Takeshi and Kojiro opened their eyes slowly to the sound of someone knocking on their door.
"Musashi, could you get that?" Kojiro asked, still half-asleep and forgetting where he was. "It's prob'ly for you anyway."
Takeshi got up reluctantly and opened the door. "Yeah?" he asked sleepily.
"Oh! I'm sorry Takeshi, did I wake you?" It was Sasami.
"No problem Sasami," he assured her. "I'm usually up by now anyway. Must be something like jet-lag, I guess."
"Yeah, maybe." She looked past him. "Is Kojiro up?"
Kojiro waved an arm to signal he was awake, then let it drop again.
"You gotta get up, Kojiro!" Sasami told him. "You and Musashi have to go into town to buy some stuff today!"
Kojiro's head perked up immediately. "Shop?"
She nodded. "You can't just use Tenchi's things for the next four months. Now come on, breakfast is ready."
In a few minutes Kojiro, Takeshi, Musashi and the others were seated around the crowded table, talking and eating.
"Oh, I am ready for another trip into town!" Aeka commented. "I haven't been in ages."
"Maybe we can visit Kiyone and Mihoshi while we're there!" Sasami added hopefully.
"I hope you girls have fun," Tenchi said. "Too bad I've got school, or I'd join you."
Washu put her bowl down. "I can't go either. I've got to be working on the portal."
Ryoko had an idea. "You know, why do we all have to go anyway, huh? It'll just cost more money, and it's not as if Kojiro and Musashi won't be able to find their way around town."
Musashi shot her a look that meant, "What the heck are you doing?" but Ryoko just ignored it.
"I don't really need to go into Okiyama," Takeshi voiced.
"I have some stuff I can do too," Sasami added.
Aeka knew she couldn't go into town with Musashi, not after what happened last night. "A princess always has something she can be busy with- I shall merely finish it early, I suppose."
"I'm going with you," Ryoko said to the duo. "But once we get into town you're on your own. I've got a few things to do too."
"Drink and party," Aeka muttered; Ryoko either didn't hear or decided to ignore it.
"Now that that's settled," Tenchi began, standing up, "I'm off to class. See you this evening."
"Bye Tenchi!" all the girls (except Musashi) said in unison.
Tenchi blushed. "Right. Eh, bye."

"What was that all about?" Musashi snapped once she and Ryoko got back to their room. "Why did it suddenly have to be just me and Kojiro??"
Ryoko sighed impatiently. "I thought you said you wanted a little privacy. Here's your chance to show Kojiro that you care- don't exactly declare your love, or anything- but let him know that he isn't just an attachment to you. That he's a human who you like. Get it now?"
Musashi grinned. "Ryoko, I think I could get to liking you."
"That makes two of us."
Musashi grabbed Ryoko's brush and the clips Aeka had "given" her and began to pull her hair back into one long ponytail.
"What happened to 'pony is dull'?" Ryoko wondered. She shrugged. "Oh well, I guess you'll be getting some of that spray stuff in town."
"Actually," Musashi said, tying it up and brushing the long pony out, "I was thinking about getting some clips and things. I've had the same hairstyle for years and what better time than now to change it? Who knows? I may even get it trimmed a little."
"'Cause of what Kojiro said yesterday?" Ryoko guessed.
Musashi blushed, but made no comment.
"You are head over heels for this guy," Ryoko laughed. "I can't believe he hasn't figured it out yet."
"There's two of me," Musashi explained, placing the brush down. She stood up and headed for the door. "We going or what?"
"Right behind you," Ryoko said, following the Rocket out the door and downstairs.

