By the Great El Dober
Shiny metals. Flashy lights. Big buttons. Such wondrous sights. No wonder Mommy spends so much time here. This is far more fun than the Academy.
Wide, curious eyes continued to scan their surroundings while trying to remember the words associated with the sights that met them.
Neutrino discharge thingy. Galactic Class something. A circle shaped thing that has something to do with black holes. And finally the . . .
Mommy, what's this do? asked the young girl in confusion. She thought she had explored all of her mother's labs yet here was something she knew nothing about.
Little Ryoko, how many times must I explain these . . . the approaching Washu began before catching sight of the machine in question. It consisted of a battery block the size of a tower behind a podium-like console with the words Second Chance' gracing the front. For the first time in a long time Washu was reluctant to boast about her work.
That is nothing, she began while leading her daughter away from it, Just forget all about it okay, it doesn't matter.
Because it's unimportant now.
Why's that?
Because I don't need it.
But why don't you need it Mommy?
Washu let out an exasperated sigh. Sometimes she wished she had a thick daughter who wouldn't be so irritatingly inquisitive. The only way to end this now was to explain things in enough detail to satisfy her curiosity.
Listen Ryoko, Washu began in a serious tone, while kneeling down to look her daughter right in the face. Mommy made that when she was very sad. It was to make Mommy feel better, but I don't need it now because now I have you.
Because we love each other! the young girl happily exclaimed while jumping into a warm embrace, And we always will!
Countless Years Later
Washu! Where are you hiding you gnome-sized excuse for a mother! When I find you I'll . . .
Good afternoon to you too Ryoko. Came the sarcastic, but somewhat hurt reply from across the lab.
Washu kept her focus on her work as the stampeding footsteps thundered towards her, all up to the point that Ryoko shoved a photo in her face with such force that it nearly knocked her clean off her floating cushion.
What the hell is this? Demanded Ryoko while pointing to the photo that quite clearly depicted Washu sneaking around Tenchi's room at night with what appeared to be some form of vacuum pump.
Oh that, Washu began as if it was nothing, That was just a little joke.
Oh just a joke is it? fumed Ryoko, Well next time you can keep your twisted jokes away from my Tenchi.
And what, began Washu, with a wide grin, just what is it that makes him your Tenchi?
Washu loved opportunities to wind up her daughter. They were the only real opportunities she had to be near her, even if they were damaging, but Washu would withstand any amount damage just to be reminded of the better days when they would laugh and tease each other in harmless fun. It was those better days that Ryoko's answer would unwittingly and painfully remind Washu of.
Because we love each other, Ryoko began, And we always will.
Ryoko watched as her mother's face fell, and although she didn't understand what she had done, Ryoko couldn't help but feel a wave of guilt wash over her. This wasn't how Ryoko wanted it to be. Why couldn't her mother be more mother-like? Every time Ryoko felt like finally accepting Washu as her mother, that immature redhead would pull something like this. How can she look upon Washu as her mother when she tries to suck sperm out of her own daughter's true love? It was just seemed so unreasonable.
But it wasn't entirely Washu's fault either. Ryoko knew she had been just as unreasonable by pushing her mother away ever since they had been reunited. If only she had known better. If only she had . . .
And you think that I don't love you? came the eventual response from the small scientist. Washu tried to make the question sound rhetorical but it came out desperate and hurt. Her playful teasing that Ryoko had once been so fond of, had once again taken a nasty and hurtful turn for the worse.
How could you? came an equally pitiful response from her space pirate daughter, I can never be the sweet little girl you talk so much of, not after what I've done. You just want that girl back instead of me.
And then in a voice sounding every bit as worthless as Ryoko felt she concluded, I'm just not important to you any more.
Ryoko just stood there facing the floor, watching a lonely tear fall and splash onto the ground.
This is crap, she thought, if mother dearest hadn't made me fuse with
that emotionally challenged tin can then I would never be saying this. Sure, it's
what I think, but these thoughts are meant to be private. It's been two months and I
still can't keep my big mouth shut over things like this.
Ryoko was snapped away from her thoughts as Washu grabbed her by the wrist and began leading her away into the far reaches of the lab.
What are you doing? Let me go! demanded Ryoko, but after her emotional outburst it sounded more like a plea than a demand and Washu had no intentions of stopping.
No! You think you are unimportant to me. You think I would trade you for the old you and I'm going to prove you wrong, Washu said firmly, while leading her daughter towards the very same machine she had led her away from all those years ago.
A what?
A temperal-reallignment-amnesia-inducing-with-selective-delayed-responses-field-generator.
Oh I see, lied Ryoko. The only part of it that she could grasp was that it supposedly generated some sort of field and despite the technological feat in front of her the only part of it that captivated her interest were the pretty, shiny letters that spelt Second Chance' on the front.
