"But... I've done my best...as a warrior... as a scientist... There is no dishonor in such a failure!"--Yakage, NO NEED FOR TENCHI v.2 #5

"I'd feel sorry for you--but I don't."--Batman, THE DARK KNIGHT STRIKES AGAIN #1

Disclaimer: This story features Superman, which is a trademark of DC Comics, and the cast of the Tenchi Muyo! OAV series, which is a trademark of AIC/Pioneer LDC, Inc. This is an unauthorized work, and no profit is being made off this work by me. This story is copyright of me. Download if you like, but please don't archive it without my permission. Don't be shy.

Continuity Note: This story takes place between ACTION COMICS #773 and SUPERMAN v. 2 #165. And it also takes place some time after OAV Episode #13.


Original Tenchi Muyo! concept by Masaki Kajishima and Hiroki Hayashi
Superman created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster


The Inhuman Condition: 23
The ADVENTURES of SUPERMAN'S GIRLFRIEND--AYEKA?

by Mike Smith


"So what do you think?"

"I think he can hear every word we say, so we'd better just keep quiet before one of us says something stupid."

"Hey, I HOPE he's listening. Me, I figure he'll have this duel wrapped up in fifteen seconds. I brought him some cola a few hours ago and saw him training on some kind of contraption. Guy's got a left like a piston, I'm tellin' ya."

"What's a piston?"

"It's a mechanical device like outworlders use." the guard held out his hand and made a half circle with his palm, then balled his other hand into a fist and made a punching motion across it. "Like that, only over and over, and made of solid metal. I think they use it in their engines."

"No wonder Jurai's the top power in this region of space," the other guard mused. "I'll never understand outworlder tech."

"Point is the guy can HIT. Komorebi's a joke with a sword from what I hear, but he doesn't even need one the way he fights. I mean what's Tenchi got? Dirt under his fingernails?"

"Beats me. The kid's a crown prince, but he scares the hell out of me. I mean, Komorebi's a few branches shy, but at least he's full Jurai, right? How'd you like to swear fealty to an Earther? Have his outworlder face smiling at you when you cash your salary stub?"

"That's what I'm saying. Way Komorebi fights, not even an issue. After he whips Tenchi, he can sit in his room and drink cola until his teeth fall out. Ayeka'll be the one running the empire anyway. As long as it's not a cross-breed like Tenchi, it's fine."

"Geez, could you imagine his court of advisors? He could bring in that metal-plated freak and have the whole fleet gimmicked up with outworlder electronics."

"Or take the monster-woman as his second wife," the first guard said as they turned a corner and began moving out of earshot. "Gotta give him credit, human or whatever, he seems to keep Ryoko on a tight leash..."

Once she was sure they were gone, she poked her face out of the bulkhead and looked around. The coast was clear, so she phased the rest of the way out, and solidified in the corridor. "Good," she muttered to herself. "If those two dopes had any idea how dull they were, they'd put themselves out of my misery. Second wife my butt!"

Of course, there was The Mission to consider, but Ryoko had to get that mental image out of her head first. Tenchi, and Ayeka, and her. Peanut butter, motor oil, and jelly. Yeah, Juraians did three-way marriages like that, but Juraians were thuddingly stupid. And she meant that in the nicest way possible. Slapping the three of them into a domestic setting together and bound by a common love for the man of the house? Hell, that was what they were doing already, but without the rings. And she and Ayeka would fight over who "got" Tenchi every night, and it would be just like it was back on Earth. Unless Juraian wives were supposed to...

"Gaaah!" she gasped in realization. Motor oil... Juraians were stupid. She felt the sphere of energy heat up in her hand and she gripped it tightly to get her mind off... sheesh. "OK, OK. One thing at a time. First I knock on the door, the Cowboy answers, I blow him up and that restores his memory, duel's canceled and we all go back home to Earth and live monogamously ever after. It's cake."

"You're sure about that now?"

