Ryoko's Zinnia

"Your father?" Hisao retorted with a curled lip. "You are looking at him."

Hotsuma eyes widened.

"You are a painful truth, too bad it had to be this way. There are more paths than clues. Your path led you here."

Now Hotsuma activated his saber, his eyes blazed with fury.

"You took her life then." He accused the elder man who shook his head pleadingly. Hotsuma let out a shaky breath at Hisao's admission. Hotsuma could not let this man confused him.

"Are you going to kill your own father?" Hisao eyes glinted with anguish. In front of Hotsuma was no longer the man he looks up to, he was no longer the man that trained him in hand to hand combat, no longer the gregarious man and warrior he knew.

Do it.

A child strong declaration proposes.

Hotsuma clenched his jaw, the voice spoke again, this time it reverberates through him.

Yugi, don't make me do this.

Hotsuma closed his eyes tears flowing down his face. Hisao gave a half smile, he was distracted. The middle-aged man rose, securing the blue marble handle of the dagger into his hand, he drew closer. Hisao kept his eyes trained on Hotsuma, who was still oblivious to what was happening.

NOW!

The voice commanded Hotsuma eyes snapped open just in time to land the saber into Hisao's chest. The old man eyes widen, lips drew back in a snarl. "You've done it, my boy." Hisao let a bloody smile slip. Hotsuma paled, extinguishing the sword making Hisao's body drop with a thud.

A burning sensation in his abdomen made him look down. The blue marble handle stuck out from his right side, he let out a shaky breath as he dropped to his knees. He tasted his blood; the bitterness causes him to panic. Hotsuma backed up and rested against the golden pillar, his breathing became labor.

"Ryoko…" Hotsuma groaned as the pain became unbearable. His tousled hair clung to his sweaty face, covering his left eye, but through his strands, he peered over at Hisao's body; the blood flowed out of him like a languid river. The Angel of death was near, his lids grew heavy.

The light to the young male Masaki's bedroom finally turned off.

Her yellowish-brown orbs briefly close in relief then looked to the peaks of the Okayama prefecture. It's now or never. Her brows furrowed in consideration, gnashing her teeth. Ryoko raises her chin with determination stealing another glance towards Tenchi's window and scurried to the stairwell. With her head hung low, she struggled to fashion why she was doing this. She tightens her fists beneath her armpits as the cool night air cloaks her, though adrenaline flooded through her. Each step she made, her heart pumped faster and faster. It was a perfect time, for it was unannounced and no one to witness.

The last step…

Piercing eyes scanned the peaceful vicinity of the shrine. She took in another breath, threading a hand through her cyan locks that hang around her face.

"It's now or never."

"I shouldn't have to live miserably." She steps forward.

She quickens her pace, her anger hot like lava, "I am the master of my thoughts. I am tired of repressing this anger for weeks, I let you win for a time."

Ryoko exhales sharply standing at the rock-strewn entryway.

"Fury and hatred are all I have for you." She passed the threshold.

Inside, her body was bathed in the blue light. She looked down at the sleeping child,

'How dare she just sleep peacefully after giving each of us hell? Where is the emotional debt?' Her eyes narrow igniting her saber.

"So long Yugi…" She said cryptically raising the sword above her head.

An aged hand her shots out immediately grabbing her wrist that held the saber. While the other seizes hold of her bump, the intruder turned her into their warm embrace.

Ryoko clenched her eyes shut scrunching the fabric of their clothing.

"I am here, it's okay Ryoko." He rests his forehead against the side of her face as she seeks comfort on his shoulder. "Anguish has an organic purpose, to coach, us away from unhealthy patterns and relationships." Yosho lifts her chin, Ryoko peers up looking at the worry and young face of the man. "This is not the answer. Taking her life, will not make the pain go away." His hands dipped down her arms to her wrists.

"I've had enough, Yosho." She spoke low, eyes glistening.

"To hell with that natural healing process." She said with clench teeth. Yosho brushes back her locks soothing her. Her amber eyes take in his young appearance, the gentleness of his smile and the understanding and kindness in his eyes. He knew her greatest flaws and always be a few steps ahead of her.

For him, she was his big responsibility. He was the cocoon of her protection; she was his gift. He wanted nothing in return from her. Yosho dark brows drew together, trouble always found her. He wished he could protect her, warned her…but she was unpredictable. And he will always have to strategize on how to help combat whatever she finds herself in.

Abruptly, scuffling alerts them.

