Ryoko's light slumber slipped away along with the trailing edge of the weak and dying shock wave that passed over her Earth home. She propped herself on one arm and listened for another, or for some sign that her beloved were in danger.
The shock wave had been very subtle, either the remnants of a sonic boom from a passing military jet, or the explosion had been some distance away. Alone it should not have awakened her, much less put her into such an alert state, but there was something else. It was just a feeling, but a feeling of the sort Ryoko had leaned to pay attention to.
Ryoko let her body phase shift as she floated upward to a better vantage point above the house. From there it was easy to see a blue-green glow in the forest just beyond the cave that had been her old prison: A glow that should not be.
Smiling with anticipation and curiosity, Ryoko made her way toward it.
There had been a time (however brief) when she had been disappointedly certain that Earth and isolation at a temple would bore her to death. It had not taken long to discover that Tenchi and his family attracted adventure, and the threat of boredom was a mere shadow, easily ignored. Being the sort of being who adored adventure, she wondered with great expectancy what sort of fun this latest development might bring.
In the deeper recesses of her mind she knew that it could just be the lights of some illegal campground on the temple grounds - tourists did that regularly. Or perhaps the reflections of the grand full moon from the river upon the lush trees, or some other equally innocuous and boring thing. It mattered little to her, and it would dull the excitement to give the ordinary possibilities too much thought. Even if it were something mundane, at least the act of discovery itself was an adventure, however minor.
Ryoko felt a cold shudder run through her as she passed her old prison. There was a place she would never allow herself to return to. Thankfully, the reason she had ended up there, the horrible creature that had driven her mad, was likely destroyed. That was one person from her past that she would not miss in the least.
All thoughts of her past evaporated in the heat of her excitement as she crested the last ridge. Before her was a shallow crater, and within it rested a small and badly damaged starship whose aft end burned with green fire. Ryoko rushed to look for survivors.
Ryoko spotted some movement, and she watched as a humanoid cautiously advanced on the burning ship, a large slab of hull protecting her from the heat of the energetic fire. As Ryoko readied herself to land beside the humanoid, it reached into the blaze with some sort of long tool. Quickly the inferno died and darkness enfolded the site.
As her eyes adjusted quickly to the sudden change in light, Ryoko could see the humanoid was a woman just a bit shorter than she was, wearing what looked like a uniform with a sheathed sword across her back. She was lithe, graceful, and her physique suggested she knew how to use that sword, or only her hands and feet should it come to that.
Her face was a mask of disappointment mixed with anger. She sat before the ruined starship and assumed a thoughtful pose, obviously contemplating her predicament.
"Always near a pre-space flight civilization." She murmured to herself.
Ryoko glided in beside the woman, and opened her mouth to greet her.
She closed it again when the woman moved away so fast that she might as well have disappeared. She stood some ten meters away, dimly glowing sword in hand. Her expression was now a mix of surprise and suspicion.
"Who are you?" She asked, harshly.
"Hey!" Ryoko exclaimed, irritated. "I live here, and you're the one trespassing. You get to answer the rude questions."
The woman's eyebrow levitated for a moment. She studied Ryoko for a moment, then relaxed. She sheathed the sword, turned to Ryoko, and bowed politely.
"My apologies." She said. "I am Akagawa Kurogane, Lieutenant of the N'Grath Exploratory Brigade. I regret the uninvited visit, I am here because..." She waved a hand at her ship. "Because I have little choice."
Ryoko could relate to that feeling.
She thought for a bit, Kurogane patiently and silently waiting. She didn't seem a threat, especially since she backed down instantly. It would even be fun to have another person over at Tenchi's home. Just so long as she didn't try to hone in on Tenchi's attentions.
"Well, I'm Ryoko. Are you hungry? I know where you can stay for the night."
Kurogane smiled diminutively and bowed again in acceptance. "Thank you."
Ryoko smiled in turn, and headed by foot toward her Earthly home.
As Kurogane fell in step beside Ryoko, she looked over and studied her face. "I have a feeling that you're not from this world. You remind me of someone."
Ryoko glanced at her new companion, who was repeating Ryoko's name thoughtfully under her breath.
"Oh! You're not the Ryoko, Space Pirate and Destroyer of Jurai, are you?" She finally said, excited.
Ryoko smiled at the touch of celebrity. "Yep!" She piped. "The one and only."
"Wow!" Kurogane exclaimed. "I've always wanted to meet you! Ever since you served the Royals on Jurai that well-deserved slice of humble pie I've been a huge fan."
