Once and Again

by Raine

Ayeka tells the real reason she wants Tenchi-to annoy Ryoko!

5. I Remember You, Bitch

Chapter 5 – I Remember You, Bitch.

            "The Princess Ayeka will see you now, Ryoko."  A guard spat at me as I was dragged down the hallway.

            The Princess Who?  I thought.  Why did that name seem so familiar?  And yet…I knew no Jurai royalty.  This amnesia crap was really starting to tick me off.

            I was left, handcuffed, in the middle of a short hallway that had purple curtains hanging at the end.  The curtains moved, and a purple haired girl stepped through, wearing more gold than I had just tried to steal from the bank of Jurai.  I was suddenly filled with hatred at the sight of her.

            "Why, hello, Ryoko."  She giggled.  "I suppose it shouldn't be a surprise to see you dressed so awfully, and with such ugly hair, since you always were the ugliest of us all.  But still, I must say this is a new low for you."

            Ugliest of us all?  I decided that I did not like this girl.  But who was 'us all'?

            "Oh my, I suppose you've heard about Tenchi?  He tried to rape me, claiming that I was his fiancé!  How silly."  She giggled again.  "Anyway, he's back at the same prison you are.  How ironic.  Maybe we should put you two in the same cell!

            "Well, Ryoko, how does it feel to but caught, finally?  To know that you'll probably die?  Poor, dumb Ryoko."

            "I may not know who you are, bitch, but no one talks to me like that!"

            Ayeka glared at me, as I struggled to stand up.  When I finally got there, she slapped me so hard that I fell over.  Didn't think that bitch had that much strength.  She looked weak enough.

            "Shut up, you idiot.  What do you mean, you don't know me?"  She asked arrogantly, like the whole world show know and bow to the glory of her.  Maybe the world, but not me!

            "I've never met you before.  What did you think I meant, slut?"

            She slapped me again, but not as hard as before.  "Stop joking, Ryoko.  I don't have time for this."

            "What the hell are you talking about?  I told you, I have never met you before!"

            "Right.  That's why we just spent the last year fighting on Earth, and, before that, have been enemies since childhood.  I don't remember you either.  I wish.

            "That would be really nice, wouldn't it, Ryoko?  To forget each other, forget our fights, forget Tenchi, forget everything?  Maybe the best thing in the whole universe…next to you dieing suddenly at my feet, of course.  Unfortunately, if you did that, it might ruin my dress.

            "Ryoko, let me tell you something about Tenchi.  I once loved him, like you do, but when I remembered my true heritage, and what a future I had, I realized what a weakling he and Yosho were, both refusing power.  Idiots, the both of them!"

            "Tenchi?  That guy at the First Checkpoint?  How do you know him?"

            "Ryoko, you really don't remember, do you?"  She laughed.  "How funny.  I bet Washu did this, didn't she?"

            "Washu?"

            "Never mind.  Guards, take the prisoner away.  See that she is placed in a cell with the prisoner Tenchi Masaki."  Ayeka turned away.  "See you later, Ryoko."  She said as she walked away.

            I was shoved into a new cell, this time next to Tenchi.  He looked at me, then hung his head sadly.

            "You were right Ryoko.  Ayeka hasn't changed."

            "What?"

            "You said before 'Ayeka will never change.'  You were right."

            "When did I say that?  I didn't even know Ayeka until a few minutes ago!  I didn't even know you until I was near Jurai!"

            "What?  Oh, Ryoko, you don't remember, do you?"

            "Remember what?"

            "Wash your hair, then I'll tell you."

            So, I walked down to the prison showers, my hair still black and short.  Gross.

            "Hey, Guard!"  I said.  "Do you have anything that can make my hair long again, fast?"

            "Depends.  How much money do you have?"

            "None, you idiot!  How do you think I got money?  I stole it!  That means they took it back now…duh!"

            "Well, then I guess you'll just have to live with short hair."  Well, it would be BLUE short hair.  I could probably make it look cute, anyway, right?  I was the beautiful space pirate Ryoko!

            I took a shower there, which was not fun, partially because the floors and walls were dirty, and partially because I had to be watched by the same guard who had brought me down here.  He was male.