Kojiro was already there, standing by the door in one of Tenchi's outfits and tapping his foot impatiently. Musashi could guess why he was a little sore. His lavender hair, which usually stayed out, was pulled back into a Tenchi-like tail.
"What's with the new 'do?" Musashi asked, walking down the stairs with Ryoko flying close behind.
"Well, after trying for hours to get my hair brushed with this cheap junky comb that Takeshi leant me, I finally gave up and asked Tenchi for one of his stupid ties. Do I look TOO much like a dork?"
"No. It's kinda cute," Musashi consented.
Ryoko's face turned red. "ARE YOU CALLING MY TENCHI A DORK?? IS THAT IT, PAL??"
Kojiro shook his head. "J-just saying that I look like one, not 'your' Tenchi."
"Yeah, that'd better be what you meant!" Ryoko turned her head and sniffed disdainfully. "And here I was, planning to give you a free ride into town..."
"Ryoko, you know he didn't mean it," Musashi came to her partner's defense. "What kind of a free ride is it, anyway?"
Ryoko grabbed both Kojiro and Musashi's hands. "Hold on, Kojiro. This is gonna feel a little weird."
Blackness... then they were in a dimmed apartment building.
Kojiro blinked several times. "That was just like that D-Space Travelling. What'd you do?"
"Teleported you," Ryoko said simply. "We're in Mihoshi and Kiyone's apartment. Just go out that door and take a bus to Katomo Street. That's where all the good shops are. Have fun. I'm outta here."
Kojiro closed his eyes for a moment, and when he opened them she was gone. "I wish she's stop doing that. One second she's here, the next she's not; she really oughta make up her mind."
"Quit whining," Musashi growled, but checked herself fast. If she was EVER going to get through to Kojiro, she's have to stop snapping at him and be at least semi-decent. "Let's make sure we catch the next bus."
Kojiro followed his partner out of the apartment, down a set of stairs and to the bus stop. Once again he found himself wondering how he could EVER like this Akuma-fujo, but it was useless trying to understand himself. Like he'd once told Nyaase: "Cupid's arrow strikes when you least expect it." How true it was!
"You're kind of quiet," Musashi noted as they stepped onto the bus, paid the toll and sat down. "Something wrong?"
Kojiro shook his head. "No, nothing." He looked around and realized suddenly that no one was paying any attention to them. The two were perfectly natural in this suburb- just a couple of teenagers going shopping. It was odd; he was so used to having people stare at his Rocket uniform...
"It's weird," Musashi commented, "not to be noticed."
But nice, Kojiro thought to himself. "Isn't this our stop?"
"You two gettin' off or what?" the bus driver asked a bit impatiently. "You're holdin' up my crew."
"Listen up, pops! You could try being a little more polite!" Musashi shot back.
"Move it or lose it," he said, not in the least bit threatened by a couple of snappish brats. "Kids these days, always tryin' to stir up trouble."
"TROUBLE?" Musashi's eyes flared. "Nande kande-" Kojiro grabbed her arm and pulled her off the bus. The moment both feet were planted on dry land the door of the vehicle slammed shut and zoomed off.
"What was the for? That jerk needed to be taught a lesson by the toughest criminals on Nomékop!" Musashi yelled at Kojiro.
He took a step back. "Musa-chan, we're not ON Nomékop anymore, remember? We have to try to blend in. If someone sees a couple of kids with R's on their shirts spewing a motto and throwing out Pokéballs, they won't be scared of us- they'll ship us to an institution. You want to get commited your second day on Earth?"
Musashi sighed. "Guess not." She looked up at the building in front of her and grinned. "Look at that mall! It's huge!"
Even Kojiro had to agree. "This money's burning a hole in my pocket! Let's go!"
The two dashed into the mall, immediately blending in with the other young adults shopping that day. After quickly counting their cash the duo realized that they had quite a bit of money known as "yen." Neither of the two knew exactly how much a yen was, but from the price tags in windows it seemed like they had plenty!
"Hey Kojiro, what d'you think of this?"
"It's perfect on you! Do you think this color makes me look like an idiot?"
"Of course not! I bet it's really ikasu here! How 'bout this?"
"Great. You've always had good taste, though."
"I could say the same about you."
By the time they were done shopping the friends had gotten five outfits each- Musashi had also gotten a kimono that she had forbid Kojiro to see (a romantic surprise, she thought with a smile)- and some basic necessities. To Kojiro's surprise, hairspray had not been one of Musashi's items.
Now, they sat at an outside table, enjoying the fall air and eating some Japanese delicacies.
"That was nice," Musashi sighed happily, patting the bags at her side. "I can't remember the last time I had that much fun. It's been years since we've been shopping."
"'Cause we're always broke... and always busy with the job," Kojiro remarked.
Musashi smiled, sipping an American drink called Coca-Cola. "We need to do this again. I really had a good time with you, Kojiro. We should spend more time like this."
Kojiro returned the smile. Musashi had been unusually nice to him today- he wondered if it was D-Space aftershock, or if she was just more relaxed without work. At any rate, he liked it. "Thanks, Musa-chan."
Musashi's RDS- Romance Defense System- kicked in before she could stop it. "I mean, since shopping IS the only thing you're good at, we should do more of it so you can feel like you've got a LITTLE talent."
"Oh. Right." Kojiro's smile dropped. He'd thought too soon- she was still Musashi, no matter where they were.
Musashi cursed herself. She always did that! Everytime the two could have a small bit of bonding, what happened? Her stupid RDS took over! Musashi knew she could never apologize for that last comment- it just wasn't something she did- but she made up for it by offering to buy Kojiro something.
"Well," Kojiro said sheepishly. "I DID see something that looked interesting..."

