Chapter 21: How rude

Ayeka stood, slightly stooped over eyes closed, totally out of breath. Slowly, methodically the princess began taking deep 'lung-fulls' of air. Sara, at that moment being the closest to the stairs stood blinking at the young woman's sudden appearance. Glancing then back along the ancient flight to a curious a trail of dust still spiraling, linking the front of the distant house to the top step of the shrine.

"Who is that?" Yoshi asked voice brimming with awe, still standing over where she was clutching Tenchi's jacket even tighter. "Huh?" she mouthed blinking in surprise. Realizing that was the only thing, she in fact was clutching! Her state of shock only deepening when noticing Tenchi was now standing over by the old well pump, busily talking to Mikito.

"Now make certain you spread the water evenly with the dipper." He was telling her. "Oh Ayeka!" Tenchi added brightly, waving as if just noticing before proceeding causally over to the new arrival.

"Ho, ho!" Tony laughed knowingly. Standing beside a hastily erected tent, which served as 'changing room', slash 'makeup studio'. "Now I'm betting, that's that young fellow's girl!"

"What makes you so damn sure?" Michele asked having been too busy to witness the last few minutes of 'As the shrine turns.'

"Guess you didn't see how fast he shed his skin when she showed up!" He said with a grin. "Ah, to be young again!"

"Speak for yourself!" Michele said scowling. "I had three older sisters who constantly beat the shit out of me!" Looking down then on the layout table, her scowl only deepened.

"YUBA!" She yelled, so suddenly Tony caught the webbing between thumb and finger in the shutter control of his camera.

"Youch!" He whined, eying the make up artist ruefully while in the distance Yuba was startled out of the melodrama for a moment.

"Yes!" she gasped, gazing stupidly up at the makeup artist for a moment. "What?"

"Where is the silver reflector?" Michele fumed. "You unpacked it didn't you?"

"It's over by the rail!" Yuba called mildly annoyed. Wondering if the old bat was blind?

"Well, I don't see it Hon!" Michele informed her.

"What is this?" Wataru was saying, Gesturing at a coyly posed Ayeka, the director was displaying his best gallantry. "Holding out on us again Mr. Masaki?"

"Since you unpacked the thing dear," The makeup artist continued after a moment's wait during which Yuba hadn't moved. "Why don't you be a good girl and get it for me rather than make me waste my time?" She added with a hint of anger.

"But I'm busy!" Yuba shot back, glancing back towards the festivities under the Torii.

"Doing what, exactly?" Michele asked impatiently. Cornered, Yuba about-faced and marched over without rejoinder, grumbling all the way to the railing, spying the missing reflector. Having slid just down the hill slightly, hanging in some bushes.

"That wind must've caught it!" she called vaulting the rail and descending easily, disappearing from view.

"I won't hear of it young man!" Wataru stormed playfully at where Tenchi was standing. "Quickly now, introduce this ravishing creature!" Tenchi had frozen in his tracts, in the act of speaking, scanning in turn the demanding faces of the girls surrounding him, which were the least of his problems! Ayeka was regarding him evenly as well and he knew that look! That sweet placid gaze, masking a glare. With the events from yesterday cascading down upon him, one thing for him was for certain.

"Got to nip this in the bud!" He was wildly thinking. Sliding suddenly behind where the princess still stood blushing, Tenchi gently slipped hands possessively onto her shoulders.

"This is Ayeka!" He announced firmly to the assembled group. Hoping in that instant, maybe, just maybe to head off yet another of the princess's jealous episodes. Remembering also, glancing again at the selection of girls surrounding, the last time he'd seen those kinds of looks, he and father had started building additional rooms on to the house! He then stopped cold, a feeling of ice gripping his spine. The realization, he did not have a clue what to say had suddenly settled in. "She's my ... Uh..." Tenchi stammered, panic rising! His mind having gone completely, totally and irrefutably blank.

"His fiancée!" The princess said suddenly. Reaching up, capturing his left wrist in both of her slender hands, drawing them possessively downwards as she then leaned back against him. Time for Tenchi seemed to have frozen, much like the vacant smile marooned upon his face. Ayeka's words ringing like a pistol shot in his ears. It felt like someone had just dropped the entire shrine on his empty noggin! Some vestige of self found the presence to direct his eyes, as they flickered from face to face. Noting with a bizarre kind of clarity in his peripheral both Grandpa and Washu observing.

Katsuhito's eyebrows raised, his features stretched with surprise, in such a fashion his speckles were in danger, of sliding off end of his nose. Washu, apparently returned from whatever errand she had earlier run, merely looked on. Her face wearing a curious mixture of her usual smirk and some more than mild disapproval aimed directly at Ayeka.

"I'm still not accustomed to hearing those words myself, darling!" The Princess was continuing. "I'm certain once we are finally married," She added, a certain gleam in her eye giving his 'quaking', increasingly limp hand a none too gentle squeeze. "You will have less trouble announcing it so publicly!"