            Do know how hard it is to take a shower when someone keeps staring at your chest?  I mean, sure, it's a compliment, in a way, but it so uncomfortable, and perverted!  I was considering slapping him, but I decided that it wouldn't help me.  Didn't they have female guards at the prison?

            At least my hair was blue again.  I combed it down into this short hairdo that I had seen somewhere, so it was more feminine.  No need to look male anymore.

            Tenchi glanced up at me as I entered, and smiled.

            "You look more like Ryoko, now."

            "What were you going to tell me?"

            "Ryoko, are you sure you don't remember anything?"

            "I remember Washu telling me something while we were on Ryo-ohki, but nothing for about a year before that.  I don't remember what she said, either."

            "Then it may have been Washu who did this…Hey, where is Ryo-ohki anyway?"

            "I think I left her at the First Checkpoint.  I was in a hurry."

            "That's really sad, Ryoko."

            "Sorry.  Hey, how do you know about Ryo-Ohki anyway?"

            "I – oh, that's right, you don't remember.  I'll explain."  Tenchi talked about where I had come from, what I had done, everything in the last year.  As he spoke, I almost felt as if I could remember some things, but not quite.  Shopping with Tenchi, fighting with Ayeka, living on Earth.  But it all seemed like a fairy tale.  Tenchi talked about how he had decided to marry Ayeka, then how she had left.  I could see Ayeka doing something like that.  But, when he told me about how we had made out on Ryo-ohki, I stared.

            "So, you must be the father."

            "What?"

            "I'm pregnant.  Only a month or so, but…"

            "WHAT?"

            "This is fun, isn't it?"
            "Ryoko, I'm so sorry, I never meant to…never thought that this would happen…"

            "Shut up."

            "But, Ryoko…"

            "Tenchi, shut your hole."

            "Ryoko, what do you think they're going to do to you?  When you go to trial?"

            "They can't kill me.  I've got a child.  It would go against their code of morals."

            "Well, that must be a relief."

            "Whatever."

            "Quiet, you two!" yelled a guard.  "Time to go to sleep!"
            "Yes, mom!"  I yelled back.  Mom.  That word rang in my head.  Washu was my mother.  Who'd of thought?

            I crawled in to my bunk and closed my eyes.

            "Good night, Tenchi."  I said.

            "Good night, Ryoko."

            "The Princess Ayeka will see you again, Ryoko."

            "I don't wanna."  A loud thump as something struck my side.  "Shithead.  Let me sleep."

            "Get up, now!"

            "Fine!"  I stood up, and rubbed my eyes.  Walked over to the Jurai Palace.

            "My humblest greetings, your highness."  I said sarcastically as I walked into that hallway, completely awake now.

            "Thank you, Ryoko.  I trust that Tenchi explained everything to you last night?"

            "Yes."

            "Do you remember, now?"

            "No, but I understand what happened."

            "Really.  Lets try something.  If I hit you in the head enough, will you remember?"  She brought her hand down in a swift chopping motion at my head.  It hit, and I lost my vision for a moment.

            "Dammit, Ayeka, you think that I'm going to sit here and let you hit me?"  I floated into the air, and brought a beam sword to my hand.  I threw it at her.

            "Azaka, Kamadake!"  The two guardians appeared and blocked the blast.  I made another sword, and teleported next to Ayeka.  She glared at me as I pressed the sword to her neck.

            "Guards!"  A company of Juraian Royal Guard filed into the room.  Couldn't she fight by herself at all?

            "Don't move, or I will kill her!"  I yelled to them.  They froze, not wanting to be responsible for the death of their Princess.

            "Happy now, Princess?"

            "Not at all."

            "Well, guess what."  I whispered in her ear.  "Your experiment worked, but I still win.  You die, and I still get Tenchi.  I'm pregnant, Ayeka, with his child.  You see?  I win.  Oh, and as to my memory?  I remember you, bitch."

            She had enough time to widen her eyes and start to cry out before I decapitated her.  The guards stared at her head as it fell to the floor.  That was enough for me to get away.

            I teleported back to Tenchi.

            "Tenchi!  Guess what?  I remember now!"  I cried, hugging him.

            "That's great, Ryoko.  Can you let go of me, now?"  I stepped back, looking at him mischievously.

            "What'd you do, Ryoko?  Where's your guard?  Why'd you teleport back here?"