"A video game." Musashi drawled, looking at what Kojiro was pointing at. "You could have anything in this mall. And you picked a video game."
"But Musashi!" Kojiro whined. "You didn't look at the title! It's called 'Musashi soshite Kojiro!' We must be celebrities!"
Musashi grabbed the videogame, staring at the two figures on the cover. "I don't get it. There's two guys on the cover. When did I become a guy?"
"It's cheaper if you rent it."
The duo jumped, turning around. "Ryoko?? What are you doing here??"
"I could ask the same of you," Ryoko said, grinning. "I've been looking all over the mall for you. What're you doing in a toy store?"
Musashi pointed at her partner. "HE wanted to buy a videogame."
"I noticed." Ryoko pushed past Musashi to see what Kojiro was holding. "Hm... 'Musashi soshite Kojiro.' Never heard of it, but it looks pretty old. Weird that it's got your names on it."
"You mean you don't know either?" Kojiro asked. Ryoko shook her head. "Well, maybe Tenchi does, since he's lived on Earth all his life. You like video games, Ryoko?"
She nodded. "Yeah, Tenchi's got a real sweet system that takes that game. But you must have known, or you wouldn't have thought about buying it. He's got this one game, it's a fighting thing called 'Uchuuryokou Hasha', and the characters look like me and Aeka... those guys on that game don't look much like you, though."
"They're both men," Musashi grumbled.
"Ah, who cares?" Ryoko asked rhetorically. "You gonna buy it or what? If you'd rather just play it I know of a place where you can rent games. It's cheaper, too, so if you don't like it you didn't waste your money."
"It's not that expensive," Kojiro remarked. "I think I'll get it. And if it sucks, I can always return it, right?"
Ryoko nodded. "So whatcha waitin' for? Go get it and let's go home! I haven't had anything to eat today 'cept some nachos and one glass of Sake."
Musashi handed the money over to Kojiro, who went up to the counter and bought the game.
"I hope Sasami doesn't get too mad that we spent some of the money on a game," Kojiro said, after they'd already left the store. "She did give us a lot of yen, and it was all she had..."
"You kidding?" Ryoko laughed. "With a big spender like Aeka around the house, Sasami never gives us all the money. You're lucky if you got a quarter of the savings!"
"Oh, that's good. I woulda felt kinda bad if I'd used almost ALL her money!"
Ryoko rolled her eyes. "And you call yourselves criminals." The pirate had a thought. She threw her arms around Kojiro's neck. "You're kinda cute! I like a guy with a conscience!"
Musashi flared red. What the heck was Ryoko doing with KOJIRO???
It turned out she had nothing to worry about. With one arm around Kojiro's neck, she searched through his pocket until she found the remaining yen. "Here we go!"
Kojiro, who by this time was thoroughly freaked and blushing deeply, sighed when he realized that all she wanted was money.
Ryoko counted it quickly, then a smile spread across her face. "Just enough!" She stuffed the money into her bra immediately, saying quickly to the others, "I've got something I need to do. Go down to the 'Akuma's Hebun' and wait for me. I'll be by in a few minutes and then we'll go home, okay? Okay, buh-bye."
POOF! She had disappeared in an instant, leaving the dazed pair to try to find the "Akuma's Hebun."

After nearly ten minutes of searching and asking directions, they finally reached the destination Ryoko had picked. Inside, already waiting for them, was Ryoko.
Her cheeks slightly red, either from the heat of the room or from the alcohol in front of her, Ryoko seemed to be in an incredibly agreeable mood.
"Hi there you guys! What took ya so long? Nevermind that, okay? Let's just go home," she took a swig of the bottle in from of her. "That's the stuff! Thanks for the money, this Sake sure is some of the best I ever had!"
Kojiro raised an eyebrow. "What's Sake?"
"Like beer," Musashi explained, "but stronger."
Ryoko waved the bottle in front of them. "Ya want some, huh?"
Musashi took a swig, encouraging Kojiro to try it too. After a bit of persuading, he did as she said.
"Dang!" Kojiro exclaimed. "That's great!"
"You'll get hooked too," Ryoko chuckled, she grabbed their hands. "Let's split, all right?"
"Won't people wonder why three people just dis-" Musashi never finished. She was zapped into oblivion, then back in the Masaki living room.
"Home sweet home!" Ryoko flung her arms wide, took another drink from her bottle, then teleported up to her room.
"Well, at least she was sober enough to get us to the right place," Kojiro commented dryly.
"Ryoko's not drunk," someone behind them remarked. "It takes a whole bottle of Sake to get THAT one buzzed. She's just a little tipsy. It'll pass in about an hour, I'd bet."
It was Washu.
"Shouldn't you be down in your lab working on that machine?" Musashi questioned. She was still a little angry at the scientist for calling her Fire Scalp and bashing her face in.
"I can't spend all day down there, you know." Washu told them. "I gotta come up AT LEAST four times a day for food and stuff."
"Whatever. My feet are killing me. I'm gonna take a bath before I unpack."
"See you in a couple minutes!" Washu called as she went up the stairs.
A couple minutes? Musashi thought to herself. Since when did bathing take a couple minutes?

Kojiro threw his stuff down on his bed. Takeshi was on the other side of the room, flipping through a Japanese magazine drearily.
"What's your problem?" Kojiro wondered, unpacking his things.
"Girls!" Takeshi wailed. "I don't know what I'm doing wrong! Everything I do just gets them to like me even less! I've tried Aeka, I just tried Ryoko, and I even tried Washu! Kiyone and Mihoshi came over for a while, and Mihoshi was the only one who would even look at me! Sasami likes me, but she's WAY too young! WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO DO IF I CAN'T EVEN GET A GIRL FROM ANOTHER PLANET?!"
Kojiro stuffed the last of his clothes into a drawer and plopped down on the bed. "Why don't you ask Tenchi? He seems to know how to get the women."
Takeshi's jolted upright. "Kojiro, you're a genius! I take back a quarter of the bad stuff I've said to you," and with that he dashed out of the door, headed for Tenchi's room.
"Oo, a quarter. He must be starting to like me," Kojiro said sarcastically. He picked up the magazine Takeshi had been looking through, and to his surprise one from inside fell out. The cover read, in a language Kojiro couldn't read, "Playboy." Inside were pictures of scantily clad women, or women without clothes at all. Kojiro almost fell on the floor, laughing and wondering where Takeshi had found THAT junk.

