~ Tenchi Forevermore ~
By Kitten
~Chapter 2~
"Kiyone! Kiyone! Answer me!" Mihoshi cried, shaking her partner frequently. "Kiyoneeeeeeeee…Please! Talk to me!"
Kiyone didn't answer, she just stared right through her friend, almost as if she weren't even there.
Suddenly there was the sound of a loud explosion coming from inside the house. Tenchi and the others came running out as fast as they could; soon followed by an exhausted Washu. She was covered in soot, and what's more, it appeared that her hair was starting to catch on fire. Exhaling a small puff of smoke, she frowned. "Well, that didn't go as well as I expected!"
"Washu! You wouldn't believe what I saw!" Ryoko rushed over to her. "There was this huge earth quake! And then there was this screeching sound! And there wa-"
"I know that, silly!" she laughed. "And do you know what that was?. . ."
"What?!" everyone exclaimed.
"I dunno! I was hoping you guys would!"
Everyone face faulted and fell over anime-style. "It seemed to be an unknown object in the atmosphere, actually. The light display, the weird screeching, the earthquake, … it all leads up to one thing, a very powerful, and very huge space ship. Almost like a chateau, a mansion in the sky. Sounds stupid, but it's very much so true."
"No it doesn't, Washu. It all makes sense; remember when-"
"Yes, I do. . . According to my calculations, Kagato's ship made almost the exact same sequence when entering the old Jurian Empire we'd been in. Fortunately, no one was kidnapped this time."
"But what about Kiyone?" Mihoshi asked, "She was gone for a while. Didn't she get kidnapped?"
"Come again?" Washu answered; she had no idea. "What are you getting at, Mihoshi?"
"Well, Kiyone and I were just coming back to earth. We were coming over the lake, and all of a sudden there was this bright light ahead of us, coming towards us!. . ."
"Yes, go on. . ."
She continued, "It was so hard to see, and Kiyone swerved the ship. Then the ship froze! Kiyone and I couldn't move either! Next we heard this freaky screeching sound and our ship started shaking, but we still couldn't move!… Everything went dark and I blacked out. When I came to, I was on the ground in front of the house! Kiyone was gone though! So I ran to the house to find help and I found Tenchi…"
"I see…" Washu commented. "Does Kiyone remember anything?"
Mihoshi shook her head, "She won't even speak to me. She's just staring blankly at me, like I'm not even there!" she frowned.
Mihoshi shook Kiyone again, finally waking her up. "Huh? W-wha…." Kiyone stuttered.
"Kiyone! What happened?!" Mihoshi asked her.
Kiyone flickered her eyes, "Huh, what did you say?" She was apparently back to reality now.
"What happened?!" Mihoshi repeated.
Kiyone placed her hand over her eyes and groaned. "Ugh. . . My head hurts and…I can't remember anything…Anything at all…" She sat down on the ground, moving her hand to her forehead, trying to ease the pain of her headache.
"Are you okay?" Mihoshi asked her.
"Uh, yeah… I'm fine Mihoshi…But, I wonder…" she spoke calmly as she looked at the skies above her. "What happened?…"
"There was an earth quake, Kiyone!" Mihoshi told her. "Do you even remember?!"
"Barely…Oh my Gawd! We have to…have to… we have to do something…" she stuttered. Placing her fingers above her nose, she massaged her forehead, trying to ease the pain of her headache. "I need a hot towel…"
"I'll get it!" Sasami cried out and ran into the house.
She soon returned with a warm and slightly damp towel for Kiyone. She placed on her head and forced a smile. "Thanks, Sasami."
Kiyone sighed and thought back as to what had happened earlier, and then, a thought struck her. "I remember now! It was so dark…in space I think…"
"Mm, hmm. Go on…" Washu insisted.
"I can't remember anything else except for a voice, a man's voice. And a warning…a warning about…"
"About?" Washu ventured.
"I can't remember…"
"Well, that's a lot of help!" Ryoko spoke sarcastically. Putting her hands on her hips, she sighed and exhaled a small mushroom shaped cloud. "So, what to do now, Washu?"
Washu frowned. "Well, I'm not sure exactly…"
… "Even I, The greatest scientist in the universe can't solve this problem!" she grinned from ear to ear.
Washu turned her head to the sky above, directing all the others' sight to the sky as well. Changing her voice tone into a more serious tone, she spoke calmly, "We can only wait . . .
***
(two nights later)
Ryoko sighed and sat down on the soft, dry bank of the lake. She smiled, watching the fireflies light up her dark surroundings. The only light available was the moon and it's reflection on the water. She relaxed, gathering her clothing closer to her cold body. The wind blew softly, floating her hair across it's gentle breeze. She gazed into the water, seeing her reflection.
Ryoko tried to hold back her tears, but it was so hard. "Tenchi…" she whispered painfully.
