Disclaimer : Most characters in this story are property of AIC and Pioneer. They are in such a situation solely because of my imagination. This story was written purely for fun.

This FF is based on the TV Series, with some powers drawn over from the OAV, but with no Light Hawk Wings.

This story contains no sex, so please do not expect it.

Before I wrote this Fanfic, I have only read 2 Fanfics, Aikan Muyo and To Love & To Hate. Since then I have read some others, and have noted some writers have a tendency to portray some characters inaccurately. I hope I have not fallen into that trap.

That's about it, I'm a simple soul at heart...

DARKNESS & LIGHT - No Need For Kova

By Zyraen

Chapter IV : No Need for Nightmares

As Kova withdrew his lips from her cheek, he glimpsed the yellow reflected in her eyes and, having an inkling of Kiyone’s sentiments about being spotted, was suddenly off like a shot.

Kiyone looked straight at Mihoshi, her face totally aghast. And Mihoshi looked at Kiyone, dumb struck too, but with a face that was bright with joy, hands on her cheeks.

"Mihoshi! Look, that wasn’t what you think it was!!" Kiyone’s face was pale.

"Oh, Kiyone, I didn’t know you had a …" Her words ended off into high pitched giggles. "Oooh, how scandalous! Kiyone, too!" Mihoshi’s face was burning a bright red.

"Mihoshi!"

"Now who would have thought of that? Kiyone!" She giggled again.

"Mihoshi!"

"Oh, I’m so happy for you, Kiyone!" Mihoshi wrapped both her arms around Kiyone’s neck and hugged her tightly. "Just wait till everyone hears about it! They’ll be *so* happy for you!" She stepped back from Kiyone. "My, how nice you look! He must be really close to you, Kiyone! Why, even I didn’t know about it! Say, how many more secrets do you have?" She sidled up close to her partner, who was frozen with horror. "How does he look like? Is he cute?"

Kiyone tried to stop herself, but she could not.

"Oh, you’re blushing! You look so sweet like that, Kiyone, no wonder he’s in love with you!" Then she noticed the tear marks on Kiyone’s face, and an ugly suspicion leaped into her mind, before Mihoshi’s face turned to a frown. "Say, has he been nice to you? I won’t have anyone pushing my partner Kiyone around!"

"He… he has been very nice to me, Mihoshi," Kiyone gave up, and leaned back against the open door. "Honest…"

"You sure? You don’t look very happy right now, Kiyone." An astonishingly astute observation for someone like Mihoshi.

Kiyone roared back to life, hands gripping Mihoshi’s collar. "That’s because of you, you nitwit!!" She shouted full into Mihoshi’s face.

"I’m sorry, Kiyone…" To Kiyone’s amazement, Mihoshi started to cry. "It’s all my fault…sniff." Tears started rolling out of her eyes.

Kiyone let go of her, stunned, for the second time in the same hour. "Mihoshi, I…"

"I know, it’s all my fault…Don’t leave me, Kiyone…" Mihoshi sobbed, sitting on the floor.

Suddenly Kiyone realised what else she had seen in Mihoshi’s face, for just a split second. Fear. Fear that her beloved partner Kiyone was going to be taken from her.

Yet, she had congratulated Kiyone, so sincerely too…

"I’m sorry, Mihoshi…" Kiyone bent down before her partner. "I just don’t like to be seen, doing this, or having everybody know about this, okay?"

"It’s… not my fault?" Mihoshi stopped crying.

"No, it’s not, it never was. And you’ll always be my partner," Kiyone had never dreamed she would ever say such a thing to Mihoshi, so she changed its meaning a little. "Even if I have a boyfriend."

"Oh… that’s great, Kiyone! We’ll be partners, and we’ll be fighting crime, forever, side by side." Mihoshi thankfully failed to see Kiyone wince at the phrase ‘fighting crime.’ "And everyone will be so glad you have a…"

"SSHHH!" Kiyone had a hand clamped over Mihoshi’s mouth. "DON’T tell anyone about it."

"Oh. Okay, Kiyone…"

"Whew," Kiyone wiped the sweat off her face as Mihoshi got up. She just happened to glance at her watch. "Two thirty! Oh my god, we’re over an hour late for work! Hurry up, Mihoshi, we’ve got to get to Mos Burger!"

Kiyone hurried out the door, and suddenly stopped, causing Mihoshi to bump into her.

"Kiyone, why did you…?" Mihoshi watched as Kiyone’s eyes bore into her.

"What are you doing still in that uniform!? Get changed, Mihoshi!" she snarled.

When they finally arrived at the fast food restaurant where they had met Kova for the first time, it was already past three o’clock. They were panting when they got there, and expected the manager to emerge to scold them, maybe even fire them

"Hello!? Kiyone and Mihoshi reporting for work!"

"Kiyone? Mihoshi?" the manager looked at them. "I thought you were sick?"

"Huh?" the two girls said together.

"Just now, a Dr. Kashiro passed by, saying he just went on a house call to your apartment. He said you had asked him to stop by here as he was passing by and your phone at your place is spoilt."

"Actually, our phone line was disco… Mmmph!"

"Go on," Kiyone said sweetly, hand tightly clamped over Mihoshi’s mouth.

"Well, he said he had declared you, Kiyone, unfit for work, and Mihoshi had stayed back to take care of you."

"But Kiyone was…Ummph!"

"Dr Kashiro was rather nice, but I think he underestimated my hardiness."

"Well, I don’t know about that, but he graduated from the Tokyo Academy of Health, so he should be quite good. Anyway, it sure is good to have the two you back for work. You are a hardworking pair, you two are, even if Mihoshi is a little…"

"Mmmph?" Mihoshi attempted.

"Never mind."

===========================================================

"Wow, that’s a really big problem you’ve got there." Tenchi had to admit. All around him, shocked faces showed.

"Don’t worry," Washu said, some of her old confidence returning to her. "I think I can handle it."

"How? That’s something pretty big, even for a space pirate." Ryoko commented.

