I was really excited with the reviews I got, thanks for saying such nice things. Okay, this is the part that contains rape, so just be warned.
Disclaimer: I forgot to put this in the first chapter, but don't worry, I know this may come as a surprise, however I really don't own Tenchi Muyo.
"Kagato?" Tenchi repeated, confused.
"Hmmm…" Washu pondered slowly, "It would seem that the high voltage of the electricity stimulated the part of Ryoko's brain that holds her memories."
"Sooo," Tenchi asked in confusion.
"So Ryoko is obviously reliving one of her memories from her life on Soja with Kagato. And it would seem that you are playing the part of Kagato!"
"What?!?!" Tenchi felt Ryoko shivering slightly under the weight of his hand on her shoulder. "Come on, Ryoko…It's me, Tenchi," he pleaded. Ryoko raised her head and gazed at him with evident fear in her golden, feline-shaped eyes.
"No," she whispered brokenly, "please, don't…"
"Don't what?" Tenchi demanded in frustration. "I won't hurt you!"
"Yes, but Kagato would," Washu murmured, regarding the scene with wide eyes. Ryoko shifted slightly and slowly moved her hand up to the sleeve of her dress, pulling it down off of her shoulder. She moved as if in a daze, shaking uncontrollably. Tenchi simply stared in horror as she pulled the entire front of her dress down over her breasts, then vaguely wondered why she didn't just phase out of her clothing.
"Ryoko stop it!" He yelled, finally shaken out of his stupor. Blushing hotly, he wrapped his arms around her and jerked the folds of her dress up over her chest.
"Tenchi, talking to her won't help," Washu called hesitantly, "She's completely lost in this memory."
"Well, do you have any helpful suggestions?" Tenchi glared at her.
"Take back her gems. All three of them."
"I can't do that! Ryoko would-"
"You have to! The shock of losing them should bring Ryoko out of this trance. If you want to help her, then do it!" Tenchi sighed and glanced down at Ryoko's tear-streaked face, her cheeks slightly flushed. He carefully leaned her back against the table, wincing at her frightened whimpering. Taking out the sword, he prayed for the gems return. Ryoko cried out in pain as her arms snapped forward and the gems were wrenched away from her.
"I'm so sorry Ryoko," Tenchi said sadly, tucking the sword back into his pocket. Ryoko stirred and groaned under her breath. At the sound of Tenchi's voice, she slowly opened her eyes. "Hey Ryoko," he said worriedly, trying to smile. Her eyes slowly focused on his, and immediately filled with pain and despair.
"Tenchi," she murmured, "how could you? You really hate me so much?" She rose to her feet unsteadily, leaning on the table for support. Tenchi jumped to his feet and tried to grab her arm, but Ryoko slapped his hands away weakly. Suddenly she noticed the missing gem from her left wrist. "So," she said quietly, "this was all just to get my third gem back. I would've done anything for you Tenchi. I would have given it to you freely, had you asked." Her voice was heavy and tired. Tenchi watched helplessly as she stumbled over to the metal door.
"So," came Washu's voice, "Kagato raped you." Ryoko froze.
"What are you talking about?" Ryoko growled menacingly.
"Don't play dumb, Ryoko dear," Washu snapped, her voice sharp with anger. "You relayed one of your memories to us a few moments ago, where you gave yourself to Kagato."
"I never gave anything to that man!" Ryoko screamed. "He took! He took everything from me!"
"How is it I never knew? The link…I should have seen everything through the link!" Washu's voice was thick with pain. Then she swore suddenly. "Now I remember! Once in a while the link would be broken. I thought you were just diverting all your energy to one of Kagato's tasks and didn't have enough left to keep the link open. But Kagato figured out how to break it so I wouldn't know!" Ryoko laughed hollowly.
"I thought you were a genius, Washu. If Kagato had known about the link, he would've cut it off entirely…forever." Washu remained silent, and then inhaled sharply.
"You! You cut it off. So that I wouldn't know of your shame!"
"I wasn't ashamed!" Ryoko yelled.
"And keeping it hidden all this time so that no one would think less of you…So that Tenchi wouldn't think less of you. He might pick Ayeka over you, if he knew how impure you…." Washu closed her eyes in horror as she realized Ryoko's train of thought.
"Shut-up!" Ryoko screamed, clutching her head. "Get out, get out, get out! It wasn't my fault! He hurt me, sometimes he controlled me…It wasn't my fault, it wasn't my fault!"
"And that's why you act that way around Tenchi," Washu continued, unaware of Ryoko's pleas. "You wish to please Tenchi the way you were forced to please Kagato. He was the only man you ever really knew, and so you believe that all men desire the same thing."
"Tenchi is not Kagato!" Ryoko yelled.
"Yes, but he is a man. However, Tenchi does not accept you. He makes it clear everyday that he does not want you. So the only conclusion that you can reach is that you are not good enough for him. He doesn't want you because unconsciously he knows that you are ruined, and that he deserves better. Still, you never give up, the rejection is bitter, but you believe that one day you can prove your worth." Washu looked shocked at her discovery. "Whoever knew that my little experiment could harbor such complex feelings!" Ryoko screamed in rage and wrenched the metal door open, flinging herself through. Tenchi watched her leave, the pain evident on his face.