Takeshi almost ran into Tenchi halfway down the hallway.
"Oh! Hi, Takeshi."
Takeshi dove to the floor, groveling at Tenchi's feet. "Oh Master Tenchi, ruler of the home I stay in: could you teach me your ways? I am but a humble servant, and-"
"What?" Tenchi cut in. "What are you talking about? Teach you what ways?"
"Your ways with women, of course!" Takeshi said matter-of-factly. "How can you draw them to you like that, while everything I do just makes them run off?" Takeshi grabbed on to his leg. "You have to tell me before I die alone and unloved!"
Tenchi tried to shake the teen off. "I don't have any 'ways' Takeshi! And I never asked for them all to flock to me. I don't know anything about women- I don't do ANYTHING special for them. I'm myself."
Takeshi looked up. "Yourself? I... I never thought of that. But- but... can I be sure that it works?"
"How should I know?" Tenchi snapped. He sighed. "As much as I hate to admit it, my dad's the one you should be asking. He's sort of a player, if you know what I mean-"
"Is he the one who had the dirty magazines?" Takeshi interrupted.
Tenchi sweat-dropped, but nodded.
"That's my man! Where is he?"
Just then the door slammed shut from downstairs. "Tenchi, I'm home!"
"That's my father, Nobuyuki," Tenchi told Takeshi.
Takeshi scrambled up from his position and zipped downstairs. In a moment Tenchi heard the D-Space Traveller exclaim. "Oh Master of the House, teach me all you know!"

Musashi sunk into the water so it that only her head was above it. "Ah, nothing like a steamy bath after a day of shopping."
Dimly, she heard voices from outside the spa gradually get louder. It sounded like all the girls in the house were heading her way. Suddenly the door to the bath slid open, and in walked Washu, Ryoko, Aeka and Sasami, all in bath robes.
"HEY!" Musashi yelled, grabbing the towel next to her and wrapping it quickly around herself. "I was here first! Wait for your own turn!"
Sasami cocked her head. "Turn?"
The three older women burst out laughing.
"We don't have turns, girl!" Ryoko cackled. "It's all at once! What's wrong? It's perfectly natural here. Don't you have spas and group baths on Nomékop?"
"No, we do NOT have group baths!" Musashi snapped. "And in spas we wear SWIMSUITS!"
Washu sighed. "I guess you're planet become kind of Americanized, huh? That's what people in the U.S. do, too." She grinned. "First time for everything, right?"
"Hold up! What if I'm not comfortable with that?" Musashi questioned.
"You can leave," Ryoko said bluntly. "And wait till we're done." She leaned closer to Musashi. "What's the problem? Look, if you're worried about not looking good in front of us, don't worry about it. You couldn't be any worse than Aeka."
Aeka turned bright red. "WHAT!? What was that you said about me Miss Ryoko?!"
"You wouldn't be mad if it wasn't true," Ryoko snickered.
"That. Is. IT!" Aeka shrieked, the small 'salt and pepper shakers' appearing around the bath. "You never stop your teasing Ryoko and now in front of company too. You need to be taught a lesson and I am here just for that!"
"Catch me if you can!"
Ryoko teleported around the springs; always one step ahead of Aeka.
"Stop moving!"
"Make me!"
"You coward! Stand and fight!"
"Just give up. I'm too quick for you Princess."
Musashi watched as the blasts from Aeka drew closer and closer to she, Washu and Sasami. "Er, should we take cover or something?"
"Good idea," Washu agreed. Instantly a golden shield surrounded the trio, keeping them out of harm's way. "Ready for the bath now?"
It took a little coaxing, but before long the group of semi-peaceful bathers were relaxing happily to the sound of Ryoko's taunts and Aeka's shrills.