"I resent that!" Washu said, folding her hands over her chest. Ryoko blinked as her spectral computer shimmered out before her. "You dare compare the greatest genius scientist of the universe to the scum and dregs of society that are skulking in space!!"

Oh no, I’m going to be turned into a kappa again and Tenchi will be left with Aeka!

"Well, even if Ryoko has offended you, I’m sure we of the planet Jurai would be very willing to offer assistance in this matter of existential importance, Washu," Aeka spoke carefully, and waited expectantly for the Ryoko’s transformation as the scientist ran her fingers over the keyboard.

"Washu, please don’t do anything to Ryoko!" Tenchi quickly said, and Ryoko opened her eyes, gratitude showing through them at Tenchi, before shutting them again. "After all, you need all the help you can get, don’t you?"

"No, in fact I don’t." Washu said tartly, putting a hand into a dimensional hole as Ryoko opened her eyes, wondering why she was still the same form. Washu raised her hand out of the rift and took out what looked like a gun with a satellite mounted on it. "This, is the invention that may yet save the day!"

A miniature Washu doll popped up on her shoulder. "Washu, you’re the greatest!"

Then the other too. "Washu, you’re the genius!"

"Isn’t it just amazing! But then I am the greatest scientific genius in the universe, after all!"

"So, what does it do?" Sasami queried.

"It is a device that emits the Tachyon Ray!" She announced.

Everyone shrank very far back from her.

"Only now, under the scrutiny of my most brilliant self, its scope is widened drastically. To be precise, into two different dimensions!" She hugged it, almost like it was a stuffed toy, and Tenchi tried not to imagine what would happen if her finger slipped on the trigger. "Say, what are you people doing so far away from me?"

Tenchi pointed a trembling finger at the Tachyon Blaster.

"Oh, don’t worry! Its current settings are such that it could barely eliminate a molecule." She grinned before everyone. "See!" She pulled the trigger.

Silence.

"Rrring…!"

Sasami, Ryoko, Tenchi and Aeka opened their eyes, wondering if that was the doorbell to the afterlife.

"Ring, rrring!"

"Oh, it’s the phone!" Tenchi managed to get out, and everyone sighed with relief. "I’ll go get it!"

Washu looked at them, annoyed. "I have a good mind to turn you all into kappa for daring to doubt the greatest genius scientist in the universe, you know." Tenchi ran even faster.

"Hello?" he picked up the ringing phone.

"Excuse me, but is this the Masaki residence?" The voice on the other side was rather gruff, like that of some older man, but it had affable undertones, and also contrived to sound professional.

"Yes. Who’re you looking for?"

"Tenchi Masaki, please."

"Speaking."

"Would you happen to have an associate called Kiyone…" the voice seemed to drag on, as though trying to make out something, "…Makibi?"

"Yes, I do." Tenchi felt odd, answering a stranger’s question just like that. "Say, who are you, anyway?"

"I am Kiyone’s doctor. Please be informed that she… what…?" The person on the other side of the line seemed to be talking to someone else. "Hmm…oh, well, as you wish." Back to Tenchi, "Hang on a moment, Mr Masaki." There was some noise that the mystified Tenchi managed to make out as that of a phone changing hands.

"Tenchi?" Kiyone’s voice came on the line, but it sounded weak. "You there?"

"Yes, Kiyone. What’s wrong?"

"I’m not feeling very well, so me and Mihoshi are returning to our apartment now. I was wondering if you could bring the lunch Sasami saved for me over there. I’d appreciate some food when I get back."

"Yeah, no problem. Is your illness serious?"

"No, I’m more or less fine, but I’d like it if you didn’t come over to my place for the rest of the day. I need some peace and quiet."

"Erm, right." Tenchi wondered how Kiyone could ever expect to get any peace and quiet with Mihoshi hovering around her. The person on the other side of the line seemed to read his thoughts.

"Don’t worry, I’ll think of some way to send Mihoshi off somewhere."

"Are you sure you’ll be fine by yourself? Do you need Sasami or someone to take care of you?"

"I’ll manage, but right now I’m starving. Please, do get my food over, Tenchi. Thanks."

Tenchi recoiled his head in surprise as he heard the click before the line went dead.

"Tenchi, who was that?" Aeka asked from beside him, her face looking rather perturbed, and with slight edge in her voice.

"Yeah, who was that, huh?" Ryoko looked menacingly at him. "Any girl I know?" Her right hand was clenched into a fist.

Beside Ryoko, Washu was deep in thought, her hand spinning the gun about.

She had always been used to logical, scientific deductions, but not used to handling purely intuitive gut feelings. Yet she had a very strong feeling that whoever was on the other line was important, although the only person she could hear was Tenchi.

"Erm, just a moment, Aeka. And Ryoko." Tenchi, trying to stop himself from running from the two angry stares, went into the kitchen and came out with a plate of rice, the lunch Sasami had saved for Kiyone. Having seen it, the two girls relaxed, though not completely.

Washu watched Tenchi ascend the steps, wondering if she should just trace the call, which she could easily do. After a moment’s thought, she decided she needed more concrete evidence before embarking on that course, and so she waited till Tenchi came down the stairs.

"Tenchi?"

"Yes, Washu?"

"Who was that on the other line?"

"Kiyone," Tenchi looked puzzled as Washu frowned in confusion.

"Kiyone? Are you sure?" Washu looked hard at Tenchi.

"Well, why not? Oh yeah, and her doctor too."

"Her doctor? Hmmm…" Washu analysed the data at hand. "Could you recognise his voice if he called again?"

Tenchi wondered where this was leading. "Well, I suppose so. Why?"

"Ask him for his name. And tell me about it, okay?" Washu spoke so earnestly Tenchi only became more confused.

"Er.. Fine, Washu, heh." He scratched his head in confusion. "Could it have something to do with the Tachyon Ray?"

"Mmhmm." Washu distractedly pressed the trigger several times. Tenchi gulped.