            "Oh, it was nothing really.  I got mad at Ayeka and killed her, and I've come back here to take us to earth!"

            "You WHAT?"

            "I killed Ayeka.  So?  Now we have more time to ourselves!"

            "Ryoko, you knew I loved her."

            "But, Tenchi, look what she did to you.  To us!"

            "I know.  But I still love her.  I want to be here with her."

            I bit my lip.  He was crazy.  They would kill him, eventually.  They had to, for as big a crime as his.  I hated to do this, but…I hit Tenchi in the side of the head, and he fell over, knocked out.  I heaved his body over my shoulder and ran outside of the police station before teleporting all the way back to the first checkpoint.

            "Ryo-Ohki!"  I yelled wildly, hoping she would hear.  Luckily, she did.

            A huge hole appeared in the spaceport, as Ryo-Ohki transformed.  I teleported onto the ship.

            "Sorry, Ryo-ohki.  I know, it was inexcusable.  I'm sorry."  I apologized as a crystal showing her face glared at me.  "What?  Oh, I had to knock him out.  He was going to get himself killed."  Ryo-Ohki meowed knowingly, and then her face disappeared as she concentrated on flying.

            "Ryoko, this is Detectives First Class Kiyone and Mihoshi.  Where are you?"  Kiyone's face appeared on a screen in front of me.

            "Oh, just around.  Why, where are you?"

            "We're on Jurai, with Grandfather and Noboyuki."

            "So no one's home?"

            "No, I think Washu might be in her lab, actually, but she never comes out of there.  Where's Tenchi?"
            "He's with me."

            "What?  We thought he'd be with Ayeka!"

            "No.  Ayeka said he was trying to rape her, but that was probably exaggerated.  So, he got arrested and I rescued him."

            "Again, where are you now, Ryoko?"

            "Actually, we're almost to Earth.  We should be there in a few hours."

            "We'll meet you there, then?"

            "Sure."  Her face disappeared.  I leaned back in my chair, and tried to sleep for the last few hours.

            Not going to happen.

            Tenchi, who had still been knocked out, was waking up.

            "Owww, my head!"  He moaned.  "What happened?"

            "Ah…um…Ayeka tried to kill you, and I saved you!"

            "Try again, Ryoko."

            "Well, it's half true.  I had to know you out so you could escape from there, so you wouldn't get a death sentence.  Happy?"

            "No.  I still want Ayeka."

            "After all she's done to you?  Tenchi, she tried to kill you!  She's done everything to get you away from her, to hurt you, and-"

            "And to hurt you, Ryoko?  She did this all to get revenge on you.  How do I know you all won't just leave me when it suites you?"

            "Tenchi…"  I whispered, staring at him.  How could he even think that?  I wouldn't even still be here, if it wasn't for him, me saving him.  "Tenchi, you idiot!"  I yelled, suddenly angry.

            "You idiot!  Ayeka doesn't give a damn about you, so you blame ME?  Tenchi, I gave up everything to be with you, and even after you left me all alone, I still helped you!  I still brought you to see her, just to please you, even though I knew what it would do to me!  And even after all of that, when I couldn't help you anymore, I didn't interfere!  I forgot about it so that we could both live happier!  And if you still don't care about me, then you deserve what Ayeka's done to you!"

            "Ryoko?  What?"  He said, surprised.

            "I don't have anything more to say to you."  I tilted my head away and finally slept.

           

            "RYOKO!  THIS IS KIYONE!"

            "What?  Huh?"  I was jolted out of my sleep by Kiyone's frantic yelling.  Her face appeared, again, in front of me.

            "RYOKO, THEY'RE AFTER YOU!"

            "Who?!"
            "JURAI!  AYEKA SENT OUT SHIPS…THEY'RE TRYING TO GET US, TOO!"

            "Why you?"

            "BECAUSE WE KNOW WHERE YOU ARE!  THEY'RE AFTER YOU AND TENCHI, AND- OH SHIT!"

            "What?!?"  I'd never heard Kiyone swear before.

            "RYOKO, THERE'S A JURAI SHIP CHASING US, AND IT JUST CAUGHT US!!  GET AWAY FROM EARTH, QUICK!!!"  Kiyone's transmission cut off.