She looked cautiously into the water, her eyes beginning to fill with tears. No one else was here. Why did it matter? She couldn't hold them back any longer and began to cry. As she looked into the rippling water of the lake, she could see Tenchi's reflection behind her. She continued to gaze at the water as he pulled her into his arms, kissing the tears on her cheeks away.
Ryoko shook her head and drowned the image out of her thoughts. How could Tenchi ever really love her? She was a monster, a demon. How could anyone ever love a two-thousand-year old woman with the eyes of a devil?
Her face became even more angered when she looked at the water again, seeing her own reflection. Ryoko threw a small pebble at it, tears flowing from her eyes. The small stone splashed against the water, tearing the image of her apart.
Tears continued to soak her skirt as she cried, her body wracked with sobs.
She couldn't remember last when she'd felt so strong for someone. Tenchi was the only person she had ever loved, the only one. All Ryoko could even remember of her life was how Kagato had forced and abused her power to destroy many lives and worlds. How her last mission to destroy Planet Jurai had not gone very well and she was forced to retreat, leaving Yosho fast at her heels.
He was determined to destroy this creature. And who wouldn't be? She'd killed and taken out so many planets and lives. But it wasn't her fault. It was Kagato's. . . Wasn't it?
Yosho chased her all the way to earth, where he finally defeated her. She was locked away for seven hundred years, away from all the danger and horrid she couldn't perform. But in the last seventeen years of the horrible prison, she met a boy.
Even though she was dead and locked away, her spirit could still roam within and outside the cursed cave. The first moment she laid her eyes upon the small baby, she felt this pain in her heart, a pain to be near him. And for a moment, she could've sworn that the small baby boy, wanted to be near her too.
Through the years, Ryoko's spirit watched and looked over the small boy. As he played around the cave, catching butterflies, and even sad moments. His mother had died when the boy was only six, and his grandmother shortly after, two years later. Ryoko wanted so much to comfort him, even though he couldn't sense or see her.
Through the years, she grew fond for this little boy. Always admiring his playful and kindred spirit. He made her feel so happy, even though she was locked away for what seemed like an eternity. Ryoko secretly wished for someday to be able to play with him. But as he grew older, he started to grow away from the cave as well. But he still occasionally walked by to see it on his way to and from school.
Ryoko had never felt this way for anyone, she had only heard of this thing called love. Even happiness wasn't one of her memories. But maybe, deep inside her there was. Was there another life before Kagato, where she was loved and cared for by someone? Did she love and care too?
Kagato had claimed to be her creator, choosing her form only because it was convenient. She was only made to do his dirty work. Or was she? Did she truly ever have the life of a carefree child? Before Kagato?
Was Washu…?…. Washu…
Ryoko held a hand to her heart, tightly clutching her pajama shirt. Sniffing, she smiled through her tears. "I wonder… What was it like?"
She tried hard to remember if she did have a life before all the horrendous acts. She could hear laughing, giggling of two voices, an adult one, and a child. She was just about to see an image with the voices, but quickly abolished it. ..Such foolishness! She was a creature of purpose for destruction, nothing less, nothing more. … Wasn't she?
Far deep into the woods, a spirit stood still, listening to the woman's thoughts and feelings. "Oh Ryoko, you're so much more than that." A female voice whispered thoughtfully.
***
(one hour later)
The moonlight shone against the wall, casting the figure's shadow on it as she slowly walked through the house. Careful not to wake anyone else, she tiptoed up the creaky stairs. She could feel tears running down her cheeks as she sniffed a sob.
Coming to the first door on the right, she slowly opened it and let herself in. She closed the door behind her and turned around, seeing Tenchi sound asleep. Walking over to his bed, Ryoko looked down at him and smiled. Getting down on her knees, she rested the top part of her body over the side of his bed.
"Tenchi, I'm so afraid. Of me… I don't know what to think anymore." She whispered, turning her head away.
Turning her head back to Tenchi, she choked out a sob. "Tenchi!…." pausing for a moment, she wiped the tears from her red cheeks. "…I'm sorry, Tenchi…I'm so sorry…" she whispered and relaxed her head on his chest, crying into his shirt. She looked up at his face again, her eyes full of tears and her cheeks red from crying.
"…for every thing I've ever done to you." she finished. She choked and cried into his shirt again. Looking up at him again after awhile, she tried to control herself. But she couldn't…
Crawling nearer to his face, she simply planted a small kiss on his forehead. Caressing his cheek with her fingers, she sighed and smiled at him. "I love you, … My Tenchi." she whispered.
Ryoko stood up and wiped her tears away. She wanted to stay with him so badly; just crawl into the bed with him and go to sleep. But she knew she had to stop being so forward with Tenchi, or it would drive him even further away. So she crawled over to the end of his bed and lay her upper body on it.