"Washu, could you not do that? It makes me nervous, you know."

"Fine by me," Washu said, placing the weapon into her dress.

"Say, Washu, how does that gun help in any way?" Ryoko asked.

"Well, calibrated accurately, it sets up an anti flow of immaterial quantum or tachyon matter so that the flux transfer interference with another quantum or tachyon stream will lead to the creation of an anti matter field that will eliminate the original particle stream."

Four pairs of eyes stared at her, their faces the absolute embodiment of the phrase nil comprehendo.

"You don’t get it, do you?" Washu sighed. "Well, let’s try putting it another way. The cross paths of the original stream with this new stream will result in a field that will neutralise the original effect, given an exact variable data."

"Try again," Sasami said, encouragingly. "I think I nearly got it."

"This blaster…" Washu, eyes narrowing, spoke slowly and distinctly. "…can cancel out the Tachyon Ray effect if set correctly."

"There!" Ryoko said, feigning pride. "See what even Washu can do if she sets her mind to it!"

Washu gave Ryoko a glare full of daggers, and the space pirate shrank back. Tenchi gave her a frantic look and Ryoko, taking the hint, quickly vanished as Washu’s fingers hovered over her keyboard.

"Washu, what happens if the configurations are not set correctly?" Sasami asked.

Washu thought a little. "Well, for this to neutralise the Tachyon Ray, you have to input the exact negative amount for the three dimensional settings for the gun. If one were off…" She shrugged. "The effect could vary. If only by a little, one or two extra molecules could cease to exist, nothing the universe couldn’t handle."

"What if it’s by quite a bit?"

"Well, though I haven’t actually experimented with negative feedback for the ray, I think it could get pretty, well, ugly."

Tenchi gulped. "So what you’re saying if we use this to try to cancel the other ray’s effect, we must get the settings right."

"Mmmhmm."

"If it is set too low, the first ray just weakens and proceeds to kill us."

"Correct." Washu did not seem bothered by the prospect at all.

"And if it is set too high, it will be as though we fired another ray at them."

"Right again." Washu grinned at Tenchi. "You are pretty good for a non Academy student." Tenchi sat down, his expression saying plainly that he did not think highly at all of Washu’s invention’s utility. "But not exactly right. The negative feedback does not destroy, it overloads. A star may expand into a supernova, a planet implode as its core superheats, a ship explode as its engines and weapons burst. Not quite the same, but about there."

"So how are we suppose to help you get it back?" Aeka questioned.

"I don’t know, really. Find me the fellow who took it, I guess. His alias at the Academy was Yoda Shiro, but I doubt he’d be using the name. Checking the GP files, the fellow could be any one out of over a a hundred and fifty-six Space Criminals."

Tenchi’s eyes widened in surprise. "That sure doesn’t sound easy, Washu."

"Relax, Tenchi, I’ve got all their names up here in my head. If he uses his real name, I’ll recognise it. Being a genius may not all it’s cracked up to be, but there’s enough perks to make me want to remain as one!" She smiled brightly, and Koneko mewed in agreement.

Tenchi shook his head. Sometimes, things were just so crazy.

===========================================================

Kiyone and Mihoshi headed for their job at the Fujima Florists cum Delivery Department.

"Kiyone?" The owner of the shop asked as they arrived.

"Mmm, what, Mrs Surahito?" Kiyone asked, surprised. Usually she just asked them to start their work immediately.

"Have you eaten your dinner yet?"

"No. Why?"

"Someone just dropped by saying you might want this." The rather elderly lady passed her a warm plastic packet that looked as if it contained food. "Do you?"

Kiyone smiled delightedly, and took it over. "Yes, indeed I do." She did look forward to tasting his cooking. It was not as good as Sasami’s, but that was about it for whom she thought was a better chef.

Mihoshi looked downcast. "Where’s mine?"

"We’ll share, if you like." Kiyone laughed, opening the packet.

Oh my, it does smell very good! Just like Sasami’s cooking…

"Hey, didn’t I eat that for lunch?" Mihoshi exclaimed.

"You what?" Kiyone turned to her in shock, one of the two spoons that was in the packet already in her hand.

"I… forgot to tell them not to keep some food for you…" Mihoshi added.

"But it feels warm!" Kiyone said. Carefully tasting a bit of the food, there could be no doubt. "Sasami cooked this all right. I wonder how it got here… Mrs Surahito, who dropped this by here?"

"It was this chap, wearing a cap and blue jeans, with hair, just nice. Good complexion and so polite too. Rather handsome. Didn’t ask me if you worked here, just asked me to pass this to you," Her eyes narrowed a little. "Say, Kiyone, is he your…?"

"Erm, no…" Kiyone hastily turned away to hide the blush, while Mihoshi giggled.

"Kiyone, it *was* him! I think so!" Turning to their employer… "Kiyone’s got really great taste, doesn’t she? Too bad I didn’t get to see his fa…"

"Mihoshi!!" Kiyone roared. "Pipe down!" She wished she had an extra hand to clamp Mihoshi’s mouth shut.

"Well, ladies, I don’t care if you have boyfriends or ex-husbands or whatever. Just quickly finish the meal, and get to work."

===========================================================

At last, a patient!

A rather young lady walked in through the door, wearing a purple silk dress, looking a little skeptically at him, seated behind his desk, with his greying hair and moustache and pedantic spectacles.

"Dr Kashiro, I presume?"

"Yes. How may I help you?" He leaned back in his chair.

"This is a pretty shabby place you’ve got here, doctor." Her eyes took in his cramped apartment. "I’ve never seen you around this area, nor heard of you."

"Ah, yes indeed. I have been living on my savings for over fifteen years, but some rather unsound financial activities last year required I return to my practice. Impoverished though I am, I believe you will find I have no lack of qualifications." He swept his hand in a semi circle, indicating the walls, where at least six medical certificates were framed up.

"Very well, doctor." She took a seat before his consulting table, although her demeanour was still a little haughty.

"The complaint?"

