Reflection
DISCLAIMER these here characters aren't mine. There I said it. A/N Okay, I don't know why, but for some reason I've been laxed on writing Tenchi fics, well fics in general, don't get me wrong, I've got plenty of ideas and half written stories, just nothing completed. Anywho, this is *not* a T/A or a T/R romance fic, it's more like a T/A FRIENDSHIP fic. SO NO FLAMES Not that I pay attention to them but they might deter other readers from reading. Anywho, enjoy!
She couldn't help but stare at the young man in front of her. It wasn't in admiration, but in fascination. Ayeka felt a warm blush lit up her cheeks when the young man that had caught her attention, looked up at her and weakly smiled.
"It shouldn't be much longer, Miss Ayeka." Tenchi Masaki announced returning his attention to the job at hand; blowing on the small pile of dried papers and wood, attempting to make the fire grow higher. He felt a bit self-conscious at first when he unthinkingly stripped off his thoroughly wet shirt in front of the Princess, and her constant stare wasn't helping the feeling deaden. Gulping down a hard, nervous lump in his throat, the farm boy looked up and smiled again.
Ayeka returned the gesture, and found the strength to rip her eyes away from the young man. Her ruby colored eyes began to tear up; the thoughts and memories she was encountering were almost enough to send her into a fitful sob of emotion. Curse the rain, the violet haired girl said in her mind, if it wasn't raining, she wouldn't be in the wood shed with this strange and strangely familiar young man.
"I'm sorry about this Miss Ayeka." Tenchi apologized, shifting to a more comfortable position on his legs. His voice wasn't the normal cheerful tone, but instead was mature, and sincere.
Twisting her face to the boy, the Jurian woman softly whispered "It's all right." There, again, like a bolt of lightening striking her, she saw *him* again in Tenchi.
"What's wrong?" Masaki didn't know what had caused her to start crying, all she did was look at him, and two silent tears slipped out of the corners of her eyes.
"I'm sorry," Wiping away her tears with the back of her trembling hand, but that didn't stop them from coming. One after another, they came. Both tears and memories lingered within her. "It's just that you-remind me of someone I knew---long ago."
"Yosho?" Tenchi questioned. Remembering the legends his Grandpa had told him when he was little, and then while he was trying to take the crown Ayeka always wore (per Sasami's request), the first Princes mentioned the warrior's name.
Ayeka flinched. Just the mention of her would-have-been-husband was enough to make the tears quicken their pace down her pale face. She closed her eyes, bowed her head, and let out a sigh from deep within her soul.
She couldn't look at the boy, no matter what. Even though it wasn't his fault, it was just too painful to look at his eyes---and see Yosho staring back at her. Around the eyes, the color, the black hair, it all resembled her half brother almost perfectly. It hadn't taken her long to notice the similarities between the men, when Tenchi had first touched her, the first look, and lastly, the smile.
"I wish I could explain." Ayeka shivered from a sudden chill in the air.
Tenchi studied the woman in front of him, and felt a tug of guilt on his heart as the tears dropped off her chin, and into her lap. He didn't know what he'd said wrong, or did wrong, but attempting to make amends for his thoughtlessness, Tenchi grabbed his shirt off a near by stack of boxes and slipped it on.
Ayeka was oblivious to his kind effort and smile; her mind was slowly taking a trip back in time. Where her brother waited for her after the princess's afternoon classes to walk her through the gardens and simply be together, as an engaged couple should.
The way he smiled, so innocently, at her when he'd made a joke. Yosho laughing at her gently when someone watching him would catch her practice with his sword, Tenchi. Even the way he'd brush her bangs from her eyes when he'd check on her, thinking she was silently sleeping in her bedroom. And how long it had taken for her intended to collect the courage to caress her with their first kiss. Everything that had been so right, so happy for her as she was growing up now seemed--so far away.
"Miss Ayeka?" Tenchi questioned softly, touching her hand gently with his own. The simple touch jolted her out of the sweet reveries, and brought her back to her senses.
Even the boy's touch, Ayeka's mind reflected sadly, reminded her of her fiancee. Her slender shoulders began to shake with silent sobs as the Princess of Juria turned her head away from the Earthling, another set of feelings and memories began to override her depressed mind.