I should have listened to her warning, to stay away from Earth.  But I was dumb.  Too proud, I guess.

            We arrived on Earth later that day, and I still hadn't spoken a word to Tenchi.  Tenchi looked at me, and tried to start a conversation, again.

            "Ryoko, what time is it?"

            Nighttime.

            "Um, Ryoko, do you want hamburgers or frozen pizza for dinner?"

            I'd prefer wine and steak.

            "Never mind."

            Tenchi and I walked out of Ryo-Ohki, and she transformed back into a cabbit.  Ryo-Ohki miya-ed and ran off to the carrot fields.

            "Ryoko, I'm sorry."

            You tried that before, Tenchi, remember?  I open my mouth before I remember that I'm not speaking to Tenchi.

            "I know that Ayeka really doesn't care, now."

            Gee, do you think?

            "So, I've tried to get over her, and I think I'm almost there.  And, Ryoko…I think I'm finally falling in love with you."

            I turned and stared at Tenchi, my mouth hanging open.  "R-really?"  I squeak out.

            "Yeah!  The only thing that-well, never mind."  Tenchi bit his lip and looked away.

            "The only thing that what?"

            "Never mind, Ryoko."

            "Tell me, Tenchi!"

            "Well, the only thing that's keeping me from loving you is…well, you drink too much, you swear too much, you're so…rowdy…sorry, that word sound so dumb, but that's all that I can think of to describe it, but, Ryoko, that's your bad side!  You have so much more good side.  You're beautiful, you're rich, powerful, you love me, and you can be incredibly sweet.  Even your anger isn't a bad thing."

            "Rich?  Powerful?  Is that why you loved Ayeka?"

            "No, of course not, Ryoko!  I just thought…"

            "You thought wrong, Tenchi.  You know, you can be a real bastard sometimes!"  I yelled angrily as I teleported away. 

            I drink too much?  Swear too much?  Well, those things can be fixed, of course.  I don't know why it got me so mad, but I was full of that anger that 'wasn't a bad thing.'  So, I decided, right then and there, that I would stop swearing, and stop drinking. It wasn't easy.

            "Oh, shit!"  I cried as I bumped my head into a shelf.

            "Dammit!"

            "What the fuck?"

            "Dammit!" I said again as I caught myself reaching for a bottle of saki.

            "Tenchi, I'm so hungry!"  I said one day.  Washu still hadn't appeared, and Tenchi had been working extra hard lately to bring in food.  "Do we have any pickles?"  I asked, ask I combed my re-grown hair.

            "Pickles…?"  He stared at me.  "Ryoko, just how long have you been pregnant?"

            "About 7 months, I think.  Well, if we don't have pickles, can I have ice cream?"

            "Ryoko, we don't have either."

            "Damn-er, darn it!"

            "I think that we'd better go see Washu."  He said.

            "What?  Why?  Oh, Tenchi, do we have to?"

            "Yes.  Come on."  So, I was dragged off to see Washu.

           

            "Why, hello Tenchi!  How have you been?  I haven't seen you for…almost 8 months, now!"

            "I know, Washu.  Sorry to barge in on you like this, but I was wondering if you could check up on Ryoko.  She's acting funny."

            "Funny?  How?  Let me see.  Ryoko, lay down here."  She beckoned to a metal table that was lying there.

            "Well, she was asking me for pickles and ice cream…"

            "Not together!"  I said.

            "Ryoko, you've been pregnant all this time and you never told your dear old mommy?"  She clasped her hands together and looked upward.  "I'm gonna be a grandma!"

            "Congrats, Washu."  Tenchi said.

            "Whose the father?"  She looked suspiciously at Tenchi.  He turned red.

            "I am."

            "That's great, Tenchi!  Now, I'd better get back to work on Ryoko."  She turned and brought one of her machines over.  "Okay, this will just scan over you.  Relax."

            "Relax?  How can I relax?  That thing could vaporize me!"

            "It won't.  Trust me, Ryoko."

            "Trust you?"  But I couldn't feel anything changing as a floating white bar swept over me.  Washu sat down on a nearby chair and her computer appeared.  She 'hmm'-ed and 'huh'-ed for a while before finally saying  "Yep, definitely yours and Tenchi's.  He'll be here in a few weeks.  Come and see me when he's ready, alright?"  She smiled and waved us out.  Tenchi carried me like I was a baby, cradled in his arms.  "Buh-bye now!"

