A/N: Thanks everyone who read the last part. No, Ryoko is not going to magically appear. Who Tenchi DOES end up with is well, I'm not giving it away! I was depressed when I wrote this so it takes a dark spin, considering the whole thing is based on the death of Ryoko. Read the first part of the story or you will be sssoooo confused!



No Need For Goodbye (part 2)


"It doesn't matter!" Nagi snapped. "Right now Tenchi is probably at the docking bay seeing Ryoko's dead body. What do you think that will do to him?"
"What do you mean?" Ayeka asked, a tone of worry creeping into her soft voice.
"I _mean_, he's known Ryoko longer then any of you. You are all close to him. He thinks of you as friends, sisters even..." Nagi explained, her voice drifting off.
"Well what are we standing are here for? Lets go stop Tenchi!" Sasami said, snapping the others out of there revere.
Noding to one another, the group ran down the corridor as fast as possible.

* * *

*No! Ryoko in custody because of me?! I can't believe that! Something else might have happened...*

Tenchi slammed through his chain of thought, not wishing to continue his dreary thinking. Gasps and whispers barely hit his ears. Servants and nobles alike where in awe. What was the emporer doing running through the halls like that? Streaks of red and blue zapped by him.
"Stop Tenchi! You must listen to me!" A coarse voice called out. Glancing over his shoulder, Tenchi's eyes focused on a women with wild blue hair.
"Nagi..." he whispered. Nagi. The one who brought the news about the ill-fated Ryoko. Picking up speed, Tenchi tried to ignore the black strands of hair snapping his forehead, as if telling him to stop. *I have to get Ryoko out of here punishment.* Gasping for breath, he forced himself to go even faster.

*Capital punishment...*

It had been a bright, sunny day when, out of the blue, Tenchi had asked Kiyone what Ryoko's sentence would be if she was ever caught. Noticing Kiyone's sudden uneasyness, he questioned her about it.
"Its nothing, Tenchi. Ryoko's punishment would be... well... it would be capital punishment."
Tenchi willed his legs to run faster. Nagi's voice faded out of his mind. Azaki and Kamedaki's blasts dissappeared from his sight. Turning around another corridor, Tenchi screamed to a halt. The docking bay lay before him. A man in a long, white coat with laytex gloves on was partially standing over a gray colored cloth. Grabbing the nearest guard, Tenchi asked where Ryoko was.
"Ryoko? The space pirate? She's over there," he said, his tone clearly showing his confusion. Releasing him, Tenchi quickly walked over to the medic.
"Excuse me Sir, but can you tell me where Ryoko is?" Tenchi asked, trying to keep fear from his voice.
"The space pirate? Are you the medical supervisor? Hmm, guess I shouldn't have put the body up without your permission," the doctor began, ignoring Tenchi's protests. "From what I can gather, the cause of death was energy expansion.." Slowly, the doctor began unzipping the gray body bag, revealing spiky, cyan hair. Once living eyes, now shut tight, face of life pulled into a mask of pain.
"R...ryoko?"

* * *

Nagi rounded the corner, followed by the other women. She looked on as Tenchi's face took on a look of horror and shame. Familiar cyan hair lay peaking out of a gray bag laying on the cart beneath Tenchi's gaze.
"Ryoko? She's dead? But how? I never believed..." Ayeka broke off suddenly. Only then did Nagi realize that they had come to late.
Silently, the seven of them crept up behind Tenchi. Tears streaked Sasami's face/ Washu, Ayeka, and Kiyone tried to school their faces, trying to weave them into masks of indifference. Mishoshi, who held a rosary string, began muttering a chant, foreign to Nagi's ears.
"Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou. Pray for us now and at the hour of our death."
Azaki and Kamedaki walked past Nagi, intent on seeing that their emporer wasn't ill.
*Then again, they might see him as a friend...*

She watched through puffy eyes as Kamedaki layed a hand on Tenchi's shoulder. He averted his eyes from Ryoko's body, staring at a chosen point on the ground. Nagi stopped, not knowing whether to continue or not. She didn't care for the boy in the least.