"Well, if you really must know…" the lady said patronisingly.

"No. I don’t." He snatched a quick look at the mini-computer he had placed on the ground behind his desk, one of the few things he had salvaged from his original ship. It was positioned between his feet and covered on all sides such that no one could see it unless he got out of the chair.

Rummaging in his drawers, he took out two bottles of pills and laid it on the table, and started pointing at them. "This is for your diarrhoea, this is for your headache. Dosage and instructions are on the labels. " Reaching for a little tube of cream, "Apply once every three hours to your burn. It will help it heal faster. As for the fever, drink this." He reached behind him and poured a cup of what looked like plain water out. "Take this and it will be fine by tomorrow." He pushed the cup over to the bewildered lady.

"How…how did you know?"

"Trade secrets, madam," He smiled at her and watched her eyes narrow at being addressed as an older lady. "Drink it up and take the rest." He pushed the things over before her, and watched, amused, as she kept them in her bag. "That will be seven thousand yen, please."

Too amazed to comment, the lady paid up and walked out.

Within the next half an hour, he handled sixteen more patients, while the line formed outside his apartment.

===========================================================

Aeka stopped crooning as the door opened, out of surprise.

"Kiyone? Mihoshi?"

"Uh, hi everyone!" Mihoshi brightly waved a hand .

"Kiyone!" Tenchi was as surprised as the rest of them. "Why are you here? Are you feeling better?" She certainly seemed fine.

"Hmmm?" Kiyone’s face was blank for an instant, then, "Oh, yes, I’m feeling better now!"

"I thought you were sick, Kiyone," Sasami sounded a little worried. "Did you like the lunch I saved for you?"

"It was very tasty, Sasami, I loved it!" Kiyone mentally grasped around for a clue of what was going on.

Mihoshi looked totally puzzled. "But Kiyone wasn’t… Mmmph!"

"But your doctor called up and you even told Tenchi about it!" Sasami said, looking a little uneasy. Tenchi looked curiously at Kiyone, remembering how Washu told him the call might have been important.

My doctor… Kiyone’s mind worked quickly. So that’s how he got my dinner for me!

"Well, I’m feeling better now, so it doesn’t matter! And thanks for sending my lunch over, Sasami!" Kiyone added brightly, her hand still maintaining a tight grip over Mihoshi’s mouth.

"You’re welcome!" Sasami smiled, then thought again. "But didn’t you know Tenchi was the one who brought it to your apartment?"

"Er.. no, I didn’t! It was just there when I got back, so I just thought it would be you who brought it over." Kiyone had a sheepish expression on her face.

"Well, I didn’t, because we were listening to Washu talk about why she came back. Only she waited for Tenchi anyway before continuing."

"Oh, she did, did she?" Kiyone looked around. "Say, where is she?"

"Back in her lab. Tenchi and I managed to persuade her to work on another way to do things so that the person could not get a chance to fire her ray before being apprehended." Aeka said, feeling a little irritated at the way the music was carrying on without her accompaniment.

"Well, that certainly makes me feel a lot better." Ryoko sounded disgruntled, even though she had one arm draped around Tenchi’s shoulder. "Washu wasn’t in the best of moods. I was so worried she’d turn me into something I actually had to leave!"

"You know, Ryoko, it all just goes to show your mind is so feeble you have no control over what you say, it all comes out so offensive," Aeka pointed out. "Oh, I forgot, you just *are* offensive." She gave a high pitched chuckle.

"And you, princess, are such a pain-in-the-neck. Why don’t you mind your own business, you royal nosey-parker." Ryoko growled. Tenchi gulped fearfully as he felt the sparks crackle from the hand beside his neck.

Kiyone quickly removed her hand from Mihoshi’s mouth and the two detectives prepared to dive for cover.

"You dare call me a nosey-parker, you…you criminal!" The music died as Aeka screamed. It seemed even the Karoke machine feared what was going to happen.

"Well I dare, and I can, call you anything I like, Little Miss Stupid!"

"You…you are totally incorrigible, Ryoko!"

"And you’re a totally spoilt brat, princess!"

Tenchi closed his eyes, willing his legs not to run, as orange sparks swirled around beside him and ice blue nimbus formed in front of him.

"Grr…"

"Grr…"

"Stop it, you two!" Tenchi shouted.

Ryoko and Aeka looked at him, eyes still smouldering.

"Well, we shall take our fight elsewhere, right, princess?" Ryoko spat. "Unless, of course, you’re too chicken!"

"Me! I’ll not be called names by the likes of you, Ryoko! I will have you know how powerful I am!"

"Stop it!"

"Don’t worry, Tenchi! I can take care of myself!" Ryoko.

"Fear not, Lord Tenchi! I can never fall before the likes of her!" Aeka.

"I said, STOP IT!" Tenchi shouted at the top of his voice.

"Huh?" The two girls stopped, taken aback.

Tenchi’s face was red, and his eyes were full of anger. His hands were balled into fists, and though he did not have the power of the two ladies by his side, the tone of his voice was something new to them.

Kiyone stood up to watch.

This is interesting. I wonder will Kova ever have to shout me down like that.

She trembled at the image her mind conjured.

Well, I guess I’ll scream back at him if that happens.

No, that didn’t work very well, if I remember correctly.

She shook her head to clear her mind and see what happens. Mihoshi also popped her head over Kiyone’s shoulder to watch.

"We were going to go out to…" Aeka attempted.

"Stop fighting!" Tenchi’s furious eyes stared at the two girls, and they actually seemed to shrink before his baleful gaze. "Not here, not there, not outside, not anywhere!"

"Well she started it!" Ryoko cried, sounding hurt.

"She’s the offensive one!" Aeka screeched, sounding distressed.

"I don’t care about that!" Tenchi shouted back at them.

Then he saw them wilt before his blast. The way Ryoko cringed, yellow eyes communicating fear and pain, while Aeka cowered, purple eyes stripped bare of pride by alarm.

His shoulders slumped, and he sighed.