"Sure I'm sure," Ryoko beamed. "It's perfect. I've seen it on TV a hundred times." She raised her free hand and rapped on the door to Komorebi's room, and then held up the energy sphere in her open palms, ready to fire. "Wait, who the hell--?"

Before Ryoko could complete the realization that she wasn't alone, a brutal blow to the head sent her crashing to the ground. "You IDIOT!" she heard her assailant's voice shout somewhere behind the stars and swirls that gathered in her field of vision.

Luckily, Ryoko recovered almost immediately and turned to face the person who had struck her. "Problem?" she snarled, rubbing the back of her head in irritation.

"Do you have any idea how foolish a stunt like that is, Ryoko?" Washuu pulled her up by the ear and yanked her away from the door. "Bad enough that half the people and equipment on this ship are specially trained to kill you, but you have to pick a fight with HIM of all people? I installed pieces of your consciousness. I KNOW you're not that dumb."

"Merciful Rao! What's going on out here?"

The two of them turned to face Komorebi who had just now opened the door and was looking at them in shock. Washuu looked down at Ryoko's ear in one hand and the hammer in the other, and she grinned sheepishly, quickly moving the hammer behind her back.

"Ehhh, we were just--" Ryoko tried to say.

"I TOLD you this wasn't where the vending machines were!" Washuu interrupted. "Ah, we were just leaving. Wrong room. You know how it is. Kids these days."

"No harm done," Komorebi said carefully. He was about to turn around and go back into his room, but suddenly looked up at the ceiling and narrowed his eyes, as if he'd heard some inaudible phone ringing in the distance. "If you... ladies... will excuse me, I believe I may be needed elsewhere," was all the explanation he offered, and with that he streaked down the corridor faster than the eye could follow. His tone hadn't shown it, but the look in his eyes as he had stared at Ryoko said it all to her.

"He... he hates me," she said softly. Almost without realizing it she started to rub her freshly regenerated arm at the spot where he'd severed it earlier that afternoon. "He thinks I killed his parents, and--"

"His brain is rice pudding thanks to Legion," Washuu observed casually. "On the other hand, you WERE just about to attack him when he opened the door. What's your excuse?"

"Some maniac installed pieces of my consciousness," Ryoko remarked as she massaged her aching head. "And someone keeps whacking me upside the head with blunt objects."

"One disaster at a time," Washuu smiled, taking Ryoko hand and hauling her up to her feet. "Come on, I got a job for you."


It was hopeless. All utterly hopeless. She stood outside the majestic door of the King's suite and let her shoulders droop as soon as she was sure the gate had finished closing behind her. Ayeka took two steps to the left and leaned against the wall to bury her face in her hands. She was exhausted, the culmination of days of sneaking in quick catnaps between fretting over Sasami and then riding with Mr. Steel in his spaceship after finding her. It wasn't supposed to be this way at all.

She was the First Princess of Jurai! Superman had gone missing in Juraian territory! She should have been instrumental in finding him, and she could make up for the embarrassment of Sasami sneaking off to tag along on his work. She could have finally eased the frustration Tenchi had been carrying inside him when Superman volunteered to handle his problems in the first place.

Instead, who she was and what she was had only made matters infinitely worse. Her father had been fooled into believing Superman was a Juraian noble, and he chose to pit Tenchi in a duel against him with Ayeka as the prize. Tenchi was powerful, but there was no chance of him defeating Superman in a fight, and even if there were, it would surely be the last thing he'd ever want to do.

And when she tried to visit him in his guest quarters in the hours leading up to this duel--tried to offer him some measure of comfort or advice or apology in his time of trouble--lo and behold, her father had ordered that she and her sister were expressly forbidden to have contact with Tenchi and his "second", whatever that was supposed to be.