"I never knew how much I affected Ryoko," he murmured.
"Well it's about time you realized!" Washu snapped.
"Oh, and what about you, Little Washu?" He turned to face her, his expression grave.
"She doesn't care about me," Washu muttered resentfully.
"You know that's not true. She needs a mother very much Washu. But she will never trust or love you if you continue to hide your own feelings from her, if you treat her as an experiment, tease her to no end, and deceive her constantly." Washu looked away from him, refusing to answer.
"You should go to her now, Tenchi," she said after a few moments of silence.
"You-"
"I'm the last person she wants to see right now. I revealed a secret she had buried within herself for a very long time. She took great pains in preventing me, and especially you from finding out. No one, not even me, will ever truly understand the horror Ryoko has gone through in her life. Can you possibly comprehend how incredibly strong she is to simply live each day? I know I can't. But that is how she wanted it. She detests pity, you see, and she has never experienced friendship. All she knows is pain and rejection."
Tenchi stepped out of Washu's lab and into the hallway of the Masaki home.
"Oh! Lord Tenchi, there you are! Miss Washu did not hurt you, I trust." Ayeka glared at the doorway to the lab. Tenchi sighed heavily.
"No, not me, Ayeka," he said quietly. She blinked at him uncertainly.
"Oh, well…good. Dinner is ready now."
"Ayeka, have you seen Ryoko?" Ayeka sniffed.
"Yes, that demon woman is at the table now, eating all the food I'm sure. Honestly, she has no manners at all!" Tenchi winced at Ayeka's harsh words, thinking of all the times she had said such things and Tenchi never berated her.
"Ayeka, try to be more understanding, won't you? Ryoko has had a very difficult life." Ayeka stared at him angrily.
"Of course, Lord Tenchi," she answered stiffly. " You go on to the table and I will get Miss Washu." Tenchi nodded to her, eager to talk to Ryoko.
He found her, just as Ayeka had said, seated at the table with Sasami, Mihoshi, Yosho, and Nobuyuki. All five waited with their hands folded in their laps, waiting for the others to arrive.
"Well, hello there Tenchi!" Sasami greeted him cheerfully.
"Hi Tenchi!" Mihoshi looked at the bowl of pickles drooling.
"Hey son, have a seat, we're starving!" Nobuyuki grinned.
"Hello Tenchi how was your day?" Yosho asked. There was a pause as everyone turned to Ryoko for her usual enthusiastic greeting. She blushed slightly and frowned as she felt all eyes turn to her. Angrily she kept her head bowed and pressed her lips together tightly. Tenchi stared at her, unsure of what to say.
"Ryoko-" he began
"Honestly, that woman!" Ayeka stormed into the room, flushed with anger.
"What's wrong, Ayeka," Sasami asked, the uncomfortable silence forgotten.
"Oh, Washu refuses to come to dinner. I'm sorry Sasami."
"That's alright Ayeka, but won't she get hungry?" Sasami asked worriedly.
"I'm sure she'll be fine…" Tenchi started.
"I'm coming, I'm coming!" Washu grouched, walking into the room.
"Humph! I thought you had important experiments to run, Miss Washu."
"What? I would never miss one of Sasami's delicious meals!" Sasami giggled and smiled at her. "And Ayeka?"
"Yes?"
"How many times do I have to tell you, it's LITTLE WASHU!" Washu yelled. Ayeka rolled her eyes. "Oh Little Ryoko! Please pass the rice, won't you?" Ryoko jerked her head up and glared at her. After a few moments, she grabbed the bowl and held it out to her. "Thank you, Ryoko!" Washu grinned. Tenchi stared in disbelief. Washu was pretending as if nothing had happened, and Ryoko was playing along to prevent the others from finding out. "Now, what do you say, Ryoko?" Ryoko didn't answer at first.
"You're welcome," she muttered finally.
"You're welcome…?" Ryoko growled under her breath and poked at her dinner. Washu grinned from ear to ear. "Say 'You're welcome, Mom'!" Suddenly Ryoko snapped her chopsticks in half.
"No!" She shouted, leaping to her feet. "You're not my mother!"
"But Ryoko-" Washu began.
"I don't care if you created me! That doesn't matter. It doesn't make you my mother! I know what a mother is, I saw how Tenchi's mom treated him, and how Misaki is with Ayeka and Sasami. You treat me as an experiment, not a daughter, so don't you dare presume to ask me to treat you like a mother, to call you mom. You're a scientist with a defective experiment, that's all!" Ryoko gathered her remaining strength to phase to the roof, but a strong hand gripped her left wrist. "Let go, Yosho!" He regarded her calmly.
"You should not leave so angry, Ryoko. You might end up doing something stupid." He twisted her wrist upwards, revealing the bare spot where her gem should be.
"Wow, Ryoko, did you know that your gem is missing?" Mihoshi asked.
