He didn't know where he was going. He didn't know why he had left. All he knew was that he was gone,
and nothing would ever be right again.
Everything, everything was wrong and dark and cold. Everywhere he looked were people who didn't care
and scary things he didn't want to see. Everywhere, everywhere dreams that would have kept him up at
night were alive and plotting themselves out to intersect with his sad, little life at every possible
opportunity. Everywhere, everywhere, was loneliness and pain.
He had told himself for so long that this was what he had wanted. He kept telling himself that peace and
quiet were what he wanted, some time alone without epic battles for his attentions over breakfast.
He had the quiet and all four walls of his house intact. But, strangely enough, he had no peace whatsoever.
He found himself surrounded by trees and moonlight, and vaguely noted to himself that he was on the other
side of the lake. He decided that he didn't care.
Across the water, he saw the dim lights on the front porch reflecting into the quite surface of the lake.
There were no stars. He sat on the damp ground, pulling his knees up to his chest and resting his chin on
his arms.
The house was so quiet now. The light was on in his room, he could see. Other than that, everyone was
asleep. Everyone being his father and grandfather. Since the day when everything changed, his home had
become a house, his family had become drastically smaller and his life had lost all flavor.
And it was all because of some stupid little fling. All because he went out to a party--something he hadn't
done forever, not since his life had become a zoo. He went out to a party, got plastered like any hot-
blooded teenager would, and, for a lack of better terms, had gotten laid.
It wasn't really that good, either. He didn't even remember her name.
Yes, he did. Everyone had stomped around the house screaming it at him the next day after his father had
come to pick him up and found him naked and passed out drooling all over some strange girl's hair. And,
being the hentai that he was, his father had decided to tell the whole household how his little boy had
grown up.
He wished he had realized how important everyone was to him. But being the complainer he was, he
convinced himself he needed some escape. Hence the party. And the drinking. And the inevitable
meaningless sex.
Ayeka had started crying immediately. She didn't stop for the three hours it took her to pack for herself
and her sister as he desperately tried to convince her that it didn't mean anything, it didn't effect their
friendship, please, please don't go…
Ryoko hadn't said anything as she listened to Nobuyuki rave about his son's charm with the ladies. She
had looked at Tenchi in disbelief, hoping what the man said was exaggeration. What she saw in his eyes,
the deep wells of shame and sorrow there… she had teleported away, and hadn't been heard from since.
Washu had disappeared shortly after. Her daughter was gone, what was keeping her on this backwards
little planet now?
Mihoshi and Kiyone left after Ayeka and Sasami. No crown princesses of Jurai to watch over, nothing to
protect. They were reassigned and left within a day.
Ryo-ohki had gone missing. One could only assume she had gone to meet her master at some pre-
determined point, or gone off to search for her distressed partner in crime. Who knew?
And now Tenchi found himself alone, staring at an empty house he didn't want to return to. He had never
felt so lost before, like there was a huge party happening somewhere and he was stuck here alone.
It was just a stupid mistake.
He tossed a pebble into the water at his feet, watching the ripples widen and spread. He was almost
positive he could see them disturb the reflection of the porch lights across the lake.
The world does not tolerate mistakes.
He missed them. He missed them all.
He missed waking up to that golden-eyed blue-haired freak next to him. He missed Ayeka's grace and
elegance going to hell when she found that the last cookie was at stake. He missed Sasami and her undying
cheeriness, Washu's endless schemes for world-domination or whatever, Mihoshi's complete oblivion and
Kiyone's intolerance to the partner she obviously cared so much for.
And one mistake had ended it all.
He realized now that it had all been selfishness. What did he need release from? He had the best friends in
anyone could ever ask for, and he had taken them all for granted.
And now he was alone.
The world, he thought, does not tolerate mistakes.
and nothing would ever be right again.
Everything, everything was wrong and dark and cold. Everywhere he looked were people who didn't care
and scary things he didn't want to see. Everywhere, everywhere dreams that would have kept him up at
night were alive and plotting themselves out to intersect with his sad, little life at every possible
opportunity. Everywhere, everywhere, was loneliness and pain.
He had told himself for so long that this was what he had wanted. He kept telling himself that peace and
quiet were what he wanted, some time alone without epic battles for his attentions over breakfast.
He had the quiet and all four walls of his house intact. But, strangely enough, he had no peace whatsoever.
He found himself surrounded by trees and moonlight, and vaguely noted to himself that he was on the other
side of the lake. He decided that he didn't care.
Across the water, he saw the dim lights on the front porch reflecting into the quite surface of the lake.
There were no stars. He sat on the damp ground, pulling his knees up to his chest and resting his chin on
his arms.
The house was so quiet now. The light was on in his room, he could see. Other than that, everyone was
asleep. Everyone being his father and grandfather. Since the day when everything changed, his home had
become a house, his family had become drastically smaller and his life had lost all flavor.
And it was all because of some stupid little fling. All because he went out to a party--something he hadn't
done forever, not since his life had become a zoo. He went out to a party, got plastered like any hot-
blooded teenager would, and, for a lack of better terms, had gotten laid.
It wasn't really that good, either. He didn't even remember her name.
Yes, he did. Everyone had stomped around the house screaming it at him the next day after his father had
come to pick him up and found him naked and passed out drooling all over some strange girl's hair. And,
being the hentai that he was, his father had decided to tell the whole household how his little boy had
grown up.
He wished he had realized how important everyone was to him. But being the complainer he was, he
convinced himself he needed some escape. Hence the party. And the drinking. And the inevitable
meaningless sex.
Ayeka had started crying immediately. She didn't stop for the three hours it took her to pack for herself
and her sister as he desperately tried to convince her that it didn't mean anything, it didn't effect their
friendship, please, please don't go…
Ryoko hadn't said anything as she listened to Nobuyuki rave about his son's charm with the ladies. She
had looked at Tenchi in disbelief, hoping what the man said was exaggeration. What she saw in his eyes,
the deep wells of shame and sorrow there… she had teleported away, and hadn't been heard from since.
Washu had disappeared shortly after. Her daughter was gone, what was keeping her on this backwards
little planet now?
Mihoshi and Kiyone left after Ayeka and Sasami. No crown princesses of Jurai to watch over, nothing to
protect. They were reassigned and left within a day.
Ryo-ohki had gone missing. One could only assume she had gone to meet her master at some pre-
determined point, or gone off to search for her distressed partner in crime. Who knew?
And now Tenchi found himself alone, staring at an empty house he didn't want to return to. He had never
felt so lost before, like there was a huge party happening somewhere and he was stuck here alone.
It was just a stupid mistake.
He tossed a pebble into the water at his feet, watching the ripples widen and spread. He was almost
positive he could see them disturb the reflection of the porch lights across the lake.
The world does not tolerate mistakes.
He missed them. He missed them all.
He missed waking up to that golden-eyed blue-haired freak next to him. He missed Ayeka's grace and
elegance going to hell when she found that the last cookie was at stake. He missed Sasami and her undying
cheeriness, Washu's endless schemes for world-domination or whatever, Mihoshi's complete oblivion and
Kiyone's intolerance to the partner she obviously cared so much for.
And one mistake had ended it all.
He realized now that it had all been selfishness. What did he need release from? He had the best friends in
anyone could ever ask for, and he had taken them all for granted.
And now he was alone.
The world, he thought, does not tolerate mistakes.