"So... they're in there?" Takeshi said, pointing to the spa door. Nobuyuki nodded. "And... if we open the door... we see nothing?" Another nod. Takeshi grabbed his hair. "WHAT KIND OF A PLANET IS THIS?!"
"I don't believe this," Tenchi groaned, standing at the main door to the bathroom.
Dimly they heard noises that sounded vaguely like explosions and obscenities.
"They're probably fighting," Nobuyuki sighed.
"Without any clothes on, too," Takeshi moaned.
The two 'players' sank to the floor, heads down in despair.
"Um... is this some kind of Japanese tradition?" Kojiro poked his head into the room. "Are we paying hommage to the porcelain god or something?"
Nervous laughter from Tenchi. "Oh, konichiwa Kojiro. No, my dad and Takeshi are... did you need something?"
Kojiro held up the video game. "Yeah, I was wondering if you could explain this to me."
Tenchi took the game. "'Musashi soshite Kojiro.' That's sort of a funny coincidence!"
"Do you know why they would call it that?"
Tenchi thought for a moment. "Well, I think my grandpa told me a story about it once, but it was a long time ago. You'd better ask him when he gets home. He'd know a lot more than I would."
"Oh. All right. By the way, do you know where Musashi is?"
"Why don't you ask them?" Tenchi said dryly, jerking a thumb at Takeshi and Nobuyuki, who were now leaning against the door in hopes of picking up a conversation (the shouts had long since died down, and it was impossible to tell what was going on in there).
"D'you think we could peek through the cracks in the wood?"
"Tried it already."
"Blast it."
"Perverts," Tenchi and Kojiro muttered in unison.
Just then the door of the spa slid open and a refreshed Ryoko, a wet and tired Aeka, and the remaining three ladies stepped out in their bath robes.
Aeka looked down. "What?! Father- Takeshi... what are you doing!?"
They giggled nervously. "Uh, we were just, er-"
"Kojiro?" Musashi questioned. "You little freak."
"Hey, I was just trying to find Tenchi!" he justified.
Sasami grinned. "Tenchi! Are you starting to take after Father?"
"Uh, I can explain-"
Ryoko had her arms around him in an instant. "You know, Tenchi, my offer still stands. You're welcome in with us anytime."
"Ugh, Ryoko get off!" Tenchi said irritably.
"But it's only natural for me to want to be near you!"
"You're impossible!"
Musashi was beginning to understand why Ryoko was having so much trouble with Tenchi. He wasn't much of a party guy- which the pirate was- and didn't want to get drug into that sort of thing. "Ryoko, darling, do you think you can join me in our room? I have a few important things I wanna, ah, talk to you about."
Ryoko was about to object, but saw the look in Musashi's eyes. "Right behind you Musa!"
MUSA?? Ugh.
Once the pair of schemers were safely in their room, Musashi turned to Ryoko and said: "You expect to get Tenchi like that!? Are you braindead or crazy!?"
Sparks flew from Ryoko's hands. "Well I don't see YOU getting far with Kojiro either, so back off! I'll do it my way, and you'll see, Tenchi will be mine!"
"The only reason I'm not getting far with," she lowered her voice, "him is because I can't get up enough nerve to say what I'm feeling. You, on the other hand, don't have much of a problem with that. But you're expressing them too wildly. Tenchi doesn't like that."
"HOW DO YOU KNOW WHAT TENCHI LIKES!?" Ryoko hissed in a very loud whisper.
"I don't. Yet. But in a couple weeks I will." She smirked. "I told you I understood guys, didn't I?" She paused in thought. "But while I'm doing that, you're gonna have to do something for me, all right?"
"What's that?"
"Find out if Kojiro's straight for not. There'd be no use trying to get together with him if he was gay. Can you do that?"
Ryoko nodded. "Though, since he hasn't hit on Tenchi yet, I can make a pretty good guess that he's not a fruit. Tenchi's irresistable to everyone, you know."
"Right," Musashi rolled her eyes. She looked at the clock on the wall. "Sasami said the food she'd put on to simmer was almost done. We'd better get dressed and get down to eat."

