Authors Notes: Basically just a one-shot featuring Ryoko as she reflects upon her past, present and future. This is my first Tenchi Muyo fic so it might not be very good. It's set after the events of the second OVA series.

Disclaimer: I do not own Tenchi Muyo. Please be kind enough not to sue!  ^_^;

Nothing without you

The young looking woman gave a soft sigh as she phased on to the roof. Finally she would have some peace from the hectic household below and be able to collect her thoughts. So many emotions were circling through her mind that she just had to get away. A deep urge from inside made her want to scream out of just how much she longed to escape it all. But she wouldn't. She would never leave this place, not without Tenchi by her side. All her thoughts, emotions and even some of her problem seemed to be connected to this boy.

A small smile penetrated her lips as her mind gazed longingly at his image. "Tenchi…" she whispered, the faint breeze carrying her voice into the night.

You may have not known me long but I've known you since you were a child. You were such a cutie-pie. Although technically you still are. You'd visit the cave almost everyday and everyday I would smile at you despite that you weren't able to see me. But you knew I was there didn't you? Ever since you were little you could sense my presence. Is that why you kept returning to my cave? I always wanted to play with you while I waited for my gems to regenerate. Even if only for a moment I looked forward to seeing you. And the days you didn't visit, I couldn't help but despair. Quite unnatural for a tough space pirate like me, ne?

I enjoyed watching you as the days processed, seeing how you aged and developed. And how I longed desperately to be with you, to be freed of my imprisonment… You later did free me and I was finally able to be by your side. Of course at that time I was pissed and ended up attacking you. Hey you try being imprisoned in a dark cave for seven hundred years and we'll see how you like!

I always assumed there were no other women in your life. Both your mother and Grandmother had died at a young age, and it seemed unlikely that you had a girlfriend because if you did then why the hell would you be hanging around an old cave? So when I thankfully assumed I had you all to myself that prissy princess bitch Aeka and her younger sister showed up. Then there's that air-headed Galaxy police officer Mihoshi crash landing in the onsen, and finally that damn Washu. Of course they're no competition, although I'm sure if they weren't here I'd be with Tenchi.

Anyway despite the obstacles in my path, my love for you is poor and truth. Tenchi, the Universe… the stars… have no meaning without you. And this is why I will never leave you. Unless of course you fell in love with someone else… but of course that's never going to happen! So I will always remain here in hope that one day I will finally loose memory of my corrupted past. The ruthless and murderous space pirate Ryoko, a part of myself that I've desperately been trying to bury. But such a thing is not easily forgotten. Five thousand earth years with Kagato will certainly drain you, both emotionally and physically.

I was his loyal slave, bound to him, a mere puppet he claimed to have created to make his ambitions and dreams come true. I hate the things he made me do, the destroying and killing of innocent lives so he may triumph. He claimed that the strong had the right to corrupt the weak and thus they should be sacrificed for the greater good. What good he was talking about I do not know. Still even when I refused him, the punishment I received was just as emotionally agonizing. I can still feel the pain burning inside me. I even longed to return to nothing just so I wouldn't suffer any longer. But I scolded myself for such thinking. I had to be strong! Ryo-ohiki's encouragement, my strength and my desire for something more were the only thing that carried me through. When Kagato was destroyed I thought that the pain would disappear along with his existence, but still those memories even now he continues to haunt me through my dreams.

I remember those times when I tried to convince myself that I wasn't frightened of anything. How stupid I was… Thankfully the pain doesn't hurt as much now. I have my love for Tenchi to thank for this.  His smile makes those unwanted memories fade away until I find the need to morn again. But even when I see his smile, a new pain consumes me, a pain until recently I never knew existed. For the past five thousand years I have never loved anything with the exception of Ryo-ohki. I was so filled of hatred for the man who created me that I could barely focus on anything else…

Bastard, hope he's rotting in hell right now. Everyone in knew or cared about he would hunt down. First Washu, then Aeka and Sasami and finally Tenchi. No words can describe what I felt when I found Tenchi's bloody headband. I couldn't bare the pain. It hurt too much. More than anything I could ever imagine possible! But I suppose I am not alone in this feeling despite how much I hate saying it, I'm sure Aeka must have felt the same way. We both wanted revenge against Kagato, but our efforts were in vain. In the end we could do nothing, and just as it looked as if Kagato had won, Tenchi returned to us. And with his new ability to summon the light hawk wings he was able to defeat Kagato and save us all.