But she refused to give in, and so she went straight to her father and confronted him. She wanted to beg, plead, demand, insist, or anything else that would have gotten him to call this off, but in the end it just fell flat. Not that coming clean with her feelings toward Tenchi would have made any difference anyway, but it might have made her feel a little less powerless in all of this. Maybe it would have given her the courage to say a few other things she'd wanted to tell her father. Not that any of that would have made a difference either.

"The truth is," she murmured to herself as she pushed herself back onto her feet and began wandering down the corridor, "I'm every bit as dangerous to Tenchi as Ryoko is... perhaps more so. I--"

"Shouldn't talk that way, milady," a voice suddenly interjected. "The comparison is hardly valid, and somehow I think that train of thought could only end in you breaking into tears."

She looked up to see who it was--and up again to finally get to his face. She didn't remember him being this tall before, but then she noticed a slight bob to his stature and she realized he was levitating a few inches off the ground. Before she could even ponder whether or not he was aware he was doing it, he put a hand through his short blue hair and chuckled nervously.

"I'm, ah--I sorry to just run into you like this, but I'd noticed that you were here by yourself for the first time since you came on board and well... unless you'd rather be alone, of course!"

She tried to resist a smile as it became very clear to her that he WASN'T aware he was doing it. When he attacked Ryoko earlier he had seemed like a totally different person from the man she knew. More like thunder and lightning. Uncompromising, relentless, and fearsome. Now he was suddenly like an adolescent asking someone out on a date for the first time. And while they'd all agreed from Ryoko's experience that it would be potentially disastrous to confront him with his true identity, Ayeka couldn't bring herself to turn him away. Rather, she took a deep breath and surrendered to that smile she'd been fighting before.

"As a matter of fact, it's quite all right, Komorebi," she said pleasantly. "In fact, I've had quite my fill of being alone for one night."


She'd known Fudou a long time back, of course. She and Yosho knew a lot of people about that age seven hundred years ago. Not that the label "friend" was appropriate by any means. He was a solitary man, and other than a few intense conversations with Yosho, and a few awkward attempts to petition for her hand in marriage, they rarely interacted.

Not rarely enough. "Princess Ayeka!" he said with a few teeth shining out from beneath his ebony beard. "So good to see you. I can't say it's an entirely unexpected honor you do me, but an honor nonetheless."

Naturally, she'd doubted Ryoko at first when she identified him as Legion, the man who'd kidnapped her along with Sasami, Mihoshi, and Superman, but he had an almost glib attitude about denying it. As if to demonstrate that he was well aware of the fact that the King took him at his word and that was all that mattered in Juraian space. So he adopted no defensive posture when accused. He had no reason to. It made him insufferable, and in a fashion that she couldn't openly condemn, which made it all the more insufferable. "Lord Fudou," she replied, stumbling over the words as she spoke. "It has been a long time, hasn't it?"

"Much too long," he nodded, his dark eyes locking onto her carefully. "But I am a patient man, as it happens. And as I said, I had anticipated that we would have to cross paths at some point on this journey. But where are my manners? Do come in."

Komorebi stepped forward to respond to his invitation, but Ayeka raised her hand palm open to block his way. He immediately stopped, and looked at Fudou in perplexity. If they wanted to BE Juraian, they could experience both edges of that sword. "I wasn't aware that a pair of citizens as highly regarded as the two of you had been assigned to share quarters," she observed coolly. "I would think Jurai's forgotten children would have merited better."

"Lord Fudou has been keeping me company during my training," Komorebi explained. "He's been very helpful in keeping me focused for the task at hand."

"Yes, I'm sure he has," Ayeka muttered sardonically. "You didn't bring me here to watch you train, did you, Lord Komorebi?"

"Of course not," Komorebi answered. "I just thought we should talk and this seemed like the best place--"

"Then you hardly need him to do that, I assume," Ayeka concluded. "You may return to your own room, Lord Fudou."