The evil space pirate, Ryoko, had finally attacked. Malevolent as she was, the fierce woman gave no mercy and slaughtered all that stood in her path to Juria's royal palace. Ayeka's home world hadn't been ready for the attack, as it came in the dead of night. Thought blood thirsty, the princess remembered the remarks of how wise the monster was by attacking at this time, and hitting the military bases first, murdering all the sleeping soldiers.
Tears of fear cascaded down the Queens' eyes as they were rushed into a safer location. Sasami had gone missing, and her nursemaid was let out to fetch the innocent child. Ayeka, on the other hand, ran around the castle in a fit of desperate passion, trying to find her beloved. Over and over she called his name as parts of the castle broke off and fell in her path. Scarred beyond thought, the eldest princess fled the castle, praying her family would be all right.
That's when she first saw the vile creature. Ryoko, perched upon the upturned garden stairs, her eyes glowing red, as a bone chilling smirk turned her lips. Thankfully, Ayeka had been able to slip pass the bloodthirsty tyrant and escape into her treasured wild flower fields. It wasn't until her legs began to protest too much, and her chest heaved that she allowed herself to fall to her knees and cry.
Yosho's name escaped her lips many times, pleading with him to come to her and say the monster was dead. But he didn't. The violet girl's heart leaped with joy as her brother came to her, wrapped her in his arms and soothed away the fear with his soft words. Only to shatter her precious world again with the proclaimed announcement that he would leave, and chase Ryoko to the ends of the universe till she was dead.
And then her beloved left her. Standing in the field of flowers as the wind bobbed their heads up and down, unknowing to the blood that had painted Juria's streets. Through tears in Ayeka's ruby red eyes, she watched her future husband blast off into space with the hope his promise would not fall empty.
"Tenchi," she spoke slowly. Trying her best to stop her broken heart's feelings from creeping into her regal voice. Ayeka looked into the waiting young man and continued, "Did-he die here?"
He was never the brightest crayon in the box, but he wasn't such an idiot not to know what 'he' the woman was referring to. Tenchi chewed over the legends his Grandpa had told him. In his final battle with Ryoko, Masaki recalled, the Prince was supposedly mortally wounded, and always being a selfless man, he gave up his Jurain grave waters to the pirate. After that, his Grandpa said, 'and so it was' and that was all.
Glancing up at the slightly trembling his heart tightened, wishing he had the ability to lie without being punished by a guilty conscience. Swallowing hard, wetting his parched throat, Tenchi nodded, "Yes, after fighting Ryoko."
"That monster!" Ayeka cried out, burying her head into her small hands. She'd known he'd died. There was no other explanation for her beloved to break his promise. But never, did the royal heir have a sound proof. She still didn't but all the evidence was cruelly pointing in the direction of an answer she didn't wish to believe in. First, Tenchi confirming the legends, and then the other Tenchi, Yosho's personal sword being left on this place without his guidance.
Not thinking, only acting, the young man moved to the girl's side and wrapped his arms around her, letting the distraught creature cry into his chest. Stroking her long hair, as his mother did when he was younger, Tenchi tried to soothe her.
After the sobs subsided, and all that was left was the sniffles, and red puffy eyes, Ayeka pulled away from him. Biting her lip, she closed her burning eyes and questioned, "D-do you think he went to what this place calls, I think, Heaven?"
Her words were so full of pain and hurt, Tenchi was glad to take the effort to attempt to make her heart feel a bit better. "Sure, he was a good person and he saved Ryoko when he didn't have to. Gave up his life for hers, I know that doesn't make any sense, maybe he thought she deserved a second chance."
"But-" Ayeka pondered, "Do you think Heaven is good enough for him?"
Staring into the dark red eyes of a frightened little girl was easy, to see the fear and sadness wasn't. Masaki grabbed the end of his short ponytail and tugged on it a few times before answering the woman with a sure voice, "I know it is."
"Oh Tenchi," the Princess cried out softly, falling into his arms to let her unchecked tears flow once again. As her eyes deposited droplet after droplet of warm salty water onto the young man's shirt, Ayeka's mind floundered with a new hope. Perhaps Tenchi wasn't Yosho, though the resemblance was uncanny. Maybe he'd never agree to it, or maybe Ryoko would take tear her family apart again, but at least this hope, a hope of new love was left to linger on her mind.