me that for an age."

Misaski smiled. "You weren't around to call you that."

Aeka nodded. She wiped her eyes with her sleeve, ignoring her mother's
clucking tongue over the unprincessly action. "I'm going to talk to Dad now."

"Okay, I love you Aeka."

"I love you mom."

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Funaho stepped into Washu's lab.

"Little Washu." She called into the darkness.

"Could you do me a favor, Funaho? Could you just call me Washu." A
melodous voice came from the shadows.

A row of lights turned on, one by one, the last shining on a chair
that was turned away from the door. The voice chuckled quietly and
the chair spun around.

"Very well, Washu." Funaho smiled. She gestured at the darkened lab, there
were no machines, no plants, nothing that signified that they were in the
residence of the greatest scientific genius in the universe.

"Oh," Washu cocked her head, her bright red hair tumbling over to one side
of her head and rippling down her chest and down past her waist, before
stopping right above the floor. "What is all this?" She shrugged, "Renovations."

Funaho raised both eyebrows and quirked her lips.

"Ah, you do not believe me." Washu laughed. "I have not had such
an intellegent one sided conversation in a long time." She rose
out of the chair, her purple princess skirt rippling in the light.
"Walk with me, First Empress Funaho, once of Earth."

Washu began to walk into the dark, the colors of her skirt going from
royal to almost black purple as she moved, the top of her outfit was
red with white and black accents and showed off her ample cleavage.

Funaho moved beside her. "Washu. . ."

"Funaho, we are friends, are we not?" Washu gave her a glance, showing
off her profile, and her eyes sparked like the emeralds that made up
her necklace.

Funaho nodded.

"Good," the lights glowed ahead of them and died behind them. Funaho knew
that there was no going back without the help of Washu.

Washu stopped at a certain area and clapped her hands.

In front of them and all around them a vista rose up out of
the darkness, it was the darkness. Glowing dots and wisps of gas,
Funaho gasped. She swore she could reach out and touch it, but
when she did or tried, the glowing spheres melted through her hand.

"Behold, the universe."

Funaho watched as their veiw raced past the Galaxy Police HQ, headed
towards Jurai and raced towards Earth. The Journey slipped past
Earth and headed out into the depths of the galaxy. Towards Orion and
past the Dog star.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" Washu's voice was full of sadness.

"Why are you showing me this Washu?" Funaho said, her voice trembling. She
turned towards Washu and saw that instead of the green eyes they all knew
and loved so well, her eyes were purest white. Washu smiled at her and the
eyes went golden and morphed into Ryoko's eyes, before settling back to
Washu's emerald.

"Welcome to the meeting place." Washu smiled. "We found thousands of
years ago that the universe was the most beautiful setting."

"We?"

"Tsunami. . ." Washu whispered.

Tsunami appeared in front of Washu.

"Sister, what are you doing?"

Washu cocked her head. "It is amazing what happens when you break a memory wall, sister."

"Funaho does not need to know this."

"But she does." Washu smiled. Her eyes began to glow green again. Tsunami's eyes
also began to glow, a bright blue. "Especially since she is the daughter
of the god of this planet."

Funaho raised her own hands. "How did you know this Washu?" Her eyes
glowed purple.

"How else is Yosho and Tenchi so strong?" Washu shot back.

Tsunami stood ramrod straight. "You do not deny this Funaho."

"It would be pointless."

"Azusa. . ." Tsunami hissed.

"Has no clue." Funaho flicked her fingers, sparks trailed around the stars before
going out.

Washu swirled her finger through a gaseous nebula, causing it to swirl. "Funny,
isn't it. Tenchi and Ryoko, they have the powers of three godesses running through
their veins."

"Do not joke about such things, Washu." Funaho said sharply.

Washu laughed. "I am the goddess of chaos, my dear Funaho. Just as you are
the goddess of wisdom. Oh, bright eyed Athena."

"Then what does that make Tenchi and Ryoko." Funaho questioned.

"Who knows?" Washu shrugged. "Genius has limitations."

"But stupidity doesn't." Funaho shot back.

"We will have to wait and see." Tsunami said calmly. "We need to talk about
procedures sister."

"I don't see anything to talk about, Tsunami." Washu flicked the end of her
purple ribbon behind her, watching Tsunami between her bangs.

"Chaos." Tsunami muttered, slightly disgusted.

"I am the yin and yang, little sister."

Funaho smiled. "Siblings."

"You have no room to talk, you have quite a few." Washu stared straight
at her.

"Which I haven't seen for hundreds of years." Funaho pointed out.

"We haven't seen each other for thousands." Tsunami shrugged.

"Then I will leave you to your reunions." Funaho gave a slight bow.

"Come back and visit again." Washu said, Funaho smiled slightly.

"I shall."

"Oh, by the way, the answer is yes."

Funaho laughed and dissapeared in a flash of laser like light.

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