His confident stare was shaken noticeably by this and he tugged on the collar of his black outfit. "Ah... of course, I can see where you two would wish to be alone. I had some misgivings about Komorebi interacting with other Juraians by himself, but I think this might be beneficial to him--"

"I did not ask your opinion," Ayeka glowered. "Komorebi will send for you if you are needed. Go."

"Of course, Lady Ayeka," he said, doing his best not to curl his lips into a full-blown scowl. "I have lived among the R'Nagg for so long that I had forgotten my place..." He passed the threshold of the open door and sidestepped them both. "I assure you, it won't happen again," he muttered darkly.

"Poor Fudou," Komorebi chuckled as soon as the man had stormed out of earshot. "Your father asked him to come with me so I could better integrate with Juraians, but I think he's having a worse time of it than I am. I wouldn't be surprised if he caught the first transport back to the Sole Jurisdiction once this is all over."

"We should be so fortunate..." Ayeka grumbled, deliberately slurring her speech halfway through when she remembered the superior hearing he possessed.

"I apologize for my treatment of Ryoko today," Komorebi added. "Misaki had explained to me that her situation is not as simple as once thought, but seeing her attack Fudou like that... Well, I guess I just acted without thinking."

"You weren't entirely in the wrong," Ayeka admitted. "Fudou is half Juraian, and a guest of the King. She had no right to assault him like that no matter what the reason. And that was what I told her when I helped treat her arm."

"Treat--? But I thought she had regenerative abilities--," Komorebi stammered. "I wouldn't have cut it off if I thought it would cause any lasting damage, but I didn't want to risk harming Fudou trying to wrestle him free--"

She entered the room and took a seat on a nearby couch. "Yes, but that vibration trick you pulled complicated matters," Ayeka explained. "And growing back an entire arm isn't an easy trick even for the likes of her. Even so, all it took was a sedative and a cold compress for a few minutes."

"It hasn't been easy for me," Komorebi confessed. "Knowing when and how much I should use my powers. She may be reformed, but as I see it she still has a lot of growing up to do."

"No argument there," she snickered.

"Can I get you something?" he asked, suddenly crossing the room in a blur to get to the kitchenette. Before she could reply he was already on the other end of the couch with a tray full of snacks. "Frosted Cloud-Wisps? I still haven't quite gotten over that trip to Revelry with your mothers. These things are starting to become my only weakness. Mit-Mats? Dithryian Ale?"

"Tekelli spring water..." Ayeka gasped, pulling the small bottle from his assortment of items.

"Your favorite?" he prompted.

"But how would you even know?" Ayeka asked.

"The whole 'arranged marriage' thing was kind of hard for me to get into," Komorebi shrugged. "So I did some homework. I like to know what I'm dealing with. Who, what, when, where, and why, you know? And it didn't hurt that you're a public figure."

"I'm... I'm impressed, Komorebi," Ayeka said. "I had no idea you were so conscientious when it came to..."

"I also thought it might make up for all the trouble I've caused you," he added after she started to trail off. "I had a feeling you might need some cheering up about now, what with your father and all."

She looked at him and put on as brave a face as she could for him. "That's ridiculous, Komorebi. I'm perfectly fine. Everything... it's fine."

"I don't like to use my super-senses for eavesdropping," he replied. "But I don't need them to see that you're upset. We're not married yet, and there's a real chance we might not ever be, but just the same, if you needed to talk about it..."

Ayeka sighed and threw her head back in resignation. Of course he'd want to empathize with her feelings. Fudou altered his mind to make him the perfect Juraian suitor. Her father might have been willing to accept a complete stranger, but a complete stranger who wanted to know all about his daughter? A stranger who went to great lengths to learn as much as he could about her personal tastes? A stranger who was right there to offer her a shoulder to cry on when she was at the end of her rope? Fudou had outdone himself. Then again, her other option was a long sleepless night wandering the corridors of the ship in worry.

"You're being used," she said bluntly. "I feel you should understand that."

