A/N: Nyah. That was better, no? Haha. I thought it was. Don't worry! Don't worry! OMG! It's okay! I shall fix, I shall fix!!
Disclaimer: I don't own Tenchi.
Ryoko woke with a start. Tears remnant from the horrid images in her head ran down her face. Her head hurt, she was confused. Reality had just been turned upside-down. She would have sworn the situation she had just experienced had been real, but at the moment, in the darkness of her room, she knew it had only been a nightmare. She knew that she could breathe now, her life was still intact.
She clutched her chest and tried to regain her composure. She knew she would not sleep again tonight. Her hands groped the wall for a light switch. It was found and flipped on, and Ryoko got out of bed and paced the floor. She was trembling a bit from the ordeal she thought she had just gone through.
The experience of hearing those words coming out of Tenchi's mouth had been close to fatal for Ryoko. Her tears still had not stopped. They were a steady memory seeping from her golden eyes, a permanent scar. She was distraught, so she walked.
She walked out of her room and down the hall., out of the giant engraved doors and into the great hall. Her breathing was erratic, she tried to calm down but couldn't. She tried to stop the thoughts telling her that her dream was going to be reality, but her efforts were futile. The feeling remained, her emotions had beaten her. Confusion and hurt had prevailed in the battle for her mind that night. She didn't know what to think.
She made her way quickly to the dining room. She knew no one would be there at this time of night, and she had to be alone. She sat down at the head of the long table. The piece of furniture seemed to stretch for miles, and she just stared. Her breathing returned to normal, she could think again. The silence around her was soothing, the darkness calmed her crazy thoughts.
Still, the feeling of impending heartbreak would not cease. Her entire being was telling her that she needed to grab Tenchi and run if she were ever going to make him love her. Ryoko put her head down on the cool wood of the tabletop. What was she going to do? Ever since she landed on this stupid planet she had been beating her brains out just to feel like she belonged.
A sigh escaped her, and it was soon followed by a gasp as someone walked into her lightless sanctuary. Once again she looked up to see a familiar face, but not the one she wanted.
"Miss Ryoko! What are you doing out here at this time a night?" Kamidake asked, surprised by the pirate's presence at the dining table. She looked down at herself and then looked back at the soldier.
"What are you doing here?" Ryoko inquired in return. Regaining some of her non-chalant nature with the presence of someone else, she gave him an eyebrow raise. How did he always know where she was emotional? Couldn't she ever have a nervous breakdown without this guy bursting in on her?
"I am patrolling the area, Miss Ryoko," Kamidake stated respectfully. His formality made Ryoko chuckle. Her spirits got lighter and lighter.
"Whoa, army boy, just asking. You don't have to get all G.I. goody-two-shoes on me. Don't you have an off button for that kind of stuff?" the cyan haired woman responded. She was amazed at how structured Juraian life was. It reminded her once again of Tenchi and her dream, making her rising spirits fall once again. She looked down as her eyes began to become blurry. She wiped at them discreetly.
The next thing she knew Kamidake was kneeling by her side, staring at her.
"Miss Ryoko, what's the matter?" He innocently asked. He seemed so concerned, it confused her. It was as if he had suddenly turned into Tenchi, the only man who had ever shown genuine concern for her. What was this?
"I-I-. . ." Ryoko tried to say, but found no lie to give him. She was flabbergasted, sheer astonishment had taken hold of her and now would not surrender. She was stuck in this moment of surprise that had caught her so off guard.
"I'm just a little homesick," she finally managed. She wondered if he bought it. His close proximity to her actual feelings was terrifying.
He stood, once again with the "I don't believe you look" plastered squarely on his face. Her wary expression probably didn't help matters much, either. He stared for a while, looking straight in her eyes. She kept her façade as strong as she could manage in her shaken condition. He had to believe her.
"Are you sure? It seems like something else." The Juraian said. Ryoko nodded and reassured him.
"I'm positive. Don't worry about me. I'll get used to it here. I suppose I have to. And besides, it's an adventure, right?" the space pirate told Kamidake. He agreed.
"Goodnight Ryoko."
After her experience with Kamidake, Ryoko made her way back to her room. She sat on her bed and pondered the night's events. Where to start? Everything was so jumbled, so muddled and confusing. She didn't know what to make of the current happenings.
Still, despite what had just happened she still couldn't shake the feeling of reality her dream had left her with. She couldn't help but think that her nightmare's events were going to become a reality. She felt helpless. Helpless that all she could do was wait for her demise to arrive.