The sound of a high-pitched shriek made everyone in the Masaki residence jump.
"AH! MONSTER! OH, LORD, WHAT IS IT!?" The voice was Aeka's.
Ryoko, Musashi, Tenchi, Kojiro, and Takeshi all arrived on the scene at about the same time. Washu and Sasami were already there. They found Aeka up on the living room couch, skirt in hands and wailing to high heavens. Below her was a reddish, fox-like creature, looking up at her curiously.
"Oh! Tenchi! Thank God! This- this- thing is trying to attack me!"
The three D-Space Travellers stared at her a moment, then broke into helpless laughter.
"That? A monster?" Musashi howled.
"Hardly!" Kojiro chuckled.
Takeshi tried to regain his composure. "That's one of my Pokémon. I let her out to get some exercise, since she's been cooped up in her Pokéball for so long. She's called a Vulpix." He pulled out a red-and-white sphere. "Vulpix, return." The animal turned into a gassy substance and disappeared into the ball.
"Pokémon." Aeka repeated. "Isn't that the name of the animals that live on your planet?"
Musashi nodded. "And you don't have to be afraid of them. They don't attack- unless we tell them to." She laughed again. "Really, I wasn't this freaked when I met Ryo-Ohki, and that's just as odd as any Pokémon... except maybe Jynx..."
"Anyway," Kojiro interrupted. "It would be kind of weird for people to see Pokémon running around. Where are we supposed to stick them while we're here?"
"I have the answer for that," Washu spoke up. She turned to each of them. "Could I please have those balls?"
The boys blushed. The girls giggled.
"The POKéballs," Washu emphasized.
"Oh. Sure." The trio handed over their Pokémon to the scientist. "What are you gonna do to them?"
"I'm going to make a dimensional habitat for them. But I'll need to study their brain waves to see what they would want most in a home." She turned one of the Pokéballs over in her hand. "And while I'm at it I'll check out these little beauties. Fitting a living creature into a tiny sphere... what an idea..." She walked off, still muttering to herself about how interesting the Pokéballs were.
"Never saw anyone so amazed at something people on Nomékop made over 50 years ago," Takeshi commented. He shrugged, walked in to the kitchen, and soon returned with a dish of steaming rice and a dish of chicken in an oriental spice. "Who's hungry?"
Everyone grabbed a bowl and some chopsticks and helped themselves. Even though Washu decided to skip the meal, Kiyone and Mihoshi had come over for the evening, and Nobuyuki and Katsuhito were joining them also, so the table was even more crowded than usual! Ryoko and Aeka fought for space next to Tenchi (Aeka won this time), so Ryoko ended up hovering just inches above Aeka's head (if only to piss her off); Kiyone and Mihoshi were crammed together at the far end, Musashi ended up next to Aeka and snapped at her every time she got touched her slightly; Takeshi found himself wedged between Mihoshi and Sasami- one moment he was flirting, the next talking sanely; the older men sat on the couch, knees to chest; Tenchi was constantly squished between Aeka and Kiyone; and Kojiro kept bumping elbows with Sasami because they ate with different hands.
"Pass the steamed rice, please."
"Get it yourself."
"Be nice, Musa-chan!"
"Oh, quiet Kojiro!"
"Why don't you both shut up?"
"SHOVE IT TAKESHI!"
"Fine. So, Mihoshi, do you like the food?"
"Yeah, Takeshi-chan, it's great!"
"The sauce is my own recipe!"
"Wow! Really?"
"Yep! It's real nice having Takeshi in the kitchen with me!"
"It's great!"
"Kiyone, quit hogging the chicken!"
"I'm not hogging it, Ryoko, I can't move it away from me because my arms are getting crushed!"
"Oh! Sorry Sasami!"
"That's all right Kojiro. It's not your fault I'm left-handed."
"Ugh! Stupid Kojiro made me spill rice all over my jacket!"
"I didn't do that, Takeshi! You did it yourself!"
"Prove it!"
"Takeshi why don't you quit whining?"
"He's not whining, Ryoko, he's just telling Kojiro the facts."
"Facts my butt! And could you PLEASE quit reaching over me, Aeka?! It's startin' to piss me off."
"Everything angers YOU, Miss Musashi!"
Kojiro winced as the last comment was said quite shrilly by the loud-spoken Aeka. He was tired of the voices, the elbows in the ribs, and the stinging comment. Quietly he stood up, bowl in hand, and walked out to the porch. Tenchi, noticing where the other teen was going, decided to follow suite and joined him outside. No one even saw them leave.
"It's a lot quieter out here," Tenchi remarked, sitting next to Kojiro.
He nodded. "It was almost better back home. At least then there were only three of us." He grinned. "Musashi's on cloud nine, though. She's not happy unless she has someone to argue with."
"Ryoko's sort of like that, too," Tenchi said, smiling. "So, everything's been happening so fast I haven't had a chance to really talk to any of you. You said you were a thief, right? How was that?"
Kojiro shrugged. "Better than living on the streets, I guess, but not by much." He took a bite of the Japanese delicacy. "It's been years since I had regular meals like this."
"That was one thing Ryoko used to complain about, too," Tenchi said. "She was a space pirate, you know- still is I guess- so she's kind of on your level. It's funny, though, because neither you nor Musashi seem like the villain types."
"We aren't," Kojiro sighed. "But we don't have a better option, you know?" He decided to change the subject. "And occasionally it's better than this insane atmosphere. Don't you get tired of it?"
"Sometimes. But then I remember how boring it was without them. No, I wouldn't give the girls up for all the gold in China."
"China? Uh, nevermind." Kojiro smirked slyly. "So, which one of 'em's your favorite?"
"Favorite?!" Tenchi blushed. "I guess I never thought about it!"
"Oh please! You've known them for what? Years? And they- at least, Aeka and Ryoko- obviously have the hots for you- and you've NEVER considered which one you like best? This is one wacked up planet you live on."
"I guess I like them all about the same," Tenchi finally answered.
"Even Ryoko and Aeka?" Kojiro pried. "They seemed like maybe a little bit more than friends."
Tenchi blushed. "Well, I like THEM the same, too. Ryoko's a handful, but she understands me- we've always had a sort of bond, I guess... if only she'd get the clue that I don't want the same type of relationship she does."
"Which would be...?"
"The illegal on 25 planets kind."
"Oh. And Aeka?"
"She's nice, and a bit more subtle than Ryoko, but there's something about that proper everything-perfect atmosphere that I've never been in to. And Aeka's crawling with that attitude." Tenchi grinned. "Why? Are you looking for a girlfriend and wanted to find out who was taken?"
Kojiro blushed, shaking his head. "Naw, I was just curious. And you never REALLY answered. You know you can't just not-date them all forever. Eventually they'll get tired of it."
Tenchi looked back into the house. "It looks like everyone's finally settled down. A couple of the girls have finished up and cleared the table away. Want to go back in?"
"Yeah. I'm done anyway." Kojiro wondered why Tenchi hadn't answered his question, but decided not to keep bugging him. Not tonight, anyway.
The girls actually noticed when the duo came back in.
"Tenchi! There you are!" Aeka said thankfully. "I was worried that..."
"That what? Kojiro stole him?" Musashi taunted. "We couldn't even catch a yellow RAT!"
"You be quiet! You may be a guest, but you're still a crook, and I'm still the Princess of Jurai!"
"As if we haven't heard that enough times," Ryoko muttered.
"I'm gonna clean this off in the kitchen," Kojiro said to no one in particular, and took his empty bowl into the equally empty kitchen. Musashi and Ryoko exchanged looks, and within moments Ryoko too had finished her meal; she followed Kojiro into the kitchen.
"So. Kojiro." Ryoko began, unsure of how to start this.
"Ryoko."
Being the straight-forward pirate that she was, Ryoko said the first thing that popped into her head. "Were you hitting on Tenchi out there?"
Kojiro stared at her for a second. "What kind of oroka question is that?!"
"Just wondering. You seemed pretty friendly towards him, and since it's obvious you aren't staight..."
"WHAT?!" Kojiro squealed, almost surpassing Aeka in shrillness- almost.
"...Bisexual, whichever..."
"How dare you! Of course I'm straight! And even if I was bi I would never hit on Tenchi because, because-" he stopped, wondering how he was going to finish this one.
"Because there's someone else?" Ryoko asked suddenly. Maybe Kojiro returned Musashi's feelings!
"No... just, just 'cause... I know you and Aeka would kill me, is all." He looked down, knowing it was lame but feeling it was the best excuse he had.
"Mm-hm, sure," the pirate leaned in close to the Rocket. "So who is it? Someone you just met here? Someone still on Nomékop? Or, perhaps, an old friend and partner...?"
Kojiro threw an old dishrag at Ryoko's face. "Your turn. I think I'm gonna hit the sack- it's been a long day."
"Yeah. Whatever," Ryoko growled from behind the towel. As he walked out, she added under her breath. "Ya big fat liar."