"Miss Ayeka," Komorebi said in an almost rebuking tone, "I am not this missing friend of yours. In fact, when this business is finished, I intend to do what I can to help you find this 'Super Man', if only to settle the matter once and for all--"

"I understand that," Ayeka cut him off. She understood that there was no point in trying to convince him, at any rate. "That's not what I'm referring to. I mean my father is using you to separate Tenchi and me. I'm sure he appreciates you for who you are, but he's far more interested in his own personal grudge against Tenchi."

"I don't see it that way," Komorebi countered. "He wants you to return to Jurai, and he thinks I'd make a good husband for you. The first part seems pretty selfless to me, and I suppose it's up to me to live up to the rest of it."

"Even if it splits our family apart?" Ayeka asked.

"From my vantage, he's trying to bring you all back together," he answered.

"And what about Tenchi? And my brother Yosho?"

"Yosho chose to remain on Earth. As I see it, he had his chance. I'd say he's made his feelings clear. As for Tenchi... well, I assume he feels the same way or he'd just forfeit and come back with all of us to Jurai."

Except he only accepted this fight to save you, Ayeka thought. And maybe there was some personal feeling involved as well. Tenchi DID tell her she could stay with him on Earth as long as she wanted, and he'd fought for her in the past. Was it so impossible that he was doing this out of his affection for--

"Miss Ayeka, the way I see it," Komorebi continued, "this duel only confirms what I've suspected from the beginning: Lord Tenchi is a dangerous man. He's a direct descendant of the King, but through fairly scandalous means, and he's equipped with not only the Master Key, but the most dangerous weapon in our recent history. To say nothing about his role in the defeat of Kagato. I'm not casting aspersions, but I've heard of revolutions and succession disputes started over less. Let him stay on the Earth and let Jurai leave him alone for the rest of his life. It's simpler that way for everyone."

"And you've chosen to make that decision for all of us?" Ayeka challenged.

"No, I've chosen to enforce that decision as it was made by the King," Komorebi corrected. "Personally, I don't necessarily agree with it--I think Tenchi should be given a place of honor just for his heroism against Kagato if nothing else--but it's not my place to decide. It's the King's. Tenchi may be a hero, but that doesn't give him the right to circumvent the rules. That hasn't been easy for me to accept, but as your father's told me, a king has to learn to bend to the sentiment of his people. I know you might want him to call this whole thing off. After seeing how upset it's made you, I almost wish he would, too. But I think this is something he feels he MUST do. Maybe that's not the heroic thing your Tenchi would do, but--"

"But a king can't always be a hero," Ayeka finished for him. "That was what he said to me earlier. Komorebi, I only want what's best for my family in this. Between the three of you, I'm beginning to think I may never arrive at a perfect solution to all of this. At this point, I just don't want anyone to get hurt..."

"It's not as if you don't have any say in what happens, Miss Ayeka," Komorebi reminded her. "This whole thing's been arranged to settle the conflict between you and your father, basically. You could go back to him, tell him you're willing to go back to Jurai. Then there'd be no reason for this to go on any further."

"But, Komorebi, that would mean--!"

"You'd never see your brother and his grandson again? You'd have to marry me and spend the rest of your life ruling the empire from a stuffy old castle? Maybe, maybe not. Your father isn't interested in Earth, but I certainly am after talking to you and Lady Funaho since I've come to know you all. We could surely arrange a few long visits there in the years to come. As for marriage, well," he offered with a sudden smile, "I don't snore... much."

Ayeka let out a slight giggle in spite of herself.

"Oh, if it came down to it, I could never stay by your side if I thought you didn't want me. I suppose I could sneak away one night and never return... grow a thick, bushy beard and take up the life of a lonely stellar cartographer."

She perked up at this comment. "The Walking Wounded?" she asked him. "You've read it?"

"And every other work by Sutzekou R'tanne," Komorebi shrugged with an embarrassed smile. "At first it was because I found out he was your favorite author, but I have a habit of speed-reading when I get nervous..."

