Ok, I do realise i haven't updated in a while, writer block and also busyness! You all know how it is! Its shorter then the others but god i need some inspiration! Any ideas?

Copyright. I don't own anything to do with z Tenchi man.

Chapter 6: Fruity Behaviour

"Ryoko, stop staring at me!"

"I'm just making sure your ok Tenchi! You were a bit…um…out of character last night." smiled the devil minded pirate. She picked up the gold pot that lay in front of her and poured out another cup of tea for Tenchi and herself. It had been Tenchi's 4th cup since arriving at breakfast, Ryoko insisting on looking after her guest. Tenchi sweat dropped as he watched the milk turn the tea golden brown. It wasn't his normal green tea but rather more what English and Irish people would drink on earth. He still enjoyed it though but was a bit sick of it, understandably! The other people at the table, laughed politely at their seemingly newly wed behaviour.

"Out of character? He was out of his mind!" came a sharp, high voice from behind them. Ryoko's eyes snapped open as she recognised the voice. She jumped from her seat and twirled around in rage and stared at the woman stood infront of her and Tenchi. Her signature platinum locks were strung up in a green bow and she wore a silken green blouse with blue ribbons tastling from the sleeves. A medium length cream skirt adorned her hips with green zig zags acoss the bottom. Men in close proximity were staring at her over their toast and caviare like breakfast.

"What do you want? Get away from here!" growled Ryoko.

"Now, now Madison we don't want you to burst a vein before your big show down now do we?" laughed Blanaki behind her hand, as she eyed Ryoko with complete contempt.

Tenchi sat watching the drama unfold, confused of the twos rivalry, other then last night before they danced Tenchi couldn't think why Rosal would behave this way. 'Show down? What is she talking about?'

"Grrr shut up Blanaki, you'd get away from here if you knew what was good for you!"

"Ooooo is that a threat? Well don't worry Madison. I see your keeping our conversation from last night a secret from your loverboy?"

Ryoko fists cracked under the pressure she was putting on them to stop reaching out and thumping her in the face. She didn't want to ruin the time she had left with Tenchi and refused to come to physical violence.

Not before making sure she had made it uncomfortable between Ryoko and Tenchi, Rosal flicked her hair in the air, winked at Tenchi(who blushed slightly), turned on her heel and disappeared into a sea of admirers.

Ryoko scrunched up her face in frustration, she looked at Tenchi out of the corner of her eye. He was staring…no not staring, GLARING at Ryoko. He looked angry at her. Why was he angry at her? Was it because she had caused a spectical or because she knew something he didn't? She turned around slowly feeling like a child about to be given of to by the principal. A sense of dread washed over her, her cheeks flared up but not from embaressment, but from sheer trepidation! She sat down equally as slowly and pulled her seat in so she was closer to the table. She kept staring in front of her, trying to ignore Tenchi's gaze.

Silence filled the table as the other 10 or 11 people who had been watching the incident unfold began staring at the young 'couple'. Some looked over their news holograms while others over their tea.

Tenchi didn't keep his eyes of Ryoko, his pupils fixed on her face.

"What was she talking about Ry…Madison?" the silence was finally broken so everyone carried on with their breakfast, every now and then peeping over at them.

Ryoko frowned but still didn't look at him. 'I can't tell him, I can't. I don't want to ruin what time we have left, I can't make him worry.' she sighed deeply and tried with all her might not to cry. It was like all she had planned for them had come to a sticky end, an inevitable sticky end. Her golden eyes bolted closed.

'Why is it I've been through so much over years and years, bountys hunters, the Galaxy Police, other pirates, general violence and I can't deal with this, I'm actually getting upset about it! For all I know, I could defeat them all! I probably will…so why does it feel like I won't, like I can't. I have to tell him something…I just have to, I…'

"Ryoko…?" Tenchi whispered so only she could hear, he leaned close to her and brought a hand to her shoulder. She opened her eyes and planted a smile on her face.