Though her ego was swelling rapidly, something was mildly unnerving about being praised for something she did while under Kagato's influence.
"I don't know about how deserved it was..."
"Oh, yes it was." The woman said, her mood suddenly angry. "Those freaks had been muscling us out of territory for aeons, calling it liberation and whatever else their spin-doctors could come up with to justify their crimes. Once you showed up and proved that their precious nursery wasn’t so invulnerable, they pulled back and let us alone for almost 800 years - so far. My whole race owes you."
"Looking to destroy the Jurai?" Ryoko asked, feigning a casual air. Taking her to two of the Princesses of Jurai suddenly sounded like a bad idea.
"No." Kurogane spat. "Our energies are better spent rebuilding."
Ryoko tried not to show her relief.
They spent the rest of the short journey talking about various adventures each had, Kurogane's mostly about exploring strange planets and meeting life of all sorts, Ryoko's mostly about carousing and having fun. Each seemed to find the other endlessly fascinating.
Once inside the Masaki home, Ryoko had Kurogane sleep on the living room sofa while she took up her usual spot on the rafter above.
Sasami woke as usual; well rested, and well before anyone else in the house. She stretched and looked over at the crumpled face of her sister. Ayeka didn't look much like a princess with her face smashed up against the mat like that.
After dressing, Sasami made her way down the stairs toward the kitchen. As part of her usual routine, she looked up at the rafter that Ryoko used as a bed, always somewhat worried the pirate would roll over in her sleep and end up falling the twenty or so feet to the floor. Also as usual, she was still on the rafter, sound asleep.
Sasami made it to the kitchen doors, opened them and paused. There was a sound; the rustle of a page being turned. She turned around and saw a booted foot above the back of the sofa along with the sound of another turn of a page followed by a quiet giggle. Sasami crept up and peeked over the sofa. A uniformed woman lay on her stomach, feet in the air behind her, reading one of Ryoko's mangas.
Sasami quietly backed away, not certain what to do. Though a complete stranger, she was obviously also not a thief, nor an attacker. Since it was one of Ryoko's mangas she was reading, there was reason to believe the woman had been invited in by Ryoko. They weren't easy to get to, especially when Ryoko was up there with them.
"Good morning." Sasami said, choosing to be polite and hospitable.
The woman looked up, mildly surprised. With a diminutive smile on her face she stood, quickly straightened her uniform, and gave Sasami a quick but polite bow. "Good morning." She greeted.
"My name is Sasami."
" I am Akagawa Kurogane, Lieutenant of the N'Grath Exploratory Brigade."
"N'Grath!" Sasami exclaimed with a smile. "I've never met anyone from there before. Want to come talk with me while I make breakfast?"
Kurogane smiled and nodded, and both went to the kitchen, Sasami asking about Kurogane's home world.
Ayeka opened her bedroom door and started down the hall toward breakfast having managed again to time her morning so that she ended up following Tenchi at the refined and ladylike distance of fifteen paces behind so that she could manage to be near him for the morning meal.
As she rounded the banister she saw that Sasami was ahead of schedule, the table already set - a job Ayeka usually did. Since a still sleepy Tenchi had already sat down, Ayeka decided it would be fine to sit as well. As it looked, it was an opportunity to have a little time with the young man before anyone else.
"Good morning, Lord Tenchi." Ayeka purred her greeting as she settled in beside him.
"Morning, Ayeka." Tenchi replied with a smile.
Giddy with excitement over getting to speak with him all to her self for a moment, she opened her mouth to start a conversation just in time to see Ryoko land softly beside Tenchi and grab him up in a very unladylike bear hug.
"Morning!" Ryoko chimed.
Tenchi, though trying to be polite with his own "Good morning" while attempting to dislodge Ryoko, blushed from her overt attentions as usual - a trait that, though she'd never admit to it for fear of encouraging Ryoko, Ayeka found very endearing.
Washu wandered over to the table from her subspace lab, deep in thought as usual. She ignored the glares being traded by the two young women on the other side of the table easily, as it was routine. Tenchi and Washu both greeted Nobuyuki and his father-in-law as they sat themselves.
A quiet, banal conversation began among them as they waited for Sasami to announce breakfast. Ayeka and Ryoko, of course, both tried to monopolize a rather put-out looking Tenchi's attention.
Much to Ryoko's amusement, Ayeka let loose a loud and startled squeak when she looked up to thank Sasami for being so kind as to bring out their morning meal, and saw a stranger.
"Who are you?" Ayeka asked, not over her startle enough to be polite.