What he was saying was madness! Forsake her feelings for Tenchi? Go crawling back to her father to leave the Earth forever? Marry a man even more alien to her than Tenchi could ever be? HE didn't even understand what he was at this point--!

Or did he? Oh, Fudou must have affected his mind to incline him towards her interests, but could he make him love her? And even if he could, here he was suggesting that they might visit Earth in the future, and that he might even be uncomfortable marrying her unless she was certain she wanted to go through with it. A strange sentiment for a mind-controlled puppet ruler-to-be. Or for the typical suitor. In her experience, most of them had rarely seen her for anything beyond her position in Jurai's royal family. Was this a part of Legion's game? Or was it simply that with his identity stripped away Kal-El was beginning to exhibit a side of himself that he kept hidden to the rest of the universe?

He was kind, caring, gentle. He got along with her parents (all THREE of them, which finally gave her a satisfactory explanation for the moniker "Superman"), her sister liked him (at least, the way he once was), and he respected Tenchi if nothing else. He WAS an alien. So was half her family. His memory had been changed, and she'd never take advantage of a situation like that, but she could still agree to marry him, and her father would be more receptive to her friends' efforts to expose Legion's plot. And they could restore him to himself, but he'd still be the same kind, caring, gentle man he was, right? Who was to say he wouldn't be happier on Jurai, right? And no one would get hurt, right? And she and Tenchi would never be together again, but at least he'd be safe, and that was better than nothing, right? It was her duty as a monarch to compromise for the sake of everyone involved... her first duty was to her family.

Right?

"I don't know," Komorebi mused. "I found R'tanne's style to be clear and expressive, but maybe romance isn't my genre. I found several places where I might have added a bit more psychological turmoil. Introspection. Conflict is the essence of drama, wouldn't you agree?"

"Komorebi," Ayeka said, forcing herself to snap out of her daydreaming to stay with the conversation, "you talk as if you're a novelist yourself."

"I'm an amnesiac, Ms. Lane," Komorebi replied with a smirk. "For all I know, I've got a whole shelf in the Galactic Union Library. Of course, with all the adventures I do remember, I guess it's no wonder that I'm predisposed to a little action and escapism in my literature--"

"Wh--?"

"Something wrong, Miss Ayeka?" Komorebi asked. He leaned closer to examine her more carefully. "You look a little flushed."

"Er, no..." she squeaked. "It's just that I, ah, I remembered something." And she stopped herself from explaining any further.

What could she tell him? That he'd just accidentally called her by another name without realizing it? That for a split second he broke through his false memories and she couldn't even guess what that meant?

Not that she had any idea who Lane was. Before he left Earth to rescue Ryoko from the Tribunal, Superman had made a phone call to someone by that name in Metropolis, but anything more was a complete and total mystery.

And that was what had sent a chill down her spine just then, wasn't it? That he knew someone back on Earth--a mother-figure, a colleague, a love interest, or maybe little more than a liaison he checked in with to inform the public of his absence--someone, anyone that connected him to that world and her people. And whether Legion had programmed his mind to superimpose his feelings for Lane onto her, or if he somehow recognized her and was unwittingly sending out a cry for help, the conclusion was the same: Legion hadn't just stolen Superman from himself, he'd stolen him from at least one other, and no one even knew it.

Oh, she could go back to her father and agree to go back to Jurai, and sooner or later she'd get the chance to restore his mind and find out exactly what his feelings were. He and Lane would be reunited... eventually.

Painfully. Just like she and Yosho were. Seven hundred years later.

"No." She said softly.

"Excuse me?" Komorebi asked politely. He seemed to be trying unsuccessfully to hide the concern in his eyes. Deep purple eyes with bright blue eyebrows furrowed with confusion, and when she looked at this, all she could think about was how his appearance had been altered--violated--to make him more appealing to her people... to her. And in truth, she was beginning to feel a decidedly opposite reaction hanging heavy in her stomach.