"Everythings fine Tenchi! I swear, nothings wrong, I don't know what that woman was talking about!" she smiled again, deepening the façade she played on Tenchi. However he was not as gullable as she thought and he quickly dismissed her excuse. He frowned again but this time releasing the hard look in his eyes, they we're now full of worry, not suspicion.

"Ryoko…"

The space pirate just smiled again and carried on munching on the fruit in the middle of the table. She picked up a baby pink round fruit, that had golden slashs all the way around it, like a weird zebra fruit, it was around the size of a golf ball but looked as soft as a peach. Ryoko gently dropped it on her plate as she continued to expertly cut it into quarters.

"You know what these are Tench?" she asked using her nickname for him, as she placed 2 of the 4 quarters of fruit onto Tenchi's plate. He sighed at the change of subject and shook his head. Ryoko smiled and continued, "These are liflufu's(1), they're said to be the fruit of love! You wanna try some love?"

'Love? Uhhh whats she playing at! (sigh) I wish she could just be honest with me…'

"Well? Tenchi?"

Tenchi nodded a yes and picked up one of the quarters of the liflufa fruits pieces. He gulped as a thought popped into his mind for a moment, 'I hope it's not some kind of love potion!'

He dismissed the idea, and chastised himself for not having more trust in the woman. He ate the piece whole and immediately fell in love…with the taste! It tasted of something that was bad for you, like chocolate or sweets, but it was a fruit so it must be good for you. It had a warm feel to it, that invoked his whole being, it was soft, passionate with a slight sourness to it…but a good sourness. He held it on his tongue for a few moments as he enjoyed the wonderful taste of the exotic fruit.

"Liflufus are fruits grown wild in the great rainforests of Tamura, they sprout from the large flower of a Lufu Tree, or the love plant. A beautiful tree with light pink and pale green leaves, its branches twist and curl like calligraphy! Rather beautiful so they are." Ryoko looked up at the male spilling out the facts of these trees. A middle aged man, with dark hair and bright blue eyes. A smart looking guy, wearing a casual earth suit.

"It grows forever, never stopping, one is as tall as 150 meters! Quite amazing really! They carry each other, you know. You can't grow just one Lufu Tree, two is the minimum! Its like they themselves fall in love, they live to love…and love to live. O I beg your pardon, I have been rattling on a bit! My names Hiro Kalin. I'm a professor at the University of Tamura. I teach biology and geography.You wouldn't know it would you?" He smiled a warm smile, showing a full set of white teeth. He sat 3 seats to the right of Ryoko.

Ryoko smiled back, discreetly nudging Tenchi in the ribs as he finally decided to swallow his piece of fruit, he looked annoyingly at Ryoko, to see a man in his mid-thirties switching seats to sit next to Ryoko.

"My names Madison, and this is Tenc-"

"Tenchi Masaki, ah yes. I knew I recognised you, you're the first crowned prince of Jurai, am I right?"

"Umm yes…that is correct." Tenchi leaned across to receive a handshake from the good looking man.

"You're from the planet earth also, ah yes…earth." he said reminiscently. "I lived there myself for a few years. Beautiful stunning place, really stunning."

Tenchi smiled at the affectionate way the man was recalling his home planet. Usaully most people from the outer regions of his universe would of referred to it as a back water useless rock of a planet. But not this man, this man talked about it with adoration and conviction.

"Really?" piped up Ryoko, "Where abouts did you live, Tenchi and I are from Okayama, Japan. Have you heard of it?" she asked genuinely. This guy was nice…not to mention cute! 'Hmmm, I wonder if I could spark a bit of the green eyed monster in Tenchi, if I get a little closer, maybe that way I might end this trip with a kiss, or at least some sort of attention…' she sighed inwardly as Hiro answered her question, yet even though she was looking at him, she wasn't listening, her eyes glazed over just like anytime Ayeka would try to reprimand her for something she did or did not do. Rudeness, Miss Priss called it, Ryoko on the other hand referred to it as 'Selective Hearing'.

"So you travelled a lot then? Wow, I'd sure like to do something like that someday. Tour Europe, travel across America." Tenchi was starting to really warm to this guy, maybe she shouldn't try to spark Tenchi's jealously, that wouldn't be fair…to Tenchi or Hiro. Ryoko decided to join back in the conversation.

