Chapter 32: Dead To Rights

"I tell you Tenchi it was Achika!" Kiyone swore. "Right in front of me plain as day!"

Having cleaned and washed, no longer looked like a victim of a food riot, Tenchi stopped. Turning slightly, holding the ends of a towel around his neck in both hands, staring at her evenly. "Why don't you believe me?" Kiyone challenged.

"First of all," He told her slowly. "I never said that I didn't, Key."

"Well what do you think..." She began.

"What I said, was 'let's not talk about such matters so foolishly'." He interrupted.

Kiyone felt her mouth fall open, unable to believe, he was talking to her like this! Her surprise flashing towards anger when her reaction enlisted a grin just before Tenchi held up a hand.

"We never know who might be listening!" He loudly whispered, pausing for a moment. Placing hands against his waists, knuckles inward Tenchi softly pantomimed an elaborate fit of cackling, punctuating his soliloquy by rolling his eyes then glaring strait at her, slowly mouthing the word 'WASHU'.

Kiyone snorted, almost laughing, her mirth aborting abruptly when she suddenly inexplicably sneezed.

In seer surprise, Tenchi fell to one knee holding his sides while Key glared from behind a hand she had promptly slapped over her face.

"What I'm saying is that I believe you!" He said when he had recovered sufficiently to speak. "I just don't want my mother in a special containment unit in Washu's lab!"

"And I'll bet the little crab head would too!" Kiyone agreed, ruefully eying her hand and its contents. "Give me your towel!" She commanded suddenly.

"Nothing doing!" Tenchi gave her a disdainful look, stepping discreetly away.

"I'm not kidding!" She complained, extending her other hand.

"Neither am I!" He told her, backing further. "Find another sucker for your goobers!" He added, prompting them both to pause.

"EWWW!" They agreed verbally, that just had not come out right!

"Christ, don't you have a handkerchief?" She then demanded, lunging for his towel.

"Nope!" Tenchi smiled while again evading. "Lost it back around the flatbed somewhere!"

"Guess you got to use your shirt!" He added unsympathetically.

"Don't be so gross!" Kiyone wailed, making another grab his direction. "Let me use your damn jacket! It's filthy anyway!"

"No freaken way!"He sneered, continuing to evade. "Use your little ' G.P. puffball' Officer Boogeroski!"

Kiyone halted, glaring holes in him. "If I was Sasami!" She told him angrily. "You'd probably let me blow my nose on your shirt!"

"But..." Tenchi suddenly paused as well, eying her with poignancy. "S-Sasami's cute." He added feigning a stutter. Then allowing a malicious grin to spread across his face. Kiyone stared just long enough for the words to sink in.

"You're a dead man!" She swore. By the time, she had started running Tenchi was almost back at the rest area.

When she finally arrived, Key found the sight a bustle of activity.

"Make sure you place the rice pudding on the warmer base in the center of the table!" Sasami was saying. "And check to see the lid's on tight!"

"Wow." Kiyone said softly, taking it all in. The rest stop's humble 'picnic area' was being rapidly transformed. Walking up the lower path, arms loaded, Sasami was commanding her makeshift troops. Arranging what to Kiyone's eyes looked to be a huge feast.

"How did she do all this in the time she had?" Key wondered, spying Tenchi, just as astonished standing over to one side. "Payback time!" She chortled, stealing up behind.

"Ayeka?" Tenchi was saying, as Key approached. Addressing the princess a few feet away in the act of setting her burden on the table.

"My lord?" Ayeka turned and smiled.

"My LORD?" A short distance across the table, Yuba quietly wondered. "What's up with this broad?"

Forgetting for an instant and allowing bare hand to touch exposed surface of the covered pan she was placing.

"SHIT!" She exploded. "THAT'S FUCK'N HOT!"

Ayeka glanced that direction, just as she was moving towards Tenchi. Favoring Yuba with a look tinged with annoyance before resuming, bowing appropriately as she arrived.

"And I aways maintained that dear Ryoko had a foul tongue!" She told him softly, smiling after she had straitened. "Might it be wise to gather the rest of our guests, beloved?"

It was obvious, At least from Kiyone's perspective how Ayeka had tacked 'the word' on to the end of that sentence, sounding almost an afterthought. It was possible, the princess was simple remembering her chosen role for today but ... It was always a little painful to watch, how she lit up every single time she saw him. Even more so now if what Kiyone believed was going on behind the scenes was correct.

"You've hurt yourself again!" Tenchi exclaimed softly, reaching down gently taking hold of her right hand even as the blush rose in Ayeka's face and she averted her eyes.

"Oh! It's nothing!" She said quickly, attempting unsuccessfully to remove her hand. "You know what a klutz I am in the kitchen!" Tenchi visibly winced. For Ayeka to admit she was less than perfect at anything! Especially, THAT was like setting off a bomb to draw his attention.