"Yes, Mihoshi," Ryoko responded through gritted teeth. "This is none of your business, Yosho. Let me be." Ignoring her, he turned to Tenchi.
"I think that you should tell us what happened, Tenchi." Ryoko's eyes widened and she let out a terrified squeak.
"I don't think I can do that, Grandpa," Tenchi said, looking at Ryoko uncomfortably.
"At least tell us why you gave Ryoko her gems back, then took all three away again." Tenchi looked at him sharply.
"How did you…?"
"He conspired with Washu to get me down into the lab." Ryoko looked at Tenchi bitterly. "They promised me my gems back, but after she was done experimenting, he took all of them away." The dinner table fell into an uneasy silence at the tone of voice Ryoko used for Tenchi. It was one she usually reserved for Ayeka, or Washu. Even Tenchi looked startled.
"Ryoko, that's not fair. I wasn't conspiring with Washu. I had no idea she told you I was giving you the gems for good. She told me that she only needed them for an experiment, I thought she told you the same thing!"
"All right, Tenchi," Ryoko said with false sweetness. "You can give me my gems now, right? Since you trust me and all." Tenchi stuttered and rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "I thought so!" She growled in disgust. "You don't even trust me enough to allow me one gem! So when you saw the opportunity, you took it!"
"Hey now, Ryoko. Washu said it was the only way to shake you out of that memory!"
"What memory?" Yosho asked mildly.
"The one where Ryoko was being…heh," Tenchi finished weakly as Ryoko lunged forward her face inches from his. Yosho grasped her other wrist tightly, but did not try to drag her back.
"Tenchi," she said softly, gazing at him, "if you care for me at all, you will not tell." Tenchi stared into her golden eyes, hypnotized.
"Tenchi," Yosho said gently, "the first part of healing is to reveal all secrets. Ryoko needs our help to let go of her past." Tenchi closed his eyes.
"Ryoko relived a memory of Kagato…raping her," he finished heavily. Ryoko bowed her head and let out a strangled sob. Ayeka gasped and covered Sasami's ears, while Nobuyuki shook his head sadly.
"Oh, Ryoko!" Mihoshi cried sadly. "That's just so…so awful! I don't know what to say…" She broke into tears, bawling uncontrollable. Yosho's expression hardened.
"That coward," he hissed angrily.
"I don't want your pity!" Ryoko yelled, her voice filled with hatred. "Besides, Yosho, you're one to talk of cowardice!" Yosho glanced at her, startled.
"Ryoko." Tenchi touched her shoulder lightly. She flinched away from him and stepped backwards. He looked up at his grandfather helplessly.
"Hmmm," Yosho pondered. "Okay, everyone, clear out."
"What are you-" Ayeka began, and then stopped at Yosho's stern look. The Masaki family filed out of the dining room, no one daring to speak. Only Tenchi, Ryoko and Yosho remained.
"I don't recall asking you to stay, Tenchi," Yosho said, eyebrows raised.
"Grandpa, please, let me do something to help. I've made such a mess of things."
"All right then." Yosho suddenly shoved Ryoko forward, directly into Tenchi. Tenchi's training had prepared him for such surprises, and he was able to stay balanced while clutching Ryoko. She snarled and struggled, causing Tenchi to instinctively tighten his grip around her waist, pinning her arms to her sides. "You had better hold on to her tightly, Tenchi, or she'll get away before you have the chance to fix things!" Yosho disappeared from the room. Ryoko finally stilled after realizing she didn't even have enough strength left to overpower Tenchi. She glowered at him through her cyan bangs.
"Don't look at me like that Ryoko," Tenchi pleaded. "Why are you so angry at me?"
"My gems…" She trailed off, suddenly becoming aware of her closeness to Tenchi. She stilled love him, of course. Even if she hated him as well, she would always love him. "You can't understand what it's like losing them…my heart, my soul, my life." Her voice softened and she tore her gaze away from his gentle brown eyes, resting her forehead on his chest. She was so tired. Why couldn't she stay mad at him, after all he had done? After he had betrayed her.
Tenchi stared down at her spiky cyan locks, resisting the urge to pull her in closer and tenderly kiss the top of her head. He was going to lose her if he didn't say something.
"Ryoko," he said slowly, in a strained voice. "It's not that I don't trust you, with the gems, I mean. I was…am afraid that once you got your gems, you would leave." She looked up at him, her eyes slightly out of focus, revealing her confusion.
"Leave? I could never leave you, my Tenchi. I love you," she told him dizzily. Tenchi inhaled sharply and pulled her closer, shifting her weight to one arm and using his free hand to tilt her chin upwards.
"What did you just say?" he demanded. She sighed and closed her eyes, almost falling asleep in his arms.
"Forget it, never mind." She murmured softly. "It doesn't make one bit of difference."
Alrighty, that's that for that chapter…Hope you enjoyed, and there will be more T/R romance in the next chapter (I think). Later on I will heal the mother/daughter relationship between Washu and Ryoko, have no fear. Reviews are more than welcome!