Disclaimer: I own nothing, including Tenchi Muyo, since I live in a VAN DOWN BY THE RIVER!!
Hey guys, this is the first time I have actually completed something over a weekend, so bear with me here. I'm very happy to say that I will complete this, even if it takes friggin forever.
So without Further ado, I present
Chapter 7: Memories and Resolution!
Ryoko could see nothing. She only felt a horrible pain in her side, feeling a warm liquid dripping over her lips. She struggled to open her eyes, but pain seared her as the slightest amount of light burned her retinas. Slowly adjusting, she could make out the room she was in, yet it was more like a grand hall. Tall pillars of what looked like marble arched above her into the dark ceiling. The floor itself was like glass, and at the end opposite of her was a giant fountain, its water a deep shad of purple. She looked at her side, only to turn away as her clothing was covered in blood, and more of it was streaming out her mouth. She put her hand on the ground, attempting to pick her head up for a better look, only to have it pushed down again. She coughed up more blood as a harsh voice above her spoke.
"Keep you head down, slime. You have no right to see the glory of Lady Tokimi."
"…Lady..Tokimi…."
The guard put his foot on her side, putting so much pressure on the wound that she could only spit more blood out in attempt to scream.
"Yes, she will decide what is to be done with you."
Ryoko wasn't really paying attention to what he said. She was trying to stop any more blood to be coughed up, when a blinding light shined in front of her, forcing her to look away. When the light faded, a great presence filled the room, its power almost suffacating Ryoko. The guard that brought her in dropped to his knees, his breath quickened slightly. He spoke in a tone of upmost respect, and fear.
"My Lady Tokimi, I have brought the prisoner Ryoko, daughter of Washu, as requested."
He shifted himself a bit, straightened up, then walked away, leaving Ryoko alone on the floor. The space pirate felt the presence of another suddenly enter her mind. Unlike Kagato, who only sought control of her body and power, this presence was invading her memories. She gripped at her head screaming out as memories flooded her mind, only to slip away into darkness. As she tried to close of her mind from the presence, she felt her mind was being cut with a thousand knifes. She screamed silently, writhing on the ground as a voice echoed through her mind.
"Ryoko, there is no resistance. No one can help you but I. If you truly want freedom, you shall not fight back."
The cyan-haired beauty somehow found the strength to lift her head, looking above her to see Tokimi, goddess of Chaos, smiling evily at her. Her purple eyes, filled with pure darkness, flooded her concious, causing an icy hand to grip at her heart. The presence entered again, but remained still, only to reside there, as it spoke again.
"Ryoko, you have lived a life of complete sin. Regardless of Kagato's control, you refused to fight back. You murdered many millions, and did more damage to this dimension than I could have ever thought possible of a human. I was very impressed when I looked you your criminal record. Well done. Now I wish to grant you the one thing you could never have gained. Freedom of the mind, to wipe your mind clean of all memories, an end to the scenes and nightmares that have plauged you so long."
Ryoko, picked up her head a little more, to stare at the goddess before her.
"You can? Why? I haven't done anything to deserve that. The crimes I have done is for me to live with, its my punishment. And besides, I don't want to lose my memories of Earth, of Tenchi…"
"Ah yes, Tenchi, champion of Tsunami. I wonder, why would you want to remember a boy who caused you more pain than Kagato ever could?"
"What? Tenchi never hurt me. He would never…"
A memory flooded his mind, one of Tenchi slapping her across the face after Mayuka was found. Another, where he had told her that he would rather stay with Haruna than return to live with her. Another, where she ripped the robe that belonged to his mother.
-'Oh, I hate you Ryoko, I hate you!'-
Ryoko couldn't watch anymore. She thrashed about on the ground, crying for her soul. She screamed in her mind for it to end, for the scenes to go away. Strangely enough, the did, vanishing into the darkness like the ones before them. She stared at Tokimi, in both wonder and disbelief.