And she wants me to replace her child prodigy that she boasts so much of. Ryoko
thought in disgust of herself, not even beginning to realise that she had referred to past
herself in the second person.
Washu could see Ryoko's blank expression but took comfort from the twinkling of recognition that came through the link. She could also sense a feeling of hope and anticipation, the stronger emotions that would always seep through no matter how hard her daughter tried to mask them, but despite all of this a stale silence still hung in the air.
Don't you want to know what it does? Washu asked pensively, afraid that Ryoko might lose interest and leave at any moment but instead Ryoko nodded and braced herself for what was sure to be theories and physics far beyond her level of comprehension.
But in all her effort to mentally prepare for the intellectual onslaught to follow, Ryoko had let those last thoughts slip across the link. Taking this into account Washu began her somewhat diluted explanations.
Simply put it's a time machine, but in truth it's more than that, she began, not her overly proud, enthusiastic self, as was usually the case with her inventions.
It doesn't just send you through time or to another dimension you see, Washu continued, it shifts the entire time axis back. That way your mistakes are truly erased forever.
interrupted Ryoko, afraid she may be missing the point already.
Yes, mistakes. That's why I built it, Washu continued, I started construction just after my husband left me. The plan was to go back and never marry him. I would never be hurt, never cry myself to sleep at night and never have to lose my son.
But of course, interrupted Ryoko, sensing a rare opportunity to show understanding, You would just go back and make the same mistakes all over again so there was little point.
No, that's not how it works, Washu responded as the proud grin vanished from her daughter's face, Like I said before it has amnesia-inducing-with-selective-delayed-response properties. In other words the user will retain their memories for one day. After that the memories of your actions would remain but the logic behind them would forever escape you.
Washu sighed regretfully, One day would have been plenty time to ruin all chances of a marriage. Then I could have lived the rest of my life in blissful, ignorant peace.
So why didn't you use it, asked her even more confused than before
daughter.
Washu began as the memories resurfaced, I would never have gotten to see you.
Countless Years before
Professor Hakibu, your personal project is finally fully charged. It may have taken four years but it is finally complete, reported one of her lab assistants.
Washu sighed. It had indeed taken a long time to store enough energy. Changing time across the universe was no small task after all. Even the greatest scientific mind known to exist had needed a ridiculous amount of time to achieve it and it that time there had been some pretty major changes.
Washu looked down into her arms where her sleeping child lay. It was time to choose. What meant more to her, freedom from the pain or her beautiful baby daughter?
Thank you for informing me, Washu finally replied, but I no longer require use of that machine.
But, you took . . . I mean it cost . . . I mean . . . You can't be serious! the assistant babbled on in shock. Washu just smiled and walked away with no intentions of explaining. Ever.
Current day
I thought you deserved a chance to live Ryoko, Washu finished, Had I used that machine, much as I wanted to, you would never have been born.
Ryoko stood shocked and although she was censored to the content, Washu could still sense a thousand thoughts racing through her daughter's head.
I had no idea. If she could escape the pain it would be natural to do so but she
didn't for my sake. To think she was going to keep that secret to herself. To think I
could have refused to come and never found out. Hey wait a minute, why am I having such
patience with this anyway? Oh I forgot, this is that goddamn robot's fault. But still
the fact remains that she made a huge sacrifice and she did it all for me!
Ryoko face then dropped as she remembered something.
That doesn't prove anything Washu, she began sadly, I'm not that girl you remember so fondly. It could have as well been someone else. You still find me unimportant.
Ryoko had really wished otherwise but the fact remained that all the affection shown to that girl she had apparently once been was lost to her. Just like all of Washu's hopes and dreams were falsely pinned upon a space pirate instead of an innocent child, it would be wrong to accept Washu's love for someone else. It would just make her feel more of an impostor than she already did.
That's where you're wrong my Little Ryoko, Washu began in a voice that had quite broken down, but threatened to do so at any moment. All through my incarceration at the hands of Kagato the only thing that kept me sane, the only thing that kept me going was knowing one day I might be free. One day I might manage to return to this very place and with the flip of a switch it would all be better.
It was at that point Washu's voice finally broke down into sobs, I just wanted to make it better. After all those years with nothing but darkness except for when I saw hell through your eyes, nothing but numbness save for the pain I could sense through our link, and most of all nothing but guilt except for the hope I could make amends, after all of that I just wanted to go back. I wanted to hold my child again and not feel responsible for the torture and nightmares I know that you've suffered.
Well why the hell didn't you? Ryoko yelled in frantic amazement, Come on, we can still stop him, we can still be happy together. You can have your beloved daughter back and I can finally forget what I've done. Come on, quickly, let's do it!