" I am Akagawa Kurogane, Lieutenant of the N'Grath Exploratory Brigade." Kurogane again explained. "My apologies for startling you."
Ayeka's face went ashen. Ryoko stifled her laughter with limited success.
"Nice to meet you!" Nobuyuki exclaimed, smiling.
"Good morning." Tenchi said. "I'm Tenchi."
Kurogane smiled and offered her hand.
"I'm Washu." Washu said, smiling and waving.
Kurogane offered her hand to her as well.
Yoshou opened his mouth to greet the woman.
"Ryoko!" Ayeka barked, standing and glaring at the pirate. "You did this! You invited..." Ayeka pointed a trembling finger at Kurogane. "Her in to this house, didn't you!"
There followed a moment where everyone, including Ryoko, stared at the princess in utter shock.
"Ayeka." Sasami near-whispered and gave her sister a pleading look.
Ayeka considered overruling her little sister's objection, until she saw the deeply disapproving look on Yoshou's face. She sat down again and regretted her outburst.
"Her ship crashed here last night. What was I supposed to do? Point her to a hotel and say 'Hey, it's only a forty minute walk'?" Ryoko quipped.
Ayeka pointedly ignored the cyan-haired woman.
"You are welcome to stay for as long as you wish." Yoshou said. "Welcome to the Masaki home."
Kurogane bowed deeply in acknowledgment.
Ayeka watched from the kitchen as Washu and Kurogane talked about her wrecked ship. Ayeka's face showed only minor irritation, but her head swam with emotion. Only Ryoko could manage to be so sinister as to bring another girl into their home. What plan that pirate had up her sleeve, Ayeka could only guess.
"Whatcha doin', princess?" Ryoko asked as she phased in behind her eliciting the intended startle.
"Mind you own busine..."
"Oh! Watching Kurogane? Yes, she is rather beautiful, isn't she?" Ryoko commented casually. "Makes you wonder if she'll catch Tenchi's eye, doesn't it?" Ryoko prodded, using her own fear as a map to find Ayeka's. A successful stratagem if the look of terrible realization on Ayeka's face was any clue.
"She wouldn't dare... I mean, Tenchi... er..." Ayeka sputtered as a laughing Ryoko phased back out. "Ooh, I hate that woman."
She was supposed to be raking up leaves and keeping the weeds in check, but the pretty flowers near the edge of the clearing had long ago distracted Ryoko from her work. She sat cross-legged among them and strung together a tiara of yellow and white blossoms as Ryo-Ohki frolicked a few feet away.
"Hello."
Ryoko looked over her shoulder and smiled a greeting at Kurogane as she sat down beside her.
Kurogane studied the little daisy chain in Ryoko's hands for a moment as Ryoko extended it further. The friendly "Miao" of Ryo-Ohki took her interest immediately.
"Well, hello." Kurogane said as Ryo-Ohki enjoyed the chin scratching.
"It's still hard to believe you're a starship." Kurogane said to the little cabbit, bemused.
"Meow!"
"You know," Kurogane whispered, "you sure are a whole lot... um... cuter that I expected."
"Miah!" Ryo-Ohki called, cuddling into Kurogane's head scratching.
Ryo-Ohki, distracted by a passing butterfly, scampered away. Kurogane picked a few flowers, interested in their botanical and biological structure and also curious as to how Ryoko was stringing them together.
"Like this." Ryoko said, guiding Kurogane's hands through the complex knot she liked to use.
As they both strung more flowers together, Ryoko reflected that she was happy that she had invited Kurogane. Not only was Kurogane's interests similar to Ryoko's, Kurogane could really put away the sake. It had been a long while since she had a good drinking companion.
Much to her relief, Kurogane had not paid Tenchi much mind, though she did watch with a sort of placid interest when she and Ayeka were vying for his attention.
Which meant, over all, that Kurogane made the perfect friend. Save, perhaps, for one detail yet to be worked out.
"What did Washu say about your ship?" Ryoko asked, unable to keep some of the trepidation out of her voice.
"Well," Kurogane started with a sigh, "She says it's fixable, and she can do it, it's just that she wants to try a few things with it first. I think she likes the fusion pile, and wants to study it." Kurogane sighed again, shaking her head.
"Well, if it's any consolation, it's fun having you here, so I think she's coming up with excuses for you to stay." Ryoko said with a smirk.
Kurogane chuckled and placed the flower coronet she had finished on Ryoko's head.
"Thanks." She said. "I have really enjoyed my stay."
