Disclaimer: I just own the words, not the folks.

I Step Into His Van - Chapter 1

Glancing sideways, Tenchi's stunned by the light blue aura of power surrounding her.

It's radiating pure energy. He can't exactly sense any emotions from her, but he can tell that the energy is being contained somehow. As he focuses more, he can see faint cracks in whatever "cage" is attempting to hold it.

"What's your name," he asks casually.

Her response is so low, he barely hears it.

"Ryoko."

"That's an unusual name. What does it mean?"

"Demon-caller," she says a little louder.

"Hmmph, that's almost as bad as mine; Tenchi. It means, 'heaven and earth'. You ever hear anything so over-the-top," he laughs.

"No," she agrees.

"Well, I've been teased about it all my life. Got beat up a few times too," he chuckles. "I'll bet you got all kinds of 'Demon' taunts."

"A few."

He eyes her significantly.

"Okay, a LOT," she confesses.

"Kids can be real assholes sometimes, can't they", he laughs.

A small but genuine smile crosses Ryoko's face.

'It's good talking to him,' she reflects.

No one had actually talked to her in a very long time. They usually want to humiliate her. Or beat her up once they found she could heal herself from minor wounds and bruises. That's also when they'd want to act out some violent rape fantasy or something equally depraved. Kagato knew what some of them planned to do to her and he didn't care; at least not until she started killing the bastards.

Many times, after she'd killed one, she'd run off, desperate to get far enough away that Kagato couldn't reach her, but he always 'forced' her back.

'Once, he let me go for almost 2 weeks', she remembers to herself.

Being free for so long strengthened her resolve to get away for good.

'And one day,' she glowers, 'I will kill him.'

"So where are you from," Tenchi's voice breaks through her thoughts.

"I-I…….I don't know", she stammers, momentarily stopping in her tracks. Not knowing where she came from, or, in fact, any of her personal history is one of her most painful traumas. All she knows is her name and that Washu's her mom and Kagato is her step-dad. Her brow wrinkles with a frown again at the thought of Kagato, her hatred of him more pure than any emotion she's ever experienced.

Realizing that he's inadvertently caused her pain; Tenchi frowns slightly.

"I'm from a planet called Earth. It's such a backwater hole that I'm sure you've never heard of it."

"No," she whispers, working to regain her composure.

"I guess it's not really all that bad. I was just bored there. Have you lived here all your life?"

"No, I moved here with my-my parents", she forces.

"Are they still here?"

"Unfortunately," she growls.

"Ha! I know what you mean. My folks were downright crazy. That's why I left Earth at 17. Anything had to be better than listening to them ramble on about 'my destiny' and all."

"I'm sure you don't know what I mean. My mother and stepfather are…are….." she clenches her teeth, unable to say more.

"Actually, it was just my mom and grandpa," he replies, moved by her emotion and compelled to share more about himself with her. "My dad died when I was five. I wish I remembered more about him. Mom and Grandpa put away most of his pictures after he died and hardly mention him at all. I think they wanted me to take over the shrine after my grandpa retired or died, but I wanted my own life. I spent most of my time with my grandma, but she died on my 14th birthday, which really messed me up. I was completely lost for about a year, getting drunk, cutting school, staying out for days at a time. My mom and Grandpa didn't have a clue what to do with me. I still really miss her," he concludes with a sad sigh.

Ryoko listens to him intently as they walk. It strikes her that he is willing to honestly share such feelings.

Abruptly she remembers why she's with him; he'd just purchased her for the night. No matter how nice he acts, he can't be that saintly.

'He's probably just trying to get my guard down so he can coax me into something freakish,' she speculates.

Frowning deeper at the thought that he's going to use her like all the others, she lowers her eyes back to the ground as Kagato has taught her. As they continue walking, Tenchi glances at her uneasily.

'I guess he's confused because he thought his pleasant mannerisms were working', she assumes.

"I like your dress," he ventures, hoping to plug the suddenly awkward silence with a little small talk. He felt her change in mood before noting the flicker in her aura. "Did you get it here on Rotaria?"

Her only response is silence. She doesn't even turn to look at him.

He says nothing else until they reach his room in the hotel.

"Well here we are," he announces, opening the door to a fairly spacious suite with a prime view of the city. "Make yourself comfortable."

Glancing around the room, she notes its apartment-like layout; a kitchen, a sitting area/living room, and a separate bedroom with a large wardrobe, dresser, entertainment center and king-sized bed. She heads for the couch in the sitting room.

"You want something to drink," he questions, heading into the kitchen.

"Sure," she replies, off-handedly.

'So that's his game', Ryoko smirks to herself, 'he likes his women drunk so he can "take advantage of them."'

But when Tenchi returns, she's pleasantly surprised as he hands her a can of soda. A quick sip reveals that it's just grape soda and not laced with anything.

A light, pleasant conversation ensues about nothing in particular, but Ryoko stays uneasy.

'Why is he going to all this trouble to make me feel welcome? I'm just a piece of meat to him! I wish I could figure out his motives,' she ponders as they chat.

'She's so wound up', he thinks to himself, 'like a cat ready to pounce. I wish she'd relax a bit.'

After finishing his soda, Tenchi excuses himself to "shake the weasel."

"You have a pet," she questions coolly, not betraying her revulsion and fear.

'Is that his thing? Animals? I've never done anything like that before. And I won't for this guy, no matter how nice he is. I guess I'll be killing another one,' she vows to herself.

"Uh, it means I have to use the bathroom," he explains sheepishly, reflexively scratching the back of his head. "I learned it from some sailors."

"Oh," she replies with a smirk.

'How stupid,' she laughs to herself. 'Maybe I've been worrying about this guy for nothing.