I seem to have been doing a lot of that recently.

"What I care about is that the two of you not get hurt," he concluded, softly.

Ryoko and Aeka looked at him, then at each other.

"That goes for both of you," Tenchi said, then sank back into the couch, emotionally drained.

Aeka looked at him, then at Ryoko, her eyes saying clearly, we’ll settle this some other time.

Ryoko responded with a similar glare. You’re on, princess.

His weary eyes noting the exchange, Tenchi forced himself upright again. "Aeka, Ryoko, please don’t," he said.

The two of them looked at him, the same thought in their minds.

Will he blow up again if we try something like that?

Tenchi realised he would have to end the thing. "Apologise to Ryoko, Aeka. For calling her a… I don’t remember, just apologise, okay?"

Ryoko smirked as Aeka fumed, her heart aching.

Why did Tenchi choose only me!? How could he do this to me!? Aeka tried to fight the horrible realisation that Tenchi loved Ryoko over her.

Ryoko smirked again as Aeka fought her inner turmoil.

Looks like I win, princess. Come on, apologise!

"You too, Ryoko!"

"Huh?" Ryoko turned, wide eyed, at Tenchi. "Tenchiiii!!"

"Don’t ‘Tenchiii’ me! I don’t care if you didn’t start it, you also called Aeka names, so there!"

Ryoko looked at Aeka, bile rising in her throat, at having been betrayed by Tenchi in her moment of triumph. Well, at least he first asked Aeka to apologise.

Aeka didn’t know what to think, just wondered if Tenchi did love her after all.

"I’m waiting." Tenchi’s annoyance was implicit in his voice.

Aeka suddenly realised, if I apologise first, Tenchi will think I’m forgiving.

Ryoko also understood, if I step back first, Tenchi will think I’m magnanimous.

"I’m sorry," the two girls stared at each other, surprised at the simultaneous apology.

"Whew… so no fighting, okay?" Tenchi said, his face stern, like a lecturer. The two girls bowed before him like they were little kids being scolded.

"It was kinda silly, wasn’t it, Aeka?" Ryoko murmured.

"I suppose it was, Ryoko… What do you think, Kiyone?"

Kiyone nodded, looking. So did Sasami, who stood beside her.

"I think you’re both acting like babies, and that it’s very hard for Tenchi." Aeka’s little sister pointed out.

"So I guess we make up now, huh?" Ryoko asked. Aeka nodded and extended a hand.

Ryoko grasped it.

Now that didn’t feel so bad, she thought.

Hmm, that wasn’t as undignified as I thought, Aeka reflected.

Tenchi suddenly beamed, his expression happy and bright like that of a rainbow after a storm.

Aeka and Ryoko, hands still held, watched in unbridled astonishment.

He looks so… blissful.

Then, for the first time, Tenchi hugged both the two girls of his own accord, his arms going around them and pressing them close to him and to each other.

"Thank you, Ryoko. Thank you Aeka." He murmured, his lips just beside their ears, his voice quavering. "You’ve given me joy, made me more happy than I thought I could be, and I thank you." He squeezed them a little harder, as Aeka and Ryoko basked in the radiance of his love together, each unnoticed by the other, inhabiting and rejoicing within their own half of paradise.

Oh, Tenchi… Kiyone smiled, holding Sasami’s hand. You’ve done it!

Mihoshi sniffed and brushed a tear away.

Disturbing thoughts returned to Kiyone. Was Mihoshi touched, or was she also pining for Tenchi? There was no way of knowing.

Could me and Kova ever be as such? If so, what future is there in store for us?

If there was any at all?

Too frightened to think, Kiyone’s eyes dimmed and she averted her eyes.

Tenchi let go of the two girls, eyes shining, face beaming.

Aeka, at last you show yourself, he thought as he absorbed her appearance, her radiant face and loving eyes made her look that much more a feeling belle than a crystal princess on a pedestal.

Ryoko, you are not much different either. The space pirate’s face had lit up, a rosy colour flowing into her face, her joy making her look unusually refined and beautiful, almost like a fairy.

Oh, that this moment could last forever!

Kiyone, unable to contain her envy, fear, and apprehension the splendid harmony instilled in her, suddenly yanked her hand from Sasami’s and ran out of the room.

"Kiyone!" Sasami called out as she fled.

The spell broke.

"What’s wrong? Kiyone!" Sasami made off after her.

As one, Aeka, Ryoko and Tenchi turned to face the open door as the little princess went out, followed by Mihoshi.

"I’m sorry," Tenchi began, as he prepared to take off after them.

"Don’t be," Aeka smiled, taking his hand and gently steering him in the direction of the door.

"Go ahead, Tenchi," Ryoko waved, a little of her joy still remaining on her face. Teleporting beside him, she gave him a brief hug before vanishing. Tenchi felt Aeka gently squeeze his hand, before letting him go, then he was out of the room.

===========================================================

All she could see was darkness, darkness all around, soft and velvety, but darkness nevertheless. She reached for her blaster, to be ready to handle any threat that might loom out, but her hand clutched empty air. Reaching for her yo-yo, she found it also had gone. She was alone and defenceless in the darkness.

Kova… she tried to call him.

Slowly, she watched him walk out of the darkness, but his gait was cold and firm, his shoulders held high like a shadow over her. The darkness drew in, rearing, waiting to pounce.

Help me! She cried.

Then he stepped nearer, and she saw his eyes were icy and set, his mouth a cruel sneer.

You dare invoke help from me? He laughed.

No, no, that could not be! How could he?

A gleaming metal scythe suddenly appeared in his hands, cold light glinting off its wicked edge, eager to deal death. Grinning evilly, he stepped closer, the weapon raised over his head.

Please, Kova! Don’t!

The scythe arced down.

KOVA-CHAN!

The blade struck the darkness before her, splitting the fabric of it open.

Flee, Kiyone-chan! Flee! His blue eyes implored her. She saw the vengeful shadows hurl themselves on him. The gleaming scythe fell from his nerveless hands to the ground and vanished as she rolled into the small gap of light.