"Little Washu," Yosho spoke distancing himself away from the pirate. Ryoko gave her mother a once-over and folded her arms.

"Mother." Ryoko regards her.

"I have been observing Yugi's physiological activity for the past week." Washu opens up a window on her holo top showing the current brain wave activity of the child. Data specifications speedily crowded the screen afterward, leaving Ryoko muddled and defensive.

"What you are seeing is an Electroencephalography or EEG that examines human brain waves."

"Human? Far from it!" Ryoko growls under her breath.

"Is there a simple explanation for all that mumbo jumbo." Ryoko amended after Yosho clears his throat.

"No movement whatsoever, all brain and cardiac activity confirm she has always been in a deep sleep." Washu looks to her daughter firmly.

"W-What?!"

Yosho's face utter calmness looking to the disappointed woman, "So, I have gone insane…I am imagining all of this. Is that what you are telling me?"

"You've hallucinated before Ryoko. There were many incidents where you've spoken to Tenchi…it's just that he was never physically there." The color drained from Ryoko's face.

"Frankly, my dear." Washu began. "The evidence shows." The little woman glances at Yosho, she carefully thought of the words she wanted to say, "Psychosis is a natural response to being unable to solve issues." Ryoko brow rose, and her mouth parted. "I know because…I went through the same thing with my ex-husband. I cried uncontrollably to waiting along the border of Kanamitsu, waiting…to interfere with the life he created for himself." Washu quickly wipes her tear away and turns back to her computer.

Ryoko growls, "Then what…what happened?"

"I locked eyes with his new wife and…it became clear what he truly wanted. She was his type, the traditional wife, not one who can shapeshift, levitate and what not. There was so much I didn't know about the three jewels, or myself." Washu shrugs, "You see, science was my true love." Ryoko nods thoughtfully as Washu continues, "The academy claimed that I had a psychotic break, I caused rebellions that turned into wars, break into dimensional barriers giving way for space pirates to invade."

Ryoko groans hugging herself, "Mom…think we…need to. I think I would go ahead with the medication."

"Perhaps a holistic approach will be better, Ryoko," Yosho suggests.

"No…we've tried. Felt like it worsened. Mom please."

"Okay, Ryoko."

The steady footfalls trekked closer.

Hotsuma lulled against the pillar, he felt a hand pressed against his face anchoring him to lay against them. The soft hand brushes back his sticky locks, tugging and calling out to him.

"Ryoko…" He called out eyes still close.

"Vo, open your eyes, my sweet boy."

Staring back at him were the cerulean eyes of a matured woman. Her mane was parted down the middle with two medium sized braids fusing into her floor-length beige and honey hair. Hotsuma eyes widen searching hers, zero thinking going on in his head. He saw her perfectly formed lips move but he was deaf to her words.

"Mai." His shoulders hunched forward, incapacitated. The woman laid her hands on his quivering shoulders. "I've passed on, haven't I?" His voice was shaky, but the happiness sparkled in his blue eyes.

"My son…my gentle son." She laid him down on the marble floor.

Though these bones will age my love is eternal, so am I, so are you.

"Mai." Hotsuma whimpered, she dipped her head down and wrapped her arms tightly around his tense body, it brought joy back into her heart. She drew back, combing through his blond locks as she had done plenty of times in his youth.

"My sweet boy. I am here now." She hovered over him compressing the wound. He faintly smiled at her and moved his arm, his fingers ran through her soft locks. Is this real? It feels real; their moment was cut short by a loud rumble followed by an indistinctive voice.

"Hotsuma!" He heard a voice shouted for him, he picked up his head, but the short pain instructed him otherwise. "Hotsuma, where are you?!"

"Ryoko. It's Ryoko, mother. "

"Ryoko?"

"My wife," Hotsuma spoke softly with a smile and he slipped into unconsciousness.

Akio looked down at Hotsuma perplexed, Ryoko. She repeated the name to herself. Footsteps made her jolt and she turns to the woman at the door frame. Her fiery amber eyes glared at her with her red saber readied.

Ryoko eyes softened looking to the lifeless body of her love. She steps forward, finding the body of Hisao in a pool of blood. Her sights return to the woman again.

Akio slowly rose to withdraw the sword from her cloak, "You must be Ryoko." At her nod, Akio briefly smiled but her eyes drifted downward seeing the little bump peeking through the overcoat, the smile faded. Suddenly Ryoko felt heavy and her vision was clouded, she fell back into the arms of an individual.