            "Bye, little Washu!"  Tenchi called.

            "Call me Mom!"  She yelled back.

            "Well, that was interesting.  At least we know it's a boy now.  What should we call him, Tenchi?"  I wrapped my arms around his neck and kissed his cheek.

            "Huh?"

            "We have to name him, silly!"

            "I dunno, what do you want to call him?"

            "How 'bout…um…"

            "See, you don't know either!"

            "Yes I do!  We'll name him…uh…Tenchi Jr.?"

            "No way!"
            "Okay, how bout Tenoko?"

            Tenchi groaned.  "Lets wait to decide."

           

            So, eventually I had a blue haired little boy, and we decided to call him Katsuhito Yosho Nobiyuki Masaki, in honor of his grandfather and great-grandfather, whom we'd heard from Washu, were now dead.  Tenchi still didn't love me, but he cared for me enough that he acted like he did.  He was the perfect father to Katsu, as we called him.  Life on earth was getting pretty boring, nothing unusual happening anymore.  By then I had almost forgotten Kiyone's warning, and thought that we were perfectly safe.

            "RYOKO, COME OUT WITH YOUR HANDS UP!"  Someone yelled out side, early one morning.  Katsu started crying immediately.  I rocked him to get him to be quiet, then looked out the window.  Tenchi was just getting up, and he joined me to look outside.

            Hundreds of galaxy police surrounded our house.  Apparently Kiyone and Mihoshi had finally given away our location.    Sasami would never tell, and Grandfather and Father were dead already.  How fun for us.

            "SHUT UP!"  I yelled back, as I grabbed Katsu and teleported outside.  Their leader, who was foolishly standing on the ground, stared at him, then yelled back.

            "RYOKO, WE'VE PLACED AN ELECTRICAL NET AROUND THIS PLACE.  THERE'S NO WHERE TO RUN!"
            "DO I LOOK LIKE I'M RUNNING?"

            "SURRENDER PEACEFULLY, AND NO ONE WILL BE HURT!"
            "NO WAY!  I'M NOT LETTING MY BABY BE BROUGHT UP WITH YOU POLICE BREATHING DOWN HIS NECK!"

            "I'M WARNING YOU, RYOKO!"

            "WARN SOMEONE ELSE!  I'M NOT LEAVING!  AND YOU CAN'T MAKE ME!"

            "JUST YOU WAIT AND SEE!"  It was then that I realized I was trapped and nothing could be done about it.  We would starve to death in a few days, if they didn't kidnap someone, or raid us.  I knew it wouldn't be long, either way.

            So, today, when I was opening up the last can of baby food, I thought.  "Geez, what about Katsu?  He'd probably never remember his mommy, and either end up like me, or become a police officer."  I didn't like either idea.  "Maybe I could write him something to remember me by…?"

                        Katsu, I hope that you know I love you, and always will love you.  I'm sorry that I'm not there for you now, by I miss you very much, even thought I'm not gone yet, when I'm writing this.  Since I assume that you're getting this from Washu, tell her I love her too, because she doesn't know.  Love you always, Mom, & Katsu, my son,   ~Ryoko

            Ryoko looked up and sighed.  Finally, she was done.

"Ryoko!"  Tenchi called from the house.  "Come help me with Katsu!"

"Coming, Tenchi!"  Ryoko teleported herself and the notebook she had been writing in to the door.  Tenchi was holding a used diaper, looking repulsed.

"You baby!"  She told him, throwing away the old diaper, and putting on a new one, in a deft movement that had taken her a week to learn.  Mihoshi had never figured that one out.

"Shhh, shh, Katsu, stop crying, its alright."  Ryoko cooed.  "Here, Tenchi.  Hold him.  I need to go see Washu."

"What?  Oh, um, okay, Ryoko."  He held Katsu uncertainly.  "Hey, do we have anymore pizza?"

"No!"  She told him.  "Stop thinking about it!"

           

            "Washu, you here?"  Ryoko poked her head into the lab.  It looked empty, so she stepped in anyway.  "Washu!"

            A door opened behind her, and Washu looked in.