He was struggling, but the shadows tugged at him like a toy and laughed sadistically.

Flee! The last thing she seemed to read in his eyes, before he was swallowed into the void.

"Kiyone…" Someone was shaking her.

"Kova… Kova-chan…" Kiyone turned around and looked into blue eyes. "Oh… you’re safe!" Relieved, she pulled the person close.

"Erm, Kiyone. Kiyone?" That voice didn’t sound like his. It didn’t even sound like a he…

"Mihoshi…?" Kiyone looked up into her partner’s face.

"Kiyone, are you all right?" Mihoshi asked, as Kiyone slowly turned her head, looking around at the ring of concerned faces. Tenchi, Sasami, Aeka and Ryoko were all staring at her.

"I…" she moved back, lying down, and felt something wet behind her head. She turned around and saw the armrest of the couch, stained wet by some liquid. "…am not feeling well…" Gingerly she touched her eyes. They felt puffed up and wet.

"Kiyone, did something happen to upset you?" Sasami asked, concern showing on her little face.

"Was it because of what I did?" Tenchi asked. The Kiyone before him, with her eyes puffed up, tear marks on her face, seemed a very different Kiyone from the one that had almost ordered him to love Aeka and Ryoko. Surely it couldn’t be that she…

"No. It had nothing to do with you. It’s just…" Kiyone trembled a little. "… that it made me think of something, not so pleasant." She rubbed her eyes with her hands, and Ryoko passed her a tissue paper. "Don’t worry about me. I’ll manage, but for now I’d like to be alone."

"That’s what you said this afternoon, and look at you now." Tenchi chided. Kiyone flinched as she recalled who might have actually said that.

"I’ll manage, seriously. Is it okay, if Mihoshi stayed over here tonight? I need some peace and quiet." She tried smiling at Mihoshi, but it just did not come out right. "Good night, Mihoshi."

Slowly, seemingly painfully, she got up, and walked up the stairs, back straight and body erect. The only sign of her weakness was her slow step.

"Kiyone, are you sure you don’t need Sasami or someone to take care of you for a while?"

She shook her head stubbornly, and headed for the door to her apartment.

===========================================================

Finally, he had closed for the night. He was tired and weary, at having to deal with so many mundane matters all at once. Closing his weary eyes, he massaged his temple and forehead, a technique he had found useful on his long journeys through space.

Dr Kashiro had made a rather large handful of money on his first day, but somehow, it did not seem as important as it was anymore. The money was in a bag by his side, but he had been too tired to even count it as he would have in days long gone.

The work had served as an important respite, and he had hoped it would tire him out. Not physically, of course, as that was nearly impossible with his enhancements, but mentally, so he could stop thinking of her for a while and be himself, to see things more clearly. But no, it had not worked, and his thoughts were returning to her.

He was not sleepy, but he was tired. He wondered if she was too, if she had rested enough, if she had enjoyed the meal he conned from Tenchi. He wondered if she was thinking about him, how she felt about him. She didn’t take it easily, he knew. She always tried to keep herself busy, involved in things, observing and deducing, but that’s because she needed to keep her mind off the subject.

I hope she can take it well enough so it does not cause her undue distress.

He cursed his wayward mind.

I really must get sleep, some peace of mind! He told himself, and forced himself to lie down.

Moments later he was heading for her apartment.

===========================================================

"Oh, poor Kiyone." Sasami sighed, and Tenchi stood beside her. Some distance before them, her head on the base of her futon, Kiyone lay on the ground, still in her ordinary clothing rather than pyjamas, apparently asleep, but tossing fitfully rather often. Her green hair was stained dark by her tears, and she murmured inaudible things. She seemed to have collapsed into sleep the instant she saw she was near her resting place.

"I really hopes she gets over this." Tenchi spoke very softly. "Whatever it is. Come now, Sasami. There is nothing more we can do for her." He led the little girl over to the door.

"Good night, Kiyone." Sasami said, before returning to Tenchi’s house. Tenchi took a last concerned look at her, then the door closed, shimmered and faded away.

Seeing Tenchi leave at last, he slipped into the room and stood over her, taking care not to cover her in his shadow.

"I’m so sorry, Kiyone-chan," he murmured under his breath, as he made out the lines her tears had left on her face. Watching her with sad, soft eyes, he saw her turn again, rumpling up her futon.

===========================================================

Kova knelt before her, bound in chains of metal and energy. She was holding a blaster, and she saw him flinch as she put it to his temple. All around her GP officers sat, watching, awaiting his execution.

I put myself in your hands, Kiyone, his eyes seemed to say, before she, too ashamed to look at him, turned away.

The Marshall gave the command.

Fire!

Her finger did not push back the trigger, but she still heard the click, like a thunder in the silent amphitheatre, and she felt the blaster shake from the recoil.

Then there was a wet thud beside her.

===========================================================

Tears streamed out of her eyes as Kova watched, his blue eyes intent and sad. Kiyone gave a sort of gasping breath, as though trying to breathe as she drowned in her tears.

"Kova…" he heard her whisper brokenly, almost inaudibly.

His heart seemed to want to break from the yearning in her voice.

Unable to stop himself, he knelt down by her and took her hand.

"I’m here, Kiyone-chan. I am here."

"Kova-chan…" She half sobbed, half whispered, her other hand reaching out. He gently took hold of it too, feeling her soft flesh warm and flushed against his fingers.

"Kiyone-chan, I’m here." He whispered, pressing one of her hands to his chest, as he bent over and kissed her other hand.

She was bathed in light, and the angry stares of the entire GP organisation stared down at her from unknown numbers of tiers. She heard the Marshall’s voice ring out, cold and angry.

"Kiyone, you have betrayed your oath and your duty as a Galaxy Police Officer, and for such an unpardonable offence, we have sentenced you to die!"

"Noo! Noo! You can’t do that!" She saw a tearful Mihoshi run out, only to be manhandled and dragged back into and lost in the midst of the faceless crowd. "Kiyone’s my partner!"