"You see? I have the power to do all things. I can clean you mind, rid it of all the pain you have suffered. You shall be truly free, like a newborn child."
Another chance…That was the only thing she wished for every night, the thing she craved most…
Another memory flooded her mind. A small child was running up a flight of stone steps. He was not quite tall enough to keep his balance and he hopped up the stones two-a-time. He kept tripping every so often, but finally reached the small clearing at the top. He ran ahead to its center, the opening of a cave. Everyday he was here, at the same time, to see her.
-"Ryoko, where are you? Ryoko?"-
He sat down on the stone just at the caves' foot, catching his breath. Looking at the caves mouth, there she was, his playmate Ryoko. He smiled at her, a warm glow coming from his eyes as she looped through the air, performing amazing tricks in the air. He laughed at his friend's abilites as she landed. Her amber eyes full of happiness and hope that came with each of his daily visits. He would always come, no matter of concern of the elements or time of day, just for her. As his laughter died down, he looked at the demoness with concerned eyes.
-"Ryoko, I heard from Grandpa that a demon lives in that cave. Is it still there?"-
The space pirate eyes grew full of sadness, her smile faded into a painful frown, looking away from the boy as her heart was afraid of his possible fear of her should he learn the truth. The boy couldn't understand what made his friend so upset like that, unless she was the demon inside of it. Slowly, he stood and walked over to her, attempting to touch her hand, only to have his own slip through her astral form. She smiled at his gesture, causing him to smlie in return.
-"Ryoko, I wish I that we could always be together, that you could live at my house with me forever. One day, I want you to come live with me. Would you want to?"-
The space pirate looked at the young boy, his promise bringing more happiness to her than she had know in 700 years. She couldn't believe it, her Tenchi wanted to be with her, just as much as she wanted to be with him. She nodded, putting on her greatest smile to show her approval.
The memory faded, the image of a happy boy was forever frozen in her mind.
'No, nothing, not even a freedom from my dreams is worth forgetting Tenchi. Because my dreams are Tenchi, to be with him, protect him, just like he would do for me.'
"Then we will have no choice but force. Such a shame, it would have been painless had you willingly coroperated, now you shall watch as each memory is slowly ripped from existance, leaving you empty, a hollow shell. Guard! Take her to the Tree. There it will begin."
Ryoko smiled at the memory of Tenchi's promise, and tucked it away in the most protected part of her mind, ready for the mental challenge that awaited. The guard picked started to drag her out of the room.
"Hurry, Tenchi, I don't wanna lose you…"
--
Washu felt as if a cold hand was gripping her neck, causing a cold chill to traverse her spine. She ony got that feeling at the worst of times; it was her link between her sister goddesses.
'Tokimi, what you done with Ryoko?'
Only silence answered her. She sighed, turning to the destination timer on her holotop. Just under ten hours until they reached Ciladon, home of the Tree of Bearing and Gonzy, its keeper. She only vaguely remembered the frompy old geezer, he was almost as old as her, and maybe a bit wiser. She gave out a small laugh, he was at least when it came to Trigion slugworms, but otherwise, she still had him beat. But he still held great authority with the ancient beings, his legendary ability to communicate for nature. Not one of the greatest skills, but he was the only one, so he was pretty important. That was, if he was still alive. If he was smart enough, he would have avoided Tokimi's 'children', and with him, taken the secrets of the Tree. The one thing Washu could never learn about completely. She remembered the only words Gonzy ever told her before her imprisonment by Kagato.
Walking the woods of The Sanctuary, Washu breathed deeply at the smell of seasoned logs and pipe smoke.
"Only he would burn the special logs here, so it must be him."
