Her soul was fed by the pain, strife and machinations of a madman, her life held together only by the whims of her mother. When Washu's efforts fail her, however, what consequences, exploration and solutions will birth from Ryouko and her family trying to rise from the shambles?

-o-

Nightfall's Rain
A Tenchi Muyo! based fanfic.

ACHTUNG!

Note as of 03.26.05: This is the absolute final revision. It's been YEARS since I finished on this piece, and frankly, I can't keep looking at it. Any mistakes henceforth will be recognized, but I won't change them. So don't say a damn thing. :D Also, I might finish this fic's sequel this year. If I don't, I probably won't finish it at all. I'm growing up, after all. :( But I'm not old enough for stupid emoticons! As long as they no longer look like this: Ew. Get that away from me.

New disclaimer: I own one character. Pioneer owns Tenchi and the gang.

New warning: R Extreme themes! Full version available at AFF, you sassy cats.

Title 17 is in effect, so no intellectual property effect, young man!

A final word (warning?):

The actions herein are controversial at times, but it's all there to tell a story. Moreover, I went through great pains to comb out the sex-scenes to make it passable for this archive. Nothing hardcore happens in this version, so it isn't a lemon. Lo and behold, I actually wanted to show you something that didn't implicitly involve love-making. You won't sound smart by telling me I suck just because you don't morally agree with something. There are things in here that I absolutely cringe at. This isn't WAFF, (though I do like the occasional feeling). Keep an open mind. If you made it this far, then you're probably going to be okay. Have fun.

Also, just for JWM: I'm aware. Why do you think I was removed last time?

Here we go!

-o-

Nightfall's Rain
Prologue

A splash hit the roof of the Masaki home, stationed way out in the peacefully untouched reaches of Okayama. The scattered stars shone down as Ryouko looked out towards the city of Kobe, lights blazing far, far out on the horizon. They flickered in and out like small candles set in the hills by God above. Her vision blurred again as another tear streaked down her face in a soft, shimmering path. It fell off her cheek and spiraled down to the roof, disintegrating as the clouds began to gather above.

Ryouko cried out again as her eyes spilled over with a pellucid glow, bringing more salty tears to run down the silky, satin like skin of her face. It was her determination that her skin was that of satin; no one else seemed to want to verify. More drops came down upon the roof, however, not from her apparent agony. The girl looked wearily up to the sky as the clouds merged, stealing away her starry nightlights as quickly as the rain cascaded down, slowly but steadily developing into a downpour.

Ryouko absently wiped her tears away, not making a difference as the rain began to sheet down upon her. Although impervious to weather and temperature, there was always something that made her uneasy about rain.

The thunder rolled across the hills and a crack of energy came slicing down. It was the lightning; Ryouko couldn't stand the fiery crack of the sky's wrath. Once more, she sobbed out a hated name, briefly asking why she did this to herself before cursing and phasing through the roof, the third floor hallway and into the spare room below. Once there, she stuck out her tongue in a shiver of discomfort as her wet clothing gripped to her, generously outlining her voluptuous figure. Feeling rather "icky", as she might say, she disappeared from the confines of her garments and sighed as the cool air of the room ran over her nude form. She tipped her head, hearing the damp slosh of her soaked blue and yellow dress tumbling out of the air and to the floor.

Almost forgetting her troubles, she grinned at the thought of Tenchi bursting in unexpectedly. It was something she playfully toyed with night by night, knowing well enough that it would never happen. Tenchi was as predictable as the alphabet. Had it been done, it would usually be to yell at her, or, in her delusional perception of his feelings for her, to just be a little naughty.

"Oh Tenchi!" she said to herself as she covered her chest and nether regions, "what are you doing here? Have you been spying on me? Oh you naughty little boy!" Caught in a mid sly grin, she relaxed to the sight of a still-closed door and a still-darkened room. She reluctantly realized the improbability of this as it was two in the morning. Not so much that it was an impossibility, but countless nights of watching told her that her Tenchi was a sound sleeper. Dropping her lanky arms to her sides, she stood slouching a tad as the remaining moisture rose from her warming body.

The solution? Get wet again, of course.

"I can't even give myself a break," she mumbled irritably as she grabbed a towel and a few bath supplies. What she needed was to relax.

-o-

Ryouko stepped into the bath, taking in the startlingly vast interior of the interdimensional onsen, sighing a deep, long and apathetic breath. In her sour mood, her favorite pastime seemed much drearier than usual. She waded into the beach-like shore of the water and stared up at the night sky through the transparent dome above her. She unwrapped her towel and flung it onto a nearby plant. Admiring her figure a moment longer, she lay down in the water and stared up to the moon's residence once again.

The hampered clink of the rain on the dome above filled the room as thin rays of the Night Watchman made their way through the thick gray clouds and to a sublunary resting spot. Ryouko flinched as dimmed flashes of lightning pulled over the clouds, brightening the sky above. Her eyelids began to grow heavy as the hypnotic sounds of the water washed over the glass high above mixed with that of the streams flowing far below. She finally closed her eyes with a soft breath, jerking them open a moment when thunder rolled over the hillsides. She frowned, shuddering slightly. Without a yawn or a stretch, she began slipping away as her muscles relaxed to putty. Her head dropped to the left side as she fell away to sleep, the water washing up and stopping just below her eye. She mumbled, exhaling ripples across the stilling waters, the sounds of the active night draining away.

"Kagato. . ."