Kojiro had just reached the stairs when Tenchi called him back over.
"Kojiro! Grandpa says he knows something about the videogame, if you wanted to hear it!"
The Rocket did a back-track, taking a seat on the floor between Tenchi and Aeka. "Oh, okay, sounds good." He jostled Aeka a little when he sat down. "Sorry."
"Humph," was all she said in reply.
There was a definite tension between Musashi and Aeka, and Kojiro wondered if maybe a fight had erupted while he'd been in the kitchen. He didn't have time to wonder about it, though, because Katsuhito addressed him:
"Musashi soshite Kojiro, eh?" he asked, leaning back into a more comfortable position. "Mm-hm, there's quite a legend behind those two. In fact, when I first heard that was your names I thought it to be an interesting coincidence... or fate."
"Fate?" Musashi queried eagerly. "This sounds good."
"Is it scary 'cause I don't like scary stories," Mihoshi shuddered.
"Stay close to me," Takeshi told her, grinning a cat-like smile.
Katsuhito chuckled. "No, not scary at all." He took a moment to build tension and clean off his glasses, giving Ryoko enough time to float and squeeze in between Kojiro and Tenchi. "Musashi and Kojiro were two Samurai warriors, the best of their time. Musashi was the greatest, and Kojiro was his rival."
"HIS?" Musashi growled irritantly.
"Back then there were few women warriors," Katsuhito explained. "You must remember this happened a very long time ago." Another short pause, then, "Now, where was I? Ah, yes... Musashi and Kojiro fought each other constantly. And, eventually, Musashi killed Kojiro in a fierce fight." Kojiro whimpered quietly. "Afterwards, the samurai regretted his decision, because now he had no one worthy to go up against."
Blinking of eyes.
"That's it?" Sasami wondered. "Kinda short, doncha think?"
Katsuhito nodded. "It is a very old legend and many of the details have been lost through the years."
Musashi snorted. "It's only a story, anyway. What makes you say it's fate?"
"No reason. That story really has nothing to do with why it may be destiny."
"Quit talking in rhymes!" Ryoko snapped. She checked herself immediately, remembering that Lord Katsuhito was also a powerful Juraiian warrior. "Um, honorable father, do you suppose you could explain yourself?"
"In China, not too far away from here," he added for their D-Space friends. "Kojiro was the master of love" (Kojiro pulled down an eyelid at the 'love god' Takeshi) "and Masashi was his wife."
"MA-sashi?" Aeka yelped, nearly dropping her cup of tea. "My, what a coincidence!"
Mihoshi sipped her own cup for a while. With a jolt, her head snapped up. "Hey! Masashi sounds just like Musashi almost! That's really weird, you know?"
Ryoko elbowed Kojiro, cackling wickedly. "Heheh, wadda ya know? Good stuff, huh?" He blushed violently, looking down at hs lap. Ryoko turned to Katsuhito. "Now, honorable father, tell us the story about the beautiful girl Ryoko who won King Tenchi and saved him from the wicked witch Aeka!"
"RYOKO YOU MADE THAT UP AND YOU KNOW IT!"
Kojiro decided this was a good time to make his escape upstairs. He quietly slipped away, not letting anybody see him this time. After the fight between Ryoko and Aeka broke up a little, Musashi signaled to her partner in love-crime and the duo also made their way up the steps, leaving the others to their own devices.