"You travelled America Hiro?"

"Why yes, I did reside there for 2 years in Ohio and California." he chuckled as she blushed away her embarrassment, it was obvious he had already said that while she had zoned out to her own little world. Trying to save her embaressment he carried on talking. "Beautiful place the US. Such diversity, and not just the landscape, but the people! You could be talking to one man about the technology of tomorrow, robots cleaning houses etc and the next state over your in no mans land with people living in houses MILES apart, no electricity, running water. Its crazy to think about, absolutely crazy!"

"Sounds like it," Tenchi smiled, "I should hope to do that one day in the future."

"I'm sure you would Lord Tenc-"

"Please just call me Tenchi." he grinned embarrassingly. Ryoko rolled her eyes at his modesty..

"Tenchi. I just hope you would be sure to take your beautiful wife with you! Its something that would change people perspectives on life, love and happiness. Change your priorities."

Both 'Masaki's' sat in equal embaressment, though Ryoko was slightly more pleased at his error. She sneaked a side ways glance at Tenchi and just for a moment, a split second, their eyes met. His cheeks had gone a slight shade of pink, as had Ryoko's. Tenchi scratched the back of his head, laughing nervously in his usual, shy way.

'That boy,' Ryoko thought, 'Grow some backbone Tenchi! Come on, pick me and whirl me around in your strong arms, and kiss me passionately! Lay me down on the table and-'

Ryoko had gone quiet, a distant look on her face, so as a means to lift the awkwardness Tenchi carried on talking to Hiro, asking him about other places he had been.

"Well I've travelled, South America, through the Amazon, travelled Africa, through the Calahari desert, amazing place! You see my job back on earth was as a TV show presenter, I travelled the world and its places of unimaginative extremes and report back to the people of the world and tell them all about it, its history, its present, its landmarks, its pros and cons, wildlife. I loved my job. I truly did, but that was 4 years ago now. I lived on earth for 8 years. Made many a friend. Its good because I am from the planet Tamura and thus have the appearance of humans! A bit like your beautiful wife here."

That compliment stirred Ryoko out of her daydream and she looked wide eyed at the professor. But wait, did he just say he knew she wasn't an earthling? Did that mean he knew who she really was?

'Uh oh…' she thought.

"O yeh and how would you know I'm not an earthling huh? I know I am out-of-this-world gorgeous but that doesn't necessarily mean I'm outta this world?" she sounded, defensively.

Hiro smiled at her and looked across at Tenchi who looked like a child whos friend had been caught with her hand in the cookie jar and he had helped her get it. If looks could get you arrested, this was one of them, the guilt that had spread its way across his face like wildfire had convinced the professor of his suspicions as to who this woman really was.

"How would I know? Well let me count the people I have met on earth with golden eyes as bright as the suns of Tamura, like yours. Or wild spiky cyan hair that stands on end when worried or angered, just like when Rosal Blanaki annoyed you earlier on. Also, the fangs are a slight give away." Hiro smiled genuinely. "I know who you are…Ryoko." he said in a whisper.

Tenchi sprung out of his seat, coughing and splurging, he was caught…well Ryoko was caught, but that was partically the same thing. He needed to get off this ship, he needed to go home, he wasn't going to spend another three months in space, on the run, like the last time, o no, not again. Tenchi bent down and grabbed Ryoko, who sat smiling, almost in awe of the professor, by the hand and lifted her out of her chair.

"Uhhh! HEY! Tenchi whata you do-"

"Ssssh! We're getting outta here!"

Ryoko didn't have time nor chance to argue with Tenchi as she was pulled through the tables of the dining area like a rag doll. She looked back at Hiro who had turned to look at her also, he raised his hand as he waved goodbye to the beautiful pirate he had always admired.

Dun Dun Dun! Right thats chapter 6 over! R&R pretty please! I swear i am not desperate wrings hands...

I got the name of the tree and fruit from ye old English. Lif means life and Lufu means Love.. So put together that means LifeLove! Thank you, thank you!

Emo xox