5. No Need for Partners!

For Galaxy Police Officer Kiyone, life has never been so good. Her ditzy partner Mihoshi, bane of her life and destroyer of her career, was reported dead over a month ago, and since then, Kiyone has been enjoying blissful solitude.

Unfortunately, as Kiyone soon finds out from her section chief, reports of Mihoshi’s death may have been slightly exaggerated. With Earth being such a remote area, no one has actually had the chance to investigate whether Mihoshi is alive or not. Someone needs to go to Earth to find out one way or another, and, as Mihoshi’s partner, Kiyone has been selected for that duty.

Whilst Kiyone reluctantly makes her way to Earth (still hoping to find confirmation of her partner’s death once she gets there), Mihoshi herself is very much alive and well- taking a nap on the porch of Tenchi’s house. Meanwhile, the other girls are busy admiring Washu’s latest handiwork- an extra-dimensional spa-type bathroom that replaces the Masaki’s more conventional washing area. Nobuyuki is delighted at the chance to ‘bond’ with the girls in this new room, at least until they chuck him out and tell him to use the men’s bathroom instead.

Despite Tenchi’s attempts to stop him, Nobuyuki is determined to take a good look at the girls in the bath. He finally manages to get past Tenchi and open the door to the bathroom, only to discover that all he can see is the regular old bath. Still fully dressed, the girls step out of their bathroom to inform him that ‘peeping’ will be impossible- if a man opens the bathroom door, then it won’t lead to the ladies’ room. Although of course if Tenchi wants to see the women’s bathroom, Ryoko is happy to take him inside.

Landing on Earth, Kiyone uses her control cube to track Mihoshi’s co-ordinates to Tenchi’s house. By this time, Tenchi is sweeping up outside, and Kiyone approaches him to see if he knows anything about Mihoshi. When Tenchi points at the porch, Kiyone is horrified to see that her worst fears have come true- Mihoshi is there, sleeping peacefully.

Awakening, Mihoshi is delighted to see her partner again, and soon introduces her to the family. The introductions go well at first, at least until Mihoshi comes to the other girls. The level-headed Kiyone cannot quite believe that wanted criminal Ryoko, Juraian princesses Ayeka and Sasami, and legendary mad scientist Washu could all have ended up in this one backwater location. And worse yet, Mihoshi has been quite calmly living with all of them, even though as a GP officer she should have already taken Ryoko into custody.

Determined to do her duty, Kiyone tries to put Ryoko under arrest, but the next thing she knows, she is sitting down having lunch with everyone. Unwilling to go with the flow, Kiyone once again declares her intention to arrest Ryoko, and, seeing an opportunity to be rid of her rival, Ayeka agrees to help.

Ryoko decides that they should take their dispute outside, and soon Ryoko and Kiyone are facing off against each other, one-on-one. Kiyone is fast, but her laser gun is no match for Ryoko’s speed, not to mention her accuracy with her energy blasts. Not one to give up easily, Kiyone uses a lull in the fighting to summon her ship, Yagame, which sends down a red mechanical suit. At Kiyone’s command, Mihoshi climbs into the mecha, but her inability to control it soon has the unit flying around in a circle before finally diving into the lake.

Whilst Mihoshi shoots out of the lake and off into the distance, Kiyone tries her next trick. Throwing a yoyo-type weapon at Ryoko, she manages to wrap her opponent in its energy string- but whilst Ryoko is mildly impressed, she is far from confined. Bursting out of the string, Ryoko creates an energy sword, and prepares to take down Kiyone, but before she can make the fatal strike, she finds herself encased in a magical force field generated by Azaka and Kamidake.

Ayeka has helped out just as she promised, and now the princess can only wait in anticipation as Kiyone officially places Ryoko under arrest (unlike Mihoshi, she knows the correct words from memory). Unfortunately, even as Kiyone finishes speaking, Mihoshi comes crashing down from the sky, and Kiyone’s arrest attempt soon becomes nothing more than a scramble for safety.

Later, a depressed Kiyone drowns her sorrows with a cup of sake and a soak in the bathroom- even going so far as to cry on Ryoko’s shoulder about the bad luck Mihoshi brings her. And it seems that that luck will be following her around for a little longer, for now it is time for Kiyone to take her partner back home.

As the two GP officers make their way to Yagame, the others come out to see them off, and soon Mihoshi is making tearful goodbyes to everyone. When she finally gets on board, Kiyone prepares to take off, only to be interrupted by a message from the section chief. The chief of the GP has given Mihoshi and Kiyone a new assignment- as resident officers stationed on planet Earth. But whilst Mihoshi is delighted to be staying with all her friends for a while longer, Kiyone cannot summon any enthusiasm. With this backwater assignment, her career is well and truly down the toilet.