"Kiyone-chan, I’m here." She turned as she felt someone take her hand, and looked straight at him, who had suddenly appeared by her side.

"What are you doing here!? You will die!!" She almost screamed at him.

"It’s okay. You are not alone." He took her other hand. "Wherever you go, I will follow." He held her hand to his heart, the other to his lips, and kissed it lightly. "Whatever roads you choose, Kiyone-chan, we will walk them together."

"Kova-chan…"

"Execute them!"

She heard the blasts of lasers, saw the bursts of gold and silver. He seemed to move to hold her, as a shot struck him in the back, and she felt the pain burst through her chest and go out behind. Then she was looking at his face, transfixed in that soft smile, and slowly, they sank down to the ground…

===========================================================

She was certainly not awake when her eyelids fluttered half open, and felt him holding her hands, one to his left chest, the other before his face. It was not in bright light, not under countless glares of her GP colleagues, but in the soft, Prussian blue dark of the night.

His face raised from her hand, and she dimly saw his blue eyes glimmer in the dark.

"Kova-chan," she smiled. "We are dead…?"

"No, Kiyone-chan, we are not." He smiled back. "Rest now, the nightmare is over. I’m with you now." Gently, he let go of her hands, and slid one arm around her shoulders, and the other one under her knees, lifting her up. She could feel the light shining somewhere as the blue around turned slightly lighter. "Come, you must rest."

"You are taking me to the light?" She asked, smiling innocently as the light glinted off her drying tears. He blinked his own tears away as he saw how vulnerable she was in the faint light, half-asleep, lost in a dream, almost like a helpless, innocent babe, wearing that sad yet blissful smile he knew he would probably never see on her in her waking hours. "And we shall walk the heavens together…"

"Hush. Someday maybe, but not yet." Having taken the few steps, he laid her down gently, so that her whole body lay full on her futon, steadily regarding her guileless green eyes, so clear and so different from herself in the days.

"Not yet…?" She laughed, soft and lilting laughter that seemed to tinkle in his ears. "As long as I’m with you…" He nodded tersely as his hands slowly pulled the covers over her body, struggling not to show how sad he was to see her reduced to such a state because of him. Having seen her comfortably settled in, he turned…

Something gripped his wrist, tightly. Very tightly.

"Don’t go…" Kiyone pleaded. "Please, Kova-chan…" Already he could see the tears well in her eyes. She probably thinks she’s just dreaming, but every time she still cries anyway…

This time she won’t.

"Hush, now, relax, Kiyone-chan. I’ll stay, I’ll stay." He held her hand and ran his other hand over her face. She looked so sweet, so happy, with him by his side. Her other hand reached for him, and he held it too, enjoying the warm feel of her hand on his.

She was so different in life, he felt so sorry he had caused this much pain to her, he really didn’t know what to do.

She must be very mentally drained. I must let her rest.

"Sleep, Kiyone-chan, sleep. I will stay, I will watch over you. Sleep." Her neck muscles seemed to relax a little, and her eyes looked straight up at the ceiling, but still he could feel her fingers caressing his hands. "Sleep now." His hand quickly ran down her face, closing her eyes in the process, and he squeezed her hand so she would not open her eyes to see if he was still there.

Her hand continued to feel him, but after a time gradually her fingers ceased wandering about, but just clung on, not too tightly, and he knew Kiyone was rested in wholesome sleep again, no longer plagued by nightmares born of her waking fears.

I will stay, I will watch over you.

His hands holding on to hers, not moving, Kova sat there and watched Kiyone sleep, breathing gently, in and out, evenly. Taking a cloth from his pocket, he gently wiped the tear marks off her face, his smile tender yet troubled, sweet yet sorrowful.

Sweet dreams, Kiyone-chan.

===========================================================

"Tenchi! Tenchi!"

Tenchi awoke to the sound of someone shrieking softly in fright at him. "Wha… What it is it?" He sat up groggily in his bed, leaning on his elbows, as his eyes focused on the person before him. "Oh, Sasami! What time is it?"

"Tenchi! There’s someone with Kiyone!"

"Huh!?" Tenchi’s eyes opened, and he sat bolt upright, wide awake. "Are you sure!?"

"Mmmhmm. I couldn’t sleep very well last night, seeing Kiyone so troubled, so I thought I’d make an early breakfast. I passed by the door, and well, I thought I ought to check on her.." She explained as she followed Tenchi who was hurrying down the somewhat dim corridor.

"Then?"

"Then I saw this shadow by her, it was so still, like some kind of statue or a spirit, and I didn’t know what to do, so I just came to find you."

"What about Aeka?" Tenchi asked as he knocked on the wall, and the door materialised.

"She didn’t see how bad Kiyone was last night as she slept, did she?"

"But I haven’t any super powers!" Tenchi appeared worried as he looked at the blackness leading to Kiyone’s apartment.

"You defeated Kagato!" She cheered brightly.

Tenchi took in a deep breath. "Let’s go in, Sasami. If anything happens, run. I want you to get Ryoko and Aeka if that happens, okay?"

The little girl nodded and they stepped through.

Tenchi opened the door, slowly, cautiously. An inordinate number of windows were open, and the light filtered in with tinge of blue like the dawn sky. He could make out a dark figure sitting by Kiyone’s sleeping form, that appeared to be tilted slightly towards him.

That’s funny, I thought Kiyone had fallen asleep on the floor, not on her futon.

Signalling to Sasami to stay back, Tenchi crept slowly over, his bare feet making no sound, and his eyes adjusting better to the light. Now he could see the shadow was a man, dressed in a black jacket and dark blue jeans. His head was tilted slightly forward towards Kiyone, but his back was a little too straight to be right, while his legs were crossed as he sat by her. He did not seem to have noticed Tenchi although the boy was almost upon him. Tenchi, close enough to see past his body, saw that both his hands were clasped over Kiyone’s.

