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Episode 15 -	Fiancée
	Īnazuke
Release date -	21st December 2003

Tenchi stands in the entrance hall in a state of shock; the woman that has come to visit looks exactly like his late mother. He sinks to his knees, tears streaming down his face. “Mother! You're alive!” he cries. The woman, a sad look upon her face, starts to explain, but Nobuyuki comes downstairs at that moment. He rushes to hug the woman, but when he tries to plant a kiss on her she punches him out of the house and into the lake! “That was mean, Tennyo!” he protests, crawling out of the water. Meeting the puzzled looks of Tenchi and the girls, he explains that the woman is not his late wife Kiyone, but Tennyo, Tenchi's big sister!

A little while later, Tennyo explains everything. She looks so like Kiyone Masaki that, she admits, she even took her place sometimes when Tenchi was little. In fact, Tenchi was never aware he had a sister, and when Tenchi addresses her as “nee-san” (sister), she is utterly thrilled to be called that at last. Tenchi wonders why all this has been kept from him. Tennyo tells him that despite her youthful appearance, she is almost eighty years old, so staying on Earth as Tenchi's older sister with all the people she grew up with (several decades earlier, of course!) would have raised too many questions. She also confesses that she had a lot of tricks ready to play on him when she arrived, but when she saw his reaction she couldn't go through with it. Enamoured by Tenchi's emotional fragility, she says she cannot bear the thought of giving him away to his fiancée so soon! The furious Ryoko and Ayeka demand an explanation, so Tennyo tells them Tenchi's fiancée was picked long before they met him, chosen by none other than Seto Kamiki Jurai, the princesses' grandmother and self-appointed royal matchmaker. Ayeka knows she dare not oppose her grandmother, and Ryoko's protests are quelled when Washu points out that Seto is otherwise known as the “Devil Princess of Jurai”, of whom even Kagato was afraid! Tennyo reminds everyone that Tenchi is a direct male-line descendant of the king of Jurai, so arranged marriages for political reasons are only to be expected. At that moment, a figure begins to materialise in the corner of the room; Tenchi's would-be bride is expected to arrive. However, Tennyo is shocked to see it's not Tenchi's fiancée. Instead, the new arrival is a slightly severe-looking mature lady with short green hair. Ryoko scoffs at idea of this “old lady” marrying Tenchi, and before she knows what is happening the woman slaps her repeatedly about the face! Mihoshi recognises the woman at once. She is Airi Masaki, chairwoman of the Galaxy Police Academy and Katsuhito's first wife! She was supposed to be escorting Tenchi's fiancée, but she disappeared en route. Just then, Tennyo notices someone else has disappeared; Tenchi is nowhere to be seen. Sasami tells her that Tenchi made an excuse shortly after Airi arrived, and has now gone to work in the fields.

Out in the carrot fields, Tenchi harvests the latest crop while Ryo-Ohki chases butterflies. He notices Ryo-Ohki is running close to the steep edge of an irrigation channel and warns her to be careful, but the cabbit slips over the edge. She is caught in the nick of time by a young woman with long green hair. She sets Ryo-Ohki down and the startled cabbit runs crying into Tenchi's arms. As he comforts Ryo-Ohki, the woman stares on. There is flash of an image in her mind, a memory perhaps, of a girl being comforted in the same way by a man who looked like Tenchi. Distressed, she clasps at her head and collapses on the ground.

Back at the house, Airi explains to the girls that she met Katsuhito (when he was still known as Yosho) at the Academy, and they left to get married. She goes on to tell them that Tenchi's fiancée is a woman by the name of Noike Kamiki Jurai, the adopted daughter of Seto.

Meanwhile, out in the fields, the green-haired woman has regained consciousness. She inspects the fields, and asks Tenchi if she can try one of the carrots he has picked. Tenchi consents, and she takes a bite of one, complimenting Tenchi on its sweet flavour. She asks if she can take some, but remembers she hasn't had chance to change her money. Tenchi tells her she can take some for free, but the woman insists on doing something to repay him, offering to help him finish his work. She introduces herself as Noike Sakadzu. Tenchi is about to tell her his name when she dashes off to stop Ryo-Ohki falling into the channel again!

Some time later, Sasami comes to the field with a box lunch for Tenchi and notices the lady helping him. After Tenchi explains who she is, Sasami suggests sharing the lunch with her, but realises she only packed enough food for one person. Tenchi points out that with the extra help he will be finished earlier, so Noike can join them for lunch back at the house instead. As they are about to leave, Noike remembers she never asked Tenchi his name. He tells her, and she acts astonished, having clearly thought this farm boy was just a local!

Back at the house, the girls explain everything to clear up Tenchi's confusion; his intended fiancée is not Airi (his grandmother, of course), but Noike. “Things are happening way too fast,” Tenchi laments. Ryoko and Ayeka are, as usual, furious at anyone who tries to come between them and Tenchi, but Noike remains impassive towards their bickering. Sasami enters and announces that lunch is almost ready. Noike is surprised to discover that a young girl is looking after the household single-handed. She offers to help, and conscripts Ryoko, Ayeka and Mihoshi to assist as well. Washu remarks that Noike seems to be very good at handling people. Her observation is proven further at dinner; Ryoko and Ayeka plot to keep her from moving in, but she keeps offering them food and drink and eventually embarrasses them into submission!

After lunch, Tennyo takes Tenchi for a walk up to the shrine, where they find Katsuhito and Airi waiting. Tenchi makes the mistake of referring to Airi as “baa-chan” (grandmother / old woman), and in the face of her fury asks what he should call her. She suggests “Airi-neechan” (big sister Airi), but Katsuhito suggests that Seto might not approve of that. Tenchi tries “Airi-sama” (a very formal honorific, usually used to express deep love or respect), and receives a slightly too affectionate hug from her in return. Airi remembers herself before she goes too far, and suggests he just use “Airi-san” from now on!

Inside the shrine house, the four of them take tea. Airi and Tennyo discuss Tenchi in hushed tones, giggling at how he reacted to Tennyo's arrival. Meanwhile, Katsuhito apologises for not telling Tenchi about things sooner. He explains that the Juraian royal family is forbidden from interacting with the people from relatively primitive cultures such as Earth, but the Masakis have their roots here and so raise their children on Earth, keeping their heritage secret until they come of age. He remarks that although most leave for outer space upon discovering the family secret, many return to Earth later, taking on a false appearance. He illustrates his point by temporarily removing his Katsuhito disguise (just as he did in front of Funaho in episode 13). Noticing Airi and Tennyo giggling to one another, he guesses that some secrets are still being kept from him, but they tell him he will find out soon enough. Tennyo excuses herself, telling Tenchi she is going to a reunion of all her old schoolfriends (who, since she went to school with them sixty-odd years previously, are old friends in the most literal sense now!). She gives Tenchi a peck on the cheek before leaving. Airi also says she has business to attend to, and gives Tenchi a passionate kiss on the lips before taking her leave! After regaining the power of speech, Tenchi asks his grandfather what will happen to him next, a question to which Katsuhito admits that even he doesn't know the answer!

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