*Atleast not like Ryoko does-did...*

Ayeka passed her with uncoucious grace. Nagi tensed, thinking Ayeka might take advantage of Tenchi, maybe by latching on to him, of even telling him it was fated.
What she did do amazed Nagi, and for that matter, everyone present. By collasping on her knees, sobbing ocer the loss of her closest friend. Sasami and Mioshi kneeled on either side of her, crying softly.
Washu slipped past the three. Her young eyes rested on her daughter.

*They say you were never my child, dearheart.*

The pink haired genuis thought.

*For that, I was convinced that you would never mean anything to me. How wrong I was.*
Her warm, small hand, picked up the cold, slender one of Ryoko.

*Seeing you and Tenchi. Watching you drink yourself to sleep. You suffered so much. You had no mother. I am hardly worthy of that title. When you were an infant I left you with a peasant family, they raised you to survive. I never once looked back, I figure you'd be fine. My little space pirate. You taught me to never throw life away. When I saw you on Earth, I figured you hadn't the faintest idea who I was. That look you gave me...one of undescribalbe hatred. Betrayal. You would never forgive me. Every time I asked you about your life, you told me that if I cared, I wouldn't have left you. It stung; like a slap across the face.*

A drop of moisture hit the back of her hand.

*I wish I could have told you taht I made a mistake, that everything would be fine. You'd leap into my arms and call me "Mother"... But you never believed me.*

Salty tears spilled fro her eyes.

*Ryoko, my child, my baby, my hope... I really do love you. If I could, I would go back in time and never ever give you away. I am so sorry Ryoko, my daughter.*

* * *

*My fault. Only my fault.*

Tenchi's thoughts ran in circles. His best friend lay dead, exerting her power for him.

*I should have known she would do this. She wanted so desperatly to be loved. To be needed. If I had used my eyes, she'd still be here.*

Ayeka, Sasami, and Mioshi crumpled on the ground, cryed with no shame. Washu held Ryoko's hand, tears casscading down her pale cheeks. Nagi, balled up, crouching on the ground, her head buried in her arms. Kiyone knelt next to her. Keeping a silent vigil. And what was he doing?

*Nothing. Not a thing. All my life, people are taken from me. So abruptly, when I need them the most. They are taken as a result of helping or protecting me.*

He raised his eyes to the ceiling of the docking bay,

*Never again. I will lead this kingdom towards peace.*

He cast a glance on the silent Ryoko.

*I will never lose anyone else.*

* * *

_20 Years Later_

"You wouldn't BELIEVE what Tenchi did! Yet another maiden through herself at him, and I do mean quite literally, only to be thrown back. He said "Bring you head out of the clouds, you could lose an eye." It was quite a scene! Sasami is betrotherd to the Lord of some planet. I don't remember who. Mioshi and Kiyone are running the Galaxy Police, just got the news today! Life must be so hectic for them. Washu was elected to the Grand Council of Science last year, as you know. Today, however, she brought _you_ up! Telling the eldest of the lot to pull their heads out of their asses and to realize her as their equal. Nagi was appointed second in command of the Galaxy Police. It seems more and more of her "friends" keep joining the Galaxy Police. As for me, well, life with three children is hardly managable! They are _not_ wild enough! They do exactly what they're told! You would have had a field day with them! The eldest is 15 and he still insists on talking to 'Dear Old Mother' about all the issues! Tenchi is still single, its driving all the court ladies mad! All the Elders are fretting about who the next heir will be. Well, my babble is hardly doing you any good! I'll be back! You can't run and hide from me!" Ayeka stood up, gathering her skirts about her. She dared a touch of the granite stone.


Ryoko Misaki
Loving friend, daughter and theif of our hearts
Goodbye, but not for good.
215301-217019

*Goodbye my friend.*

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A/N: Well thats it. In this, ryoko was created from an embryo insted of in full grown form like in the OAV. Hope you like it! Please R/R!