Like the pain I felt when I thought Tenchi as dead, I can't explain the feeling I felt when I discovered he was alive. From that moment on I knew that nothing would ever come between my love for him, and I swore to myself that I wouldn't let anything take him away from me ever again.

During the battle with Kagato we discovered a pink haired kid who had been imprisoned by Kagato for thousands of years. Mihoshi somehow managed to set her free. No doubt with her clumsiness. It turned out she was a scientist and Kagato used to act as her assistant until he betrayed and eventually imprisoned her. Once more the little brat was claiming to be my mother! At first I refused to believe it but some how she was able to read my mind, saying that just as I am connected to Ryoko, she is connected to me. She had created me using her own ovum and this strange mass stuff. She had also created Ryo-ohki and the ship Soja. After trapping Washu he erased all my memories and convinced me that he was my creator and thus I should obey his every order. All the creations Kagato had claimed to have invented actually had all belonged to another.

It seems that so much has happened since then. The household is always in chaos, but hey who doesn't like a little excitement? The only problem I have with it is I hardly get any time to spend with my dear Tenchi alone. Sometimes I wonder if he even realises how much he means to me. He can be dense but I think it makes him even cuter. Still it worries me though. Will I ever get the chance to say 'I love you'?

A small tear drop ran down her face. Tightly she wrapped her arms around herself as the breeze blew stronger. Her cerulean locks swayed in the wind as she gazed up into the evening sky, her golden eyes fixated on illuminating full moon.

Occasionally I miss space. I miss the excitement of flying through the stars causing disturbance with Ryo-ohki. I always imagine how great it would be riding on Ryo-ohki with Tenchi by my side. That first time sure was fun, but I doubt he'd ever do again unless there was a reason, like one of us were in trouble. Sometimes it hurts knowing that he would risk his life for the other women and not just for me. Does he feel any difference when rescuing me compared to the others? More fear of loosing? I suppose I can only hope.

Ever since that damn Washu let that stupid robot Zero merge with me I've felt different. Almost nothing is the same anymore. I used to be calm and forward. Now every time I see him I blush and loose control of how to react. Washu said that Zero represents another part of me, the part I hide deep down within inside myself. Those feelings I could never show so freely, the feelings I've always tried to hide. Are they really apart of me? I believe these feelings are the complete opposite of me, that there's no way I could possibly feel like that. But still I cannot deny that I've never felt such things before. 

She blushed faintly.

Who knows maybe this way he'll finally realize. I hide my feelings because I fear the thought of rejection. I don't think I could bare it if Tenchi did. I guess this is just another reason why I'm so afraid to say the word 'I love you' But until that time when you finally do figure out your feelings, whether its me you love, Aeka or someone else you harvest feelings for, I will always remain at your side. And I'll always secretly be watching over you just like when you were a child. I love you Masaki Tenchi. I just pray to the heavens that you will realise this some day soon. I swear that nothing will ever come between my love for you. I'll always be there for you no matter what.

With one final hopeful glance at the moon, the women phased away.

Tenchi, the universe… the stars… have no meaning without you.

Authors Notes: I hope my fic was all right and didn't come off as too corny or anything. I know there are probably a thousand with Ryoko reflecting over her life but I was in the mood to write something about Ryoko and wanted to try and get into her character. The last line comes from the preview for episode 6 of Tenchi Muyo.

Feedback would be greatly appreciated especially any advice that would help improve my writing. Thanks for reading! Arigatou gozaimasu! ^_^