Ryoko smiled back, then suggested they go see about lunch.
Tenchi swept at dirt that seemed to have no interest in leaving the stone walkways that surrounded the Masaki Shrine. With a patience he was unaware of, he kept at it.
"Hi." A soft voice said to him.
Tenchi turned and saw Ryoko standing behind him, smiling diminutively.
"Hi Ryoko." He greeted, smiling back.
Ryoko stepped up to him and gathered him in a hug. Tenchi was surprised it wasn't one of her crushing bear hugs, instead it was more a gentle caress. She placed a tender kiss on his cheek and disengaged without his needing to disentangle himself.
Not all that Ryoko-like. Nice, sure, but unexpected.
Tenchi had a feeling he knew what initiated the change. "So," He started cautiously. "how's Kurogane?"
"Fine. She's helping Washu move her ship's reaction core." Ryoko giggled at some memory. "She's fun. I like her being here. We were up late with a little sake and a game of mahjongg."
"Yeah, we noticed that." Tenchi said with much irony.
"You know she likes swashbuckling?" Ryoko continued, appearing not to have heard Tenchi's remark. "You should spar with her, she's good. What do you think of her, Tenchi?"
"Oh, well, I guess I like her."
"How much?" Ryoko asked in earnest.
"Um, well..."
"How much?" Ryoko asked again, sounding a little panicked.
"She's nice and all..."
"Tenchi, darling." Ryoko said, straining against her emotions and gathering his shirt in her fists. "How much?"
"Um, no more than you... um... like her?"
Ryoko nearly fell over with relief. She gathered him into a mighty hug. "Thank goodness."
"Ryrkr?" A muffled voice said.
"Yes, my Tenchi?"
"I cmph freathe." The muffled voice answered.
Ryoko's energy sword hummed through the air only to be stopped in a shower of sparks by Kurogane's stasis-enhanced monomolecular filament sword. Kurogane parried, then swung an attack of her own, aimed squarely at the base of Ryoko's neck. Just the tiniest fraction of a second before decapitation would have occurred, Ryoko phased out, teleporting behind her opponent.
Kurogane used the inertia of her swing to turn, swinging a booted foot into Ryoko's belly, sending her flying into a nearby boulder with a whoosh of an unexpected exhale.
Recovering quickly, Ryoko leapt up and dove into an upper diagonal swing, obviously intended to open Kurogane's stomach. Kurogane's parry came around in plenty of time to prevent it.
Except that Ryoko's swing missed by almost a foot, came all the way around in a graceful arc, stopping a mere millimeter from Kurogane's throat, her own sword in exactly the wrong position to do anything about it.
Kurogane smiled broadly at Ryoko. "You are good."
Ryoko let her energy sword dissipate. "Thanks!" She answered, also smiling broadly. "So are you. This is fun!"
Kurogane walked over to an old fallen tree to sit, Ryoko following. She pulled off a boot and let a small stone tumble out of it.
"I didn't hurt you, did I?" Kurogane asked as she put her boot back on.
"Nah." Ryoko said, brushing away the footprint from her clothes.
Ryoko watched as Kurogane seemed to ponder something that made her uncomfortable.
"What?" Ryoko finally asked.
Kurogane gave a shallow shrug. "Tenchi."
Ryoko stiffened. "What about Tenchi."
"He always seems so happy to see you." She said, looking thoughtful. "I hear him talk about you, too. I know how strongly you feel for him. I think he feels just as strongly for you. I don't understand why he allows Ayeka to be in the way."
"Oh." Ryoko said with a combination of relief and dismay. "That's Tenchi for you."
"I don't see what he could possibly see in her. She treats you terribly. She refuses to say more than two words to me." She sighed. "What's to like?"
Ryoko had wondered about that. Ayeka could be such a snob, and she certainly was as arrogant as could be. But, how could she explain that in spite of her snobbery and arrogance, Ayeka was really quite likable, especially for a Juraian royal? Ryoko herself sometimes didn't really understand her relationship with the princess.
There seemed little point in worrying about it, though. Kurogane could believe whatever she wanted about Ayeka so long as she didn't go after Tenchi.
"Ryoko? Would you mind if I intervened a little?"
"What do you mean?" Ryoko asked.
"Well, I have an idea. I want to do something that will help Tenchi focus on you." She smiled self-consciously. "I like you, Ryoko. You're the first real friend I've ever had, and I want to do something for you." She reached out and gave Ryoko's hand a gentle squeeze. "We don't have much time for friends on N'Grath."