We can't, Washu stated, her voice firm yet full of obvious regret. We can't now for the same reasons I couldn't then. Everything would be erased, not only the mistakes and suffering. I thought you deserved a chance to prove yourself. I wasn't going to deny you that after all the suffering you went through.
I don't want to prove myself, replied Ryoko, while running towards the console, I want happiness!
And what of Tenchi?
That last comment stopped Ryoko in her tracks, just like Washu knew it would.
You said you'd love him forever, Washu began, but choose that path and you won't even remember him tomorrow.
I could write a note to myself . . . Ryoko began, desperately trying to find a way to make this work.
Washu shook her head. Change the past and you will never attack Jurai, Yosho will never leave for earth and therefore Tenchi will never even be born.
Washu then closed her eyes, took a deep breath and braced herself for what she was about to do. She didn't want to take such a gamble but she knew deep down that she had to. It was the right thing to do.
I know I haven't been the best of mothers, Washu began with her eyes still shut tight, so I won't stop you if you want to use it. It's your choice, the chance to dump your pain and burdens, but the cost would be Tenchi and your family.
Washu hoped that Ryoko understood family was meant to mean her more than it was meant to mean Ayeka and the others. Washu waited patiently for a response. She expected to hear Ryoko choose Tenchi over the alternative or at the very least hear her stomp out of the lab in a mood. She was horrified to hear, instead, clicks and bleeps.
Clicks and bleeps of data entry.
Data entry for time co-ordinates.
Time co-ordinates for . . .
Washu's eyes flung open and stared, mortified at the sight before her. Her daughter was at the panel, entering the data that would help her reclaim her life.
No! Washu's mind screamed. What have I done to her to make her do this? I knew it was bad but I never thought she would choose peace of mind over love. I never thought she turn her back on us forever.
Sensing her mother's thoughts, Ryoko looked up to meet her tearful gaze.
I'm sorry Mom, was all she could say before pressing the final button.
That last click, despite being feeble in volume, was the most emphatic sound Washu had ever heard. It was the sound of death, betrayal, loss and failure all rolled into one.
A blinding, all encompassing light streamed through the lab and when Washu opened her eyes her daughter had vanished along with all the hopes and dreams that Washu had pinned on her.
Washu felt darkness creeping over her as the current time line ceased to be. She felt the sands of time slowly grinding to a halt and start to slip away to the past. Her mind was slowly fading away into an unconscious slumber and her memory was fading away forever.
was all she could say as a lone tear dropped from her face and splashed into oblivion.
Part three - Reunifications
Ryoko's mind came back into focus just in time to hear the tail end of a conversation she had heard all before.
. . . . but I created you using my own egg cells so I'm more of your mother than your creator.
Of course you are! Ryoko said while joyously pulling her long lost mother into a fierce hug.
Washu was stunned. It was too good to be true. She remembered, she actually remembered. The emotion of it all was too much for her as Washu found herself breaking down into tears.
Don't cry Mommy, Ryoko soothed, sounding more and more like the innocent child she thought she could never become once again. She took her trembling hand and ran it through her mother's long red hair. She was shocked to find her hand, the same hand that had crushed worlds, could be so gentle and healing as Washu seemed to draw strength from this and regain her composure.
Don't cry Mommy, I might not feel like this tomorrow so let's just enjoy our second chance while it lasts.
Washu gasped as her incredible mental processing powers swiftly deciphered the meaning behind those words. Ryoko just smiled. This is how it should have been. Had she known she had a mother who cared deeply for her, had she known that Washu was that mother, had she known what she knew now then this was exactly how events would have played out first time round.
But now she had erased her mistake, her mistake of not accepting Washu from day one. Now they could have a proper fresh start, one where Ryoko's mistrust and Washu's attention seeking antics wouldn't interfere. Now with Tenchi and her mother, Ryoko felt she could be truly happy once more.
Wait I'm confused, interrupted Mihoshi, What about being stuck here, not to mention Kagato and Ayeka and Sasami and Ryo-Oh . . . Or without the excessive babbling it simply meant What about everything else?' She had a point. The problem wasn't solved yet.
Don't worry, Ryoko replied confidently, All we need to do is bring Ayeka down here then, as long as I'm careful to avoid his traps, I can kill him.
Suddenly a grin spread across her face.
Actually I think I will get caught in that trap after all and let Tenchi rescue me. That's one memory I want to keep forever! and with that she returned to the other side.
Miss Washu, Mihoshi whispered discreetly, I think losing Tenchi was too much for her. I think she's gone mad.
Washu laughed while wiping the tears from her eyes. She was far too happy to reply. It seems that after untold years of imprisonment she had finally been given a second chance.
The End
And there you have it. As always I won't plead you to, but if you want to write a review then be my guest.