"My god! What have I done?" Tenchi heard someone scream, fortunately it was only him, contained with the confines of his fevered mind. In reality he just stood there, glassy eyed, smiling grotesquely. Picture A jack o lantern with its candle blown out and you will about have the general idea. At some point, before he knew it she had reached out, capturing his other hand placing it with the other now resting both upon her stomach. This had the deliberate effect of making him stoop over. Ayeka then turned her face slightly more towards his.

"I'd advise you to play along Lord Tenchi!" She whispered sweetly.

"What do you think you're doing?!" His reply no less hushed than hers. He felt paralyzed, never in his life more aware of his forearms than at that moment. Specifically the point where he felt an amazing yielding firmness, pressing through her robes!

"It's obvious you've managed yet again to get you're self in over your head!" She scoffed quietly.

"Aw, isn't that nice?" Wataru beamed at the young couple, noticing Petra conveniently in range, nudging the actor in the ribs.

"Look at 'em over there!" He continued fondly. "Cooing like doves!" Rubbing the spot of contact with an angry glance at his director, the actor's enthusiasm was predictable.

"Woweee!" Petra drawled, sticking out his top teeth. "Maybe 'gramps' over thar kens lorn 'em a buckboard so'sen dey ken go neck in da cornfield!" Wataru stared disbelieving, glancing between the young couple and Lord Katsuhito.

"Shut your hole!" he volatility snapped.

"Hey thar little filly!" Petra continued unabated suddenly to Ayeka. "You an that young 'stud' set a date whenst ya gonna jump the broom?"

"P-Petra I'm warning you!" Wataru growled, agog as the actor resumed as if he had not spoken.

"If'n so," Petra pressed, refusing to be stymied. "Y'all mak'a certain ya's invites me to the hootenanny!"

"Let's start the square dance right now!" Wataru snarled, angrily mashing down on Petra's foot with his heel.

"What an oddly, rude, little man." Ayeka thought, wincing slightly from the loud yelp as the actor began a painful hopping dance.

"Actually good sir." She smiled, attempting to ignore the antics. "My beloved has not, as of yet, set a date for the blessed event!" Ayeka's eyes shifting subtly, gazing side long into Tenchi's "I'm certain just to build the sweet anticipation, of things to come!" She whispered loudly, enough to carry while holding his eye's with a dark, almost malevolent look to her features. "My Beloved would never be so unkind as to make a girl wait!"

"I..." Tenchi gasped.

"Or two, for that mater..." Ayeka added under her breath, smile widening.

"I..." He repeated pitifully.

"Never giving a clear answer!" She concluded coolly, allowing him to paused and painfully swallow.

"This, is what you call help?" He whispered hoarsely.

"What was I supposed to do?" She reasoned softly sarcastic, muttering out side of her mouth. "Announce I was your Cousin?" She had seen how they were all looking at him! She simply would not have it! Choosing that moment to straiten, turning then within the circle of his arms to face him. "I'm very certain such an announcement would have gotten those she wolves off of you!" She continued covertly.

"Here ya go!" back over at the prep table, Yuba said smiling, if a little forced, returning at last with the nomadic device, Sparing then a mildly hostile glance back towards the arch. The older woman sighed eying young grip a little sadly as she received the reflector.

"Sweetie?" Michele added after another long moment. "You're wasting your time!"

"Huh?" Yuba asked stupidly, glancing at Michele then the reflector. "What do ya mean?" Watching as Michele pointed over to where Tenchi stood with Ayeka.

"Even from way over here I can tell that sweet young thing is a lady!" Michele paused a moment, hopeful her words might be sinking in. "Through and through!" She continued emphatically. "She's got poise, grace, natural beauty and no telling what else in her little feminine arsenal."

"Yeah?" Yuba shrugged, glancing yet again. "So?"

"Well," The older woman resumed, trying to be gentle. "All and all, perfect traditional Japanese bride material!" Urgently she turning the reflector, 'silver side round' facing Yuba. "Now, what does your little streetwise self have to compete with that?" She concluded. Startled, Yuba stood for a moment staring at her own reflection, looking at her short wild hair and mismatched surgical scrubs, suddenly registering a solid impact!

"OHMGOD!" Came the thought, making her jaw drop. "The old bat's right! I'm a fuck'n mess!" Towards the reflector's dark side meanwhile, Michele was sorry. Desperately wanting to mend the deep, if well-intended gash she just knew she'd inflicted in Yuba's young heart.

"Now honey, don't get me wrong!" She soothed. "I'm sure you have many fine qualities!" She paused, worrying over the silence. "I just don't think your country bride material." She waited, still getting no response. "Do you see?" Michele ventured tentatively as the interval of quiet noticeably lengthened.

"Stupid old cow!" Michele berated herself. "Now you've gone and tramped all over the poor thing!"

"Yuba dearest?" She asked, as with a gentle hand Michele slowly lowered the reflector. "Are you ok Hon?" She added cautiously before the sight of Yuba's distant back running full tilt for the stairs made her heart plunge. "Oh the poor thing!" She sighed despondently. "How could I have been so cold?"