Ryoko smiled, warmed by the idea of being Kurogane's first real friend. "Well..."
"Please? I just know you'll like it."
"Oh, Okay." Ryoko said. "What the heck."
"Tenchi, I need you at the temple early today. There are a few extra chores I need your help to complete." Yoshou said as the table was cleared from breakfast.
"Oh, well I have to harvest the latest crop of carrots today, or they'll start to rot." Tenchi said, unwilling to say no to his grandfather. "How early do you need me?" He asked, hoping he could manage to get to it all.
"In about an hour." Yoshou said. "Will that be enough time?"
"Well..." Tenchi began, sounding unhappy.
"I would like to help." Ayeka offered, jumping at the chance to be with the object of her affections.
"If it's acceptable to you, Mr. Masaki, I would like to help as well." Kurogane offered, humbly.
Ryoko glared at Kurogane, who only winked at her, signaling it was Ok - part of the plan.
"Great!" Tenchi exclaimed. "We can easily do it in less than an hour, if we work together."
Ayeka gave Kurogane an unappreciative look, but acquiesced without comment.
As they headed out the door, Ryoko watched them go, feeling suddenly uncertain. She was still looking toward them even as Sasami guided her to the kitchen, where her turn at washing the dishes awaited.
Ayeka walked beside Tenchi, wanting to be a bit closer but not daring to cross that line of decorum just yet. She shot a quick look over her shoulder to be certain that Kurogane was some distance behind. Kurogane seemed totally disinterested in them, instead looking around at the surrounding trees and occasionally up at the sky.
That suited Ayeka just fine.
"Ayeka, would you hold that basket for me?" Tenchi asked as they approached the crop of mature carrots. "And you get to be the Ryo-Ohki lookout."
Ayeka giggled appreciatively at his humor and turned to fetch the basket from beneath the tree where it rested.
As she lifted the basket she heard Tenchi grunt in pain. Instantly concerned, she dropped the basket and turned to see Tenchi fall to the ground, unconscious. Behind him Kurogane stood at the ready, obviously having just hit Tenchi with the hilt of her sword.
"You!" Ayeka called, accusingly. "How dare you harm Lord Tenchi?" She barked as her fields of force formed around her, a tiny log-like node at each nexus.
"Tenchi is fine." Kurogane answered calmly. "In fact, he's safest this way. It's you I intend to harm."
Kurogane pressed a button on her belt buckle and a dim white glow appeared about her form. She leapt sideways so fast that Ayeka lost sight of her.
Ayeka shot a tendril of force out to intercept the expected attack, but it came from the other side. With a startling flash of sparks, she felt part of her shields collapse. Her training alone saved her from the sword stroke intended by Kurogane to be fatal.
Ayeka's fields again lashed out, striking Kurogane in the chest and belly, sending her flying violently into a large tree, felling it in a billow of dust and splintered wood. For good measure, Ayeka lashed out again - though the dust and particles in the air made it a blind strike - to pummel her attacker.
Kurogane leapt up from the debris to avoid the hit, flying over it in a long arc that ended at Ayeka's head. The field of her shielding and the field Ayeka was projecting clashed, and the repudiating force blew both opponents apart from one another.
Ayeka turned her chaotic tumble into a graceful, cat-like landing. But the soft, tilled soil gave way and she thought she felt a bone snap in her ankle as it twisted out from under her.
Kneeling to hold what defense she could, she saw Kurogane slowly rise from her own rough landing. Her shields were obviously spent now, leaving her open to attack.
Ayeka summoned the last of her own strength for one final blow. All of her energy leapt toward the staggering Kurogane - enough to level a mountain.
When the dust settled, Ayeka looked at the small crater, and felt relief.
Then she cried out in anguish. Her ankle felt as though someone were crushing a boot into it, grinding her bones together. A hand painfully gathered her hair and yanked her head back. Kurogane snarled from above her.
"A good try, Jurian parvenu." She growled. "Not good enough. You will be in Ryoko's way no longer."
Ayeka could barely understand through her pain. She feebly lifted an arm to block the blow Kurogane was preparing.
She drew her sword back, yanking Ayeka's head to one side so that it would be easier to remove it. With a grunt of effort, the sword began its short journey.
A red energy sword halted it.
The blows came fast and unmercifully. Kurogane could only block some of them as she retreated; she felt welts and burns form all over her body as Ryoko's relentless attack drove her back, away from Ayeka.