"I appreciate your efforts to console me," she finally explained, "and your desire to make our possible union more harmonious, and your advice has a kernel of wisdom to it."

"But you intend to see this through," he said, anticipating her point.

She nodded at this. He wouldn't be able to understand her reasoning--she hoped he never would be able to understand--but she'd spent a sizable portion of her life wondering whatever became of her brother, her fiancee. She did everything in her power to find him, and if there was even the slightest chance that someone might be enduring that same silent agony, then she simply couldn't do anything to make that person wait another moment longer than was absolutely necessary. Tenchi was right. This had to be settled here and now.

"Why?" he asked. "What is it about all this that makes you so determined to forsake your kingdom and your family?"

She stood up from the couch and looked down at her feet, balling her hands into fists. "You're right. Many times a monarch is forced to compromise for the sake of unity and peace. A king CANNOT always be a hero, as my father says. However, I have found that there are certain matters that transcend either of those roles. And in those cases there can be no compromise. I'm not sure I can explain it in a way you'd understand, but this is one of those cases. My place is with Tenchi on Planet Earth. Jurai must learn to accept that, one way or another."

He sat there for a moment and then nodded his head grimly. "He's a fortunate man to have someone like you stand beside him with such resolution. I don't accept it, Ayeka, but I can respect it."

"Then there isn't anything more to discuss," Ayeka replied. "Thank you for being a little more reasonable than my father, Lord Komorebi. And I wish you luck. I hope you... find what it is you're looking for."

He saw her move for the way out and he jumped to his feet to lead her to the door. "And you as well, Miss Ayeka," he said as she passed through the doorway. "Until tomorrow."


"So what did you need me to do?" Ryoko asked. "Wring Legion's moldy neck? A little... 'engine trouble' for His Majesty King Goof?"

Washuu rolled her eyes and harumphed.

"Your apprentice needs someone to wind him back up?" Ryoko continued. "I can do this all day, y'know."

+Mentally?+ Washuu's voice echoed inside her mind. +The walls have ears, after all. In case you hadn't noticed, we're not held in high regard around here.+

+I've noticed...+ she thought back, looking behind her warily. +But thanks for reminding me.+

+Then try to lay off the 'King Goof' stuff, huh? Honestly, Ryoko, you know how to lay low better than this. Subtlety? Anyone? Anyone?+

She tried to ignore the image of Superman smashing through a wall and tearing apart a handful of guns, but finally Ryoko threw up her hands in resignation. +What's the use? Look, we're on the same page, OK? Just this once, all right? So let's skip past the 'Ryoko is stupid' chapter and just tell me what to do, and I'm on it. Please?+

Washuu looked at her cockeyed and a wry grin crossed her face. +He's not such a bad guy when you get down to it, huh?+

+I owe him one.+

+Really, it doesn't make much sense for me to hold a grudge, right? I mean, he bailed you out and it's not like I was on top of the situation at the time. He's a good man. No Tenchi, of course, but he's got his own appeal. Girl could kinda sorta fall for someone like that.+

+You're kidding. That's ridiculous.+

+What's so ridiculous about it?+

+Washuu, you two were at each other's throats a while back. Now you're telling me you feel this way about him? That's nuts, but then so are you.+

She tapped the left side of her forehead and giggled. +Who said I was describing how I felt about him?+

Ryoko stopped and stared at her as she kept on walking down the corridor. She snapped her eyes shut and started shaking her head vigorously. "You little--! I mean, that's not it at--! Well, it's none of your business anyway!"

"Fine," she smiled. "Hard way it is, then. I just thought you'd like to know what's been keeping you distracted since the Tribunal. Really, Ryoko, you could do much better if you'd just get out more. Well? Are you gonna stand there all day or what?"

She put her hands over her face and picked up the pace to catch up to her, and hoped that whatever Washuu needed her to do involved them being on opposite ends of time and space.