The red haired genius continued her walk until she reached a small clearing. In its center stood, as she thought, a small fire, burning a purple flame. A tiny, hunched over old man sat at one side on a old tree stump, gazing into the flame while occasionally drawing from a very long pipe. He was very old with age, for many mortals in his 'prime years'. He wore long, wiry silver hair, tied back into a tail that come to his lower back. His face was that of someone who had seen much, as Washu knew he very well did. He looked at her with lighting blue eyes, which were said to pierce into the heart and soul. He smiled as he took a long draw from his pipe, puffing out a few circular rings.
"A goddess, in my santuary? What an unexpected honor, Lady Washu."
"Likewise, Gonzy."
She smiled at the old man, 'He always had a way with words...'
"Please, will you not sit? I know the path to this place must have been a long one for you."
She sat she actually was starting to break a sweat from the walk up here, but the information she was after was worth a few cramps later. She breathed deeply as the fires warth eased her sore muscles.
"Actually Gonzy, I sorta went into retirement as a Goddess, it was getting a bit cramped in the office, I guess you could say."
"I see, still, never my place to judge the the will of the ancients. So, what may I assist you with, Miss Washu?"
"Gonzy, really, when have I ever instituted being called "Miss"? I perfer "Little Washu". But anyway, I think you know why I have come."
His smile faded slightly, only to form a half grin. He eyes pierced right through her, his gaze both intense and comforting.
" 'Little' Washu, you know any information about the Tree is prohibited by any lesser beings. But I suppose for a old Goddess and friend, I will do my best."
Washu shifted a little, only to get comfortable for the answer to a question she had wanted to know about for a long time.
"Gonzy, I gave up my powers in the form of three gems. I am the first of my kind to accomplish this task. Since I was the most powerful of my sisters, I'm afraid that one of them might take advantage of the power they hold. What should be done with them?"
He stared at her for a long time, searching her eyes for the answer that lied within them. He had learned, over his many years of meditation, that one person, no matter how happy a life they live, they always have a secret desire. Washu, Goddess of Wisdom, was the last person he guessed would have such a simple one. Yet for one who had the power to change the laws of the mortal realm, she must have envied even the most simplest women in the universe. He smiled once again, tapping into the power of the surrounding enviorment. He opened his eyes, which took on a ghostly blue glow. He spoke in a voice that was quite unlike his own, deeper, with more omniousness to his tone than normal.
"You seek a way to seal away that which is is your essence. Yet you can never really part with that which is you. Therefore, fufill your dream, and create for yourself the one thing you lack in life. But be forwarned. That which you seek will be given, but you will recieve it at a price. Your gift will be cursed by the universe, cast down as a weapon, and controlled by a lord of evil and darkness. He will corrupt your gift, turn it almost as dark as he. Yet your gift will be saved, not by you, but by another, who will free the gift from its sins and darkness, showing the true light whereever they roam. They will fall in love, yet one shall be blinded by his emotions for others to see it. Only through sacrifice will their hearts join as one. I foresee that this shall not be the last we meet here, for the next shall be of dire urge, for both of us I fear."
Washu could only listen to the old man's prophecy in awe. Taking in all the events the future held in story, she could not help but linger on one specific detail... 'Could he really mean...will I have...a...baby? Her eyes watered at the very thought, the one thing she could never have as a goddess, but for a mortal, a amazing possiblity...Yet, she had already had one once...back when he was still in her life..."But my own child, one I didn't share with anyone but myself..." Wiping the first fallen tear from her emerald eyes, now full of joy at her future promise to look at Gonzy, only to see his tree stump vacant. A slight smile etched her face as she stood, eyes still on the log.
"Always with the mysterious exits..."
She walked out of the woods, somehow knowing what she was going to do all along, only know, how to do it...
-
And 2,700 some odd years later, here she was, once again going to Gonzy for guidence, her last chance at getting her true hearts desire...
A daughter, who loved her...
A child, who fell in love...
A part of her, that she never really lost, no matter what happened...
"I'm coming Ryoko, mommy's coming..."
FIN
Update: New story on the way later (maybe soon, I don't know)
Look for Tenchi Muyo: Are You My Dream?