The figure suddenly turned towards slightly towards him, feeling Tenchi’s warm breath on the air nearby. Tenchi could just make out blue eyes gleaming in the dark. Sasami yelped softly in fear, and it seemed to Tenchi he was confronted not by a man, but by a caged animal, that would slay him in a few moments so it could be undisturbed.

"Tenchi Masaki?" He heard him whisper, his voice just barely audible. The fire in the eyes had died, he had returned to facing Kiyone, and Tenchi felt somehow that the night was still again.

"Who are you?" Tenchi probed, his voice a little loud.

"Softer, Tenchi." He turned back to Kiyone. "Do not wake her. She needs to rest."

"Who are you and what are you doing here?" He hissed softly, trying not to show his impatience. The man’s head was bowed over Kiyone, and he did not bother with Tenchi. "What have you done to Kiyone?" There was no answer. "Answer me!"

"Given her rest." Kova’s hand slowly stroked Kiyone’s.

An ugly suspicion suddenly leaped into Tenchi’s mind.

"If you’ve done anything to her…" His voice rose in a crescendo as he threatened. "I’ll… gaack…!" He fought to breathe, his throat gripped by a hand that seemed to have shot out faster than his grandfather’s bokken stroke.

"I haven’t. But if you don’t learn to keep your voice down, I’ll do something to you." His soft voice, almost inaudible, rung full of menace, though his gaze was still fixed on Kiyone. Then the fingers let go and Tenchi tried not to gasp too loud. Sasami breathed a sigh of relief. "I believe you mean well, Tenchi. You may ask your questions, but I may not answer all of them. And speak softly."

Tenchi massaged his throat, fearful but curious.

"Don’t tell anyone else about this, and please send Sasami back, or you’ll learn nothing from me."

Tenchi’s eyes narrowed. "If you think I’m stupid…"

"Maybe you are. I don’t know, and I don’t care." Tenchi blinked at Kova’s comment. It reminded him of Ryoko. "Sasami may stay, but I’ll say nothing."

Turning around, Tenchi gently waved Sasami away. Looking at her apprehensive face, he smiled and gave the okay sign. Sasami looked back at the door, and crept over.

"Tenchi, who is he?"

He shook his head. "I’m as lost as you are. Just remember not to tell anyone about this."

"Will you be all right? I was so scared when he grabbed you."

"I’ll be fine, I think. Now get back and get breakfast. The others will be getting up soon." He could see that the sky was brightening.

Sasami gave him a worried look, then hurried back into the doorway.

Tenchi turned back to Kova, who was once again still as a statue.

"Did you do anything to Kiyone?" The only sigh of life Tenchi could make out was the way his hair moved a little in the cool dawn breeze. "I know you said you haven’t, but are you sure?"

"All I did was to know her." The lips moved for a moment, and stopped.

"I mean, did you…?"

Kova remained still.

"Do… you know… er…" How did you put it? He asked himself "Er.. like do that?"

No reaction.

"Do that, you know, that thing… with her?"

The neck snapped into action and for the first time Tenchi saw his whole face. His skin was fair, and his complexion flawless, his fringe forming in two arches over his head. His blue eyes blazed as his furious gaze was transfixed on Tenchi, and his mouth was curled open slightly in something of a snarl.

"How dare you." His voice was soft, still detached from his agitated expression. "You dare insult her, and myself. I’d never do such a thing unless she wanted me to, and she’d never ask for that until she was certain, certain of us and our future." His breath escaped from between his teeth like the hiss of an angry serpent. Then he seemed to calm down, and the transfixing stare left him, much to Tenchi’s relief. "You, Tenchi, I believe you have a lot of ladies with you. Which one have you bedded?"

Tenchi bit his lip, trying not to retort angrily.

"Ryoko, Washu? Mihoshi, or is it Aeka?"

Speechless with fury, he tried to remain silent. Remembering his grandfather’s words, ‘Never fight who you cannot defeat.’

"Sasami?" The mocking voice.

"You…" Tenchi snarled.

"All of them?"

A hand reached over and gripped him again, choking his cry of fury before it escaped him.

"And now you know how I felt when you asked that of me."

Tenchi felt part of his anger evaporate at that accusation. Feeling him relax, the hand let go again. Tenchi stood up, fearful and annoyed, massaging the life back into his throat once more.

"Tenchi, I need your help." The human statue spoke.

"Why?" He asked coldly.

"Kiyone mustn’t know I’ve been here."

"Who are you? Why should I even listen to you?" He glared, angered. His neck still felt the vice-like grip of Kova’s hold.

"Kiyone will decide if you should know who I am." A pause. "Do you agree?"

"Yeah, of course. Or you’ll kill me."

"Nonsense. I heard Yosho was badly hurt by Kagato. So who killed Kagato, then? I couldn’t access your data from Yagami, but the evidence seems to point to you, though I find that hard to believe."

"I find that hard to believe too."

"So you don’t know how to use your powers fully." He seemed to toy with the thought of defeating the most powerful person in the universe. "Never mind, you’ll learn in time."

"Just tell me what you intend for Kiyone."

"I wish her nothing but the best, and to give her the best I can possibly give." Tenchi felt respect rise in him for the stranger who sat before him, his whole being emanating nothing but the truest sincerity for what he had just spoken. "Will you keep my visit from Kiyone?"

Tenchi nodded.

If only I could do the same for Ryoko or Aeka. But I can’t..

"Thank you, Tenchi. Now if you wish to, please stay with me till she awakes."

=== End of Chapter ===

NEXT CHAPTER : No Need for Sunshine

NOTES: Kova is in a way, an SIed character. Pls include him in your comments, whether I have portrayed him as a person, as a friend or foe, as one of the gang, and most importantly, as a human being.

I hope you have enjoyed this Fanfic as much as I have typing it. If there are any more grammar errors, I beg your forgiveness, as my sole proofreader is myself.

This is my first FF, so go ahead and mail me at zyraen@yahoo.com with comments, especially on character portrayal, realism.

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