"Heh. Not quite. In here," Washuu replied, shoving her with an outstretched hand to stop her from walking past the door she'd opened.

Inside were Steel and Cogito, both with impatient looks on their faces. Washuu held up the hammer she'd been carrying and presented it to the armored man. "Thanks. Nice grip on the handle, and those magnetic fields really bring the point home."

Steel took it and set it on the table they were sitting at. "I try."

Ryoko looked out at all the odds and ends on the table, and it looked a great deal like a clock radio she'd blown apart once while fighting with Ayeka. "Nice spread, boys," she scoffed. "Nothing impresses the ladies like model Gundams. Bet you kids are all the way up to Level Five by now, eh?"

Steel shot an annoyed look her way and then turned his attention to Washuu. "As I was saying before you left, Cogito is reasonably sure we've got enough spare parts here to jury-rig a neural recombinator. The trick is going to be stuffing the apparatus into a small enough package that we can effectively use it. That's where you come in."

"Indeed, since Steel informs me that your understanding of subspace enclosures is nothing short of incredible," Cogito nodded.

"He said that? Oh, I'm blushing! Well, I don't like to BRAG..." Washuu gushed.

"Uh, so you guys need me to do what, exactly?" Ryoko asked, raising her hand and waving it slightly.

Before anyone could reply, another occupant came out of the bathroom. "I made your beds up just in case you three decided you might want to get a little rest, OK? And a servitor robot will be around in about thirty minutes to bring you more of that strange tea you like to drink, Steel!"

He shook his head and sighed. "As long as it's got plenty of ice and plenty of caffeine, madam, that's all I ask. We don't plan to do much sleeping tonight."

Ryoko's eyes widened as she got a good look at the lady. Blue hair, royal garments, a bright sunny smile that could light the darkest corners of the universe. "Misaki?" she asked under her breath.

"Of course, of course," Misaki nodded in agreement to Steel's sentiment. "Maybe later we could share a few glasses and discuss that wonderful school you attended on Earth. I'm sure Sasami would simply LOVE this Michigan prefect, and--ooh, is THIS what you want to use to prove that Komorebi is your missing friend?"

"Michigan?" Cogito asked. "Steel, I thought you were from Earth?"

"Could have made a living belting out home runs for the Astros," Steel muttered. "No, I had to go into ballistics... join the Justice League. See the universe... Someone make it stop."

"So, Lady Misaki!" Washuu broke in, dragging Ryoko to her side. "You remember Ryoko, right? She just dropped by, and I thought you'd wanna say hi."

Ryoko had hoped the Second Queen of Jurai wouldn't notice her, but the emotional look in her eyes shattered all hope of this. "Why of COURSE I do!" Misaki cried, racing around Steel and grabbing her around the arms to embrace her. "It's so good to SEE you, Little Ryoko! How long has it been? You've grown so much!"

"Actually, no, but whatever floats your boat," Washuu murmured as she left them to check with the men at the table. "You were saying, apprentice? Wait, never mind, subspace. Gotcha. Piece of cake."

"I thought you'd see it that way," Steel nodded. "In that case, we've got six hours to rebuild Superman's memory and unravel a conspiracy against the Jurai royal family. And if we finish in five I call dibs on the shower. Let's get started, people."

Ryoko strained to look around Misaki's smiling face so she could see what they were doing, but the regent's grip seemed just about inescapable. "Rebuild his memory?" she asked in awe. "Is that what he said? Can they do that?"

"I just remembered!" Misaki beamed. "I have a little something for you! Come on, I left it over here!" She started dragging Ryoko over to a handbag sitting next to a couch. For a moment, she fought against it, but then she remembered how upset Misaki had gotten the last time she'd spurned her, so she simply resigned herself to whatever fate she had in store for her. Whatever happened next, she decided, at least she'd be there when it happened.


NEXT: Clothes Make the Men!


Continue To Chapter Twenty-Four