Her sword flitted off into the tall grass, and it took Kurogane a moment to feel the pain of dismemberment. She fell back as she clutched at her smoking forearm and wailed in agony. Ryoko stood over her, a look of anger mixed with concern and confusion on her face.
"Why?" Ryoko asked after a long silence.
"I am your friend." She answered, whimpering. "She is... she is your enemy."
Ryoko glanced back at the exhausted Ayeka.
"No, she isn't." Ryoko explained sternly. "We don't get along all that well, but we're still friends. We've risked our lives for each other."
"B... but Tenchi. She won't let him..."
"That's Tenchi's choice." Ryoko snapped. "Murdering Ayeka wouldn't change that. How dare you? What kind of friend does this? After all this time, have you learned nothing about me? What the hell kind of monster do you think I am, if you thought I'd want Ayeka's blood on my hands and her death on my conscience?"
Ryoko trembled with rage, words failing her.
"Even Ayeka's never treated me so horribly!"
Kurogane's eyes and cheeks glistened with tears. "I'm sorry." She pleaded in a tiny voice.
Ryoko turned and went to Ayeka. She lifted her gently, Ayeka resting her head on Ryoko's shoulder, and carried her toward the Masaki home. Sasami and Washu met her as they ran to investigate, having heard the battle. Ryoko sent Washu to look after Tenchi.
Ayeka opened her eyes as the rising sun began to light her room. She smiled up at Tenchi, who was looking at her with concern.
"Feeling better, Miss Ayeka?" He asked in that adorably kind and honestly concerned way he had.
"Yes, thank you." Ayeka answered. "I hope your head is better, also."
Tenchi smiled and nodded the affirmative, then regretted the nod as his headache came back.
"Washu set your ankle and fused the bone. You can walk on it right away." Ayeka heard Ryoko say.
Ayeka looked toward Ryoko who stood looking out the window with her arms crossed. Ryoko glanced back, and they both looked away, uncomfortable. They traded glances again. Ryoko opened her mouth to say something, reconsidered, then started out of the room.
"Ryoko..." Ayeka began.
"Not now, princess. I have something I need to do."
Ayeka's face reddened with anger.
"Why that... that little..." Ayeka harrumphed. "It was her fault in the first place, bringing that girl here."
"Ayeka." Tenchi gently admonished. "That's not fair. Ryoko couldn't have known this would happen. "
Ayeka said nothing, but it was obvious she acceded.
"Besides, she was always so nice and polite, eager to be helpful. We all liked her. Even you mentioned that you didn't think she was so bad."
Ayeka nodded diminutively. A tear rolled down her cheek.
"It frightened me, Tenchi." She said in a voice devoid of her usual royal bearing, replaced with a childlike need for comfort. "She was going to kill me."
Tenchi stroked her hair. "But she didn't."
"If it hadn't been for Ryoko..."
"I know."
Kurogane studied her re-attached hand. Washu had been kind enough to tend to her medical needs, but hadn't said a single word to her, and even avoided eye contact. Once her wounds were dressed and her hand back in place, Washu had as much as thrown her out of her laboratory. Kurogane's ship waited just outside the Masaki home.
She considered just leaving, knowing she had made a terrible choice, costing her the one friend she ever had and nearly starting a shooting war with Jurai.
The shame weighed her down like it was made of depleted uranium.
The only thing keeping her from leaving was a naive need to make things better. She wished desperately that there was something she could say or do that would erase her mistake.
She froze, not daring to move, when Ryoko stepped out of the house and approached her.
"I... I'm so sorry." Kurogane half-whispered. "I thought she was your enemy, I didn't know she was your friend."
Ryoko flared. "She is not my friend!" She yelled. "Well, I don't think she is... There's more to people than enemies and friends! Ayeka may not be a friend, but she's... Ayeka is my..." Ryoko paused to think.
"Damn, I don't know what Ayeka is. But, she's not my enemy. She certainly isn't your enemy, either. You had no right to do that, Lieutenant Akagawa!" Ryoko thundered. "Why didn't you tell me that's what you were going to do? Did you mean to hide it from me?"
"I... just wanted it to be a surprise." Kurogane shrugged.
Ryoko humphed.
"I... I'm sorry." Kurogane pleaded. "I didn't know. I didn't understand."
Ryoko turned her back to the young woman. "Go."
"Ryoko, please!"
"Go!"
Kurogane boarded her ship, tears dripping from her cheeks. As her ship lifted off and started its ascent into outer space, all she could see was Ryoko's back as she walked into the Masaki home.
She didn't see the tears that rolled down Ryoko's cheek.