            "Oh, Ryoko!  How are you doing?   Did you bring Katsu?"  She smiled hopefully.

            "Sorry, Washu. I need to ask you a favor."

            "Really?  Okay."  She had a look on her face like I can't believe Ryoko is asking a favor.

            Ryoko sighed and held out her notebook, which she was still carrying.  "Here.  Give this to Katsu when he gets older."  She turned away, but stopped when she heard Washu's bewildered voice.

            "Why can't you give it to him?"

            "Washu, I guess I didn't get a chance to tell you.  The Galaxy Police found Tenchi and me and we can't get out.  I know their going to get us soon, so I want Katsu to remember me.  I know they're not going to kill him.  Jurains won't or can't kill children."

            "Ryoko, I hate to sound superior, but I think that there is a very obvious answer here.  Live with me!"

            Ryoko stared at Washu.  "Yeah, that would work, wouldn't it!  Your lab is in a different dimension!  They'd never find us!"

            "Well, it'd only be until you could return or something."

            "I'll go tell Tenchi right away!"  Ryoko sped out the door.

            Washu looked around the lab, and was about to start work again, when she noticed something.  "Oops!  Ryoko left that book here!"  She walked out the door and bumped right into a policeman that was holding a crying Katsu.

            "Hey!"  Yelled Washu.  "What are you doing?"  She grabbed Katsu as the policeman whirled around in surprise.  He backed up as she tried not to drop Katsu, and raised his gun.

            "Freeze!"  He yelled, as Washu looked around.  Ryoko was being handcuffed, and Tenchi was already restrained.  Ryoko noticed Washu.

            "Washu!  Get out of here!  Take care of Katsu for me!"  Washu, being the most genius person in the universe, immediately deemed the situation hopeless and fled back to her lab, and got rid of the door in Tenchi's closet.  Katsu immediately started wailing.  "Shhh, don't cry, Katsu.  I'm going to take better care of you than I did Ryoko, I promise."

            Ryoko mentally yelled at herself for being caught.  Idiot!  They're going to kill Tenchi anyway!  How could you fall for that?  At least Katsu was safe.  It had been just plain luck that she had left that notebook in there.  Washu would do the best she could for raising Katsu.  Ryoko hoped.

            What if he turns out like me?  She thought, then shook her head.  No.  She said so herself, she wouldn't make another Ryoko.

            Ryoko didn't even bother thinking about her fate.  She knew that, as soon as she reached Jurai, she would be killed, along with Tenchi.  They wouldn't risk her getting away again.  She sighed and looked back at the earth one last time.

            Tenchi walked up to the execution chair, right next to Ryoko.  Jelly-like ropes covered his arms and legs.  Ryoko smiled at him, and he realized something new.

            "5….4….3…2…"  Sounded from the next room, as men prepared to flip the switches on the electrical chairs.

            "Ryoko…Ryoko, I have something to tell you."

            "What?"  She smiled at him again.

            "Ryoko…I love you."

            Ryoko stared at him for a split-second before the switch for Tenchi's chair was flipped.  She screamed as his skin turned brown and his clothing melted.  A few seconds later, and it was over.

Ryoko was aghast.  She screamed and reached for her power, tearing through the bonds that held her with renewed strength.  There were yells from the next room, but she didn't notice.

"Tenchi!"  Ryoko cried, and removed him from the chair.  "Tenchi!"

"Ryoko…"  He moaned, then managed a quick smile at her before managing "Ryoko, do me one last favor.  Smile at death for me."  And dieing.

"TENCHI!"  She screamed.  "Oh, Tenchi!"

Guards entered the room and held her back from his body, but she broke free of their hold.

"Tenchi!"  She yelled again, before kneeling down by his body and crying.  "Oh, Tenchi, I will."

Ryoko smiled and looked at the guards.  She held her head up, then raised a sword to her neck.

"I love you too, Tenchi."

Note from me:  There has been a change.  THIS IS THE END!  Why?  Well, I tried to kill Ayeka twice, and I figured it wasn't making any sense anymore.  So I stopped.  Hehehe….

Another Note: Since I've been getting sooo many requests for a sequel, even after I started writing one (^_^) I decided that I'd better tell people where it is…its called Remember Me?, and if you just click on my pen name, you should be able to get to it quite easily.