"Hey Kojiro."
"Oh, hi Musashi. What's up?"
"Oh, not much." She took a seat on his bed. "You and Tenchi seem to be getting along pretty well."
Kojiro slapped his forehead. "Am I gonna be interrogated all night? First Ryoko, now you... for the love of God, I'm not gay!"
"I know that," Musashi sighed in relief. Ryoko had told her about their conversation, but Musashi had to hear for herself. "I just wondered what you were talking about."
"Girls." Kojiro answered hotly. "And what chicks look best in bathing suits."
Musashi couldn't help but laughing at him. "I believe you when you say you aren't gay." She poked him teasingly. "And everyone knows you look the best in a bathing suit- a girl's or guy's."
"Shut up, I was drunk and you know it!" Kojiro tried to sound angry, but it came out like a pouting kid. "You and Nyaase could've talked me into going out there naked!"
"Still, we did give Kasumi a scare..."
"And Takeshi actually thought I was a girl for a while!"
They snickered evilly at the memory.
"See, Rocket Dan isn't all bad," Musashi told him. "We had fun... sometimes."
"Guess so."
Musashi leaned against his shoulder. Neither of them considered it a real gesture of affection- they were used to being close to the other. "So, back to the subject at hand... what WERE you talking about with Tenchi?"
"Girls." Kojiro said again. "Seriously. I asked him which one of the girls he liked best."
"And?"
"And why should you care?" Kojiro countered. "Maybe it was a man-to-man talk, and I'm sworn to secrecy."
"But it wasn't. I'm naturally nosy, just like you. So what'd he say? C'mon, I can keep it secret!" Musashi leaned in closer so that her face was inches from his and her chest touching his, trying to use Ryoko's tactic of subtly seducing her partner. She'd done it a few times before, and it usually got results.
He blushed, leaning back. "He said that Ryoko understood him well and they'd always had a sort of bond, but he wasn't into her, eh, 'illegal on 25 planets' relationship idea."
The wheels in Musashi's head were turning. So Tenchi didn't like the wild, sexy tactic; just like she'd thought. "Did you guys talk about much else?"
"He asked me about Rocket Dan and how the thieving business was-" Kojiro was cut off, because the door to his room opened and in stepped Takeshi. He looked at the pair, VERY close together.
"Oh, wow, I'm... geez, I didn't know you were... geez, I'll just... Mihoshi wanted to talk so I'll... oh man, this is awkward..."
"It's not what it looks like, Takeshi!" Kojiro squealed, jumping up and blushing like crazy. "We were just talking, I swear!"
"Talk... right... yeah, that's what I'll tell them... when they ask why I came back down... I'll say I didn't want to disturb the talking duo... yeah, okay..."
"Get a grip, twerp!" Musashi snapped, frying pan held out menacingly. "When we say we were talking we WERE talking, and nothing more!" She pointed a finger at Kojiro. "Do you really think I would do ANYTHING with that moron? Be honest, it could mean your life."
Takeshi sweat-dropped. "Talk, that's all, of course. Gotcha." He moved towards his drawer. "Sasami wanted to see my, um, my recipe book... she wants to try some of them. Are you coming back down after you finish 'talking,'? Because I've heard 'talking' can be exhausting. Should I knock before I go to bed, to make sure you aren't 'talking' anymore?"
Anger veins were popping out on both teen's heads, and at the same time they were blushing bright red. "GET OUT!"
Takeshi dashed out the door, followed closely by a rolling pin, a mallet, a frying pan, and two pairs of slippers.

"What'd you find out?" Ryoko questioned later that night as she and Musashi dined on Sake and some chocolate they'd found in the fridge.
"Tenchi doesn't like that seductive, illegal on most planets stuff that you try to pull. At least, he won't like it 'till you have a set relationship, which probably means marriage," Musashi told her.
Ryoko cursed under her breath.
They paused for a moment to pour another glass of their favorite liquid. Ryoko sipped hers, eyeing Musashi over the lid. "Word from Takeshi says you and your partner were getting pretty intimate in Kojiro's room."
Musashi spit the Sake out. "He said that!?"
Ryoko nodded, a smirk pasted on her face. "And here you said you couldn't show him your true feelings."
"We weren't doing anything!" Musashi barely managed to keep her voice down. "I was talking to him, is all. Takeshi just happened to come in at the wrong time." She sighed. "I wish I COULD show my feelings, the way you do. I had so many opportunities today, too, and I blew it. Like always."
"Hey, no need to worry!" Ryoko assured her. "Just take your lessons from the master. So, are we ready to begin step two?"
"...Not yet," Musashi said after a pause. "I'm still not totally convinced about Kojiro. About, you know-"
"You wanna make absolutely sure he swings your way?"
Ryoko finished. "No problem. I can take care of that. But it may take a few days."
"We do nothing until that's taken care of," Musashi decided. "You don't get any farther with Tenchi 'til I get farther with Kojiro."
Ryoko pouted for a couple minutes, then sighed. "Oh, fine. I'm darn lucky to have you helping me anyway, so I guess I'll cooperate."
"Glad to see you planning ahead. Now, what exactly is your plan for Kojiro...?"

"Hi, um, Kojiro," Takeshi said, blushing as he walked into the room.
"What is your problem?" Kojiro questioned. "How many times do we have to tell you that absolutely nothing was going on?"
"How many times are you going to lie to me?"
Kojiro groaned. "Why don't you just go back downstairs to your lover-ditz Mihoshi? Then you can do whatever you think Musashi and I were doing."
"I, er... we want to take it slow. We only met yesterday, you know, and I figure we shouldn't even kiss until the official date..."
"Got turned down?"
"Chickened out," he confessed. "I never even asked her out."
"Moron. And you wonder why you're womenless," Kojiro muttered, leaning over and turning off his lamp.
There was a tense pause in the dark, then Takeshi spoke: "Kojiro? Can you tell me what your secrets are? How do I get girls like you got Musashi?"
"Takeshi?"
"Uh-huh?"
"SHUT UP."

To Be Continued...

Musashi: Ryoko, what the heck are you doing hanging on to Kojiro like that?
Ryoko: Well, you wanted me to find out if he was straight or not... if I can't seduce him then no one can!
Washu: You can't seduce Tenchi, so why should you be able to get Kojiro?
Kojiro: For the last time, I'm not GAY!
Aeka: Is anyone ever going to tell me what's going on around this house? I've been in the dark for weeks, it seems.
Tenchi: You aren't the only one.
Sasami: Isn't it obvious? Ryoko and Musashi are planning to get their men!
Aeka: WHAT? I WILL NOT ALLOW IT!
Mihoshi: That's so sweet! Now, if only Takeshi would ask me on a date...
Kiyone: Coming up on the next episode of the PokéMuyo Series: No Need for Houseguests!
Takeshi: It's unquestionably scandelous!