"Tenchi…" she sniffed. Ryoko soon cried herself asleep as she buried her head in her arms.
***
(The next morning)…
"May I have another rice ball, please?"
"Sure, Mihoshi!" Sasami smiled and passed the tray down to her.
Everyone quietly enjoyed their morning breakfast, savoring every delicious bite. Sasami hadn't cooked for the last two days. She was too nervous because of the previous occasion. But she'd finally just now let it go and relaxed. Which was to everyone's enjoyment of course. Sasami'd been up early since before six, cooking away in the kitchen. She was sure it would make everyone else calm themselves as well.
"So, how did everyone sleep last night?" Katsuhito asked, trying to start a conversation.
"Great, Dad! Like I was asleep on a cloud if ya ask me!" Noboyuki laughed.
Katsuhito nodded and sipped his tea. "Those new bed mattresses we got are really nice, aren't they?"
"You're telling me! So comfortable!" Noboyuki smiled again and popped a cracker in his mouth, drinking his tea to wash it down.
The two men went on with their discussion of bed mattresses as the girls ate their food.
"Looks like we're missing peoples!" Washu grinned.
Ayeka looked around the table and frowned. She knew who was missing. "RYOKO!!!! …Oh! I'll KILL her, I swear! She's probably off trying to do "You know what!" with Tenchi again! When I find her I'm going to..ARGHHHH!!!! She'll wish she'd never been born!!!!" Ayeka threw her three-fourths finished plate down and screamed furiously.
Kiyone sweat dropped as Mihoshi tried to calm the enraged woman. "Ayeka, please sit down!" Mihoshi pleaded. "You shouldn't yell like that!"
"Mihoshi, let go of me!" Ayeka yelled as she pushed her away. Mihoshi resisted and tried to do all she could to help. Kiyone just sighed annoyingly and continued her breakfast. Washu smiled and sipped her tea as the others struggled and fought.
"Ayeka, please sit down! Please sit down, Ayeka!" Sasami pleaded.
"Sasami, you be quiet! I cannot let Ryoko continue like this!"
"No! Ayeka! You can't-woah! Wooooaaaaaah!!!!" Mihoshi yelped.
***
Tenchi opened his eyes and smiled. The room was beginning to fill with light from the morning. Sitting up in his bed, he pulled the blue curtains back from his window. He squinted his eyes from the light and sighed. "It looks like it's going to be a nice day today."
Tenchi then heard a soft moaning sound coming from somewhere in his room. Feeling something rub against his feet, he sweat dropped and pulled the sheets back over himself. There was Ryoko, lying at the very end of the bed. Half of her body was lying over the side of his bed, just dangling there.
Tenchi smiled at her and pulled the sheets off of himself, climbing out of the bed. She looked so uncomfortable to him, the least he could do was help her straighten her body out. He stood up and leaned over her, lifting her up in his arms. He gently rested her in his arms and proceeded to lay her down on the bed. Doing so, he pulled the sheets over her body. "Poor Ryoko, she must've had a hard night." He frowned.
Tenchi had had this dream about Ryoko last night. A man was in the dream too. He had long spiky black hair but his face was always in shadows. But his eyes were very much so visible; they were so red and golden. There was also another figure who he could definitely identify;…Kagato.
Ryoko wasn't her exact age at now either. She appeared to be a child, about the age of 10. And the other figure was a child too. He was just a boy of the same age, but a year or two older perhaps. He stood at Kagato's right side, looking dignified and righteous. And at Kagato's left, there was a little girl who looked about five.
Ryoko stood in front of Kagato as he sat upon his thrown. He looked down at her coldly, waiting for an answer. She was too frozen to reply, for Kagato was so frightening. The young boy raised his face out of the shadows and became visible. His face was so pure and sweet. And when he smiled at Ryoko, her face lit up. She nodded and spoke up, "Yes, Master. I will get to it right away, Sir."
Kagato smirked and dismissed her. Looking to his right side, he saw the boy smiling. "Kasega!"
…
"KASEGA!"
The boy was abruptly shaken and drowned his smile in a face of no concern. "Yes, Master?"
"Go with it and make sure it gets it's job well done. No mistakes! Now leave me!"
The boy nodded and took his leave, walking slowly but as fast as possible in a graceful stride.
Kagato sighed once he was gone. "Now, My Dearest," he smiled, putting his hand to the girl's face on his left side. "It's time for your training. Shall we go?"
She nodded and smiled, taking her leave. Kagato stood up, following her as she left…
Tenchi frowned, Why in the world did I have that dream? Was it some kind of showing of the past? Or was it a warning?… Did it mean something? he thought. He began to leave, but he saw that Ryoko was muttering something in her sleep.
"Tenchi…"
Tenchi walked back over to her, knowing full well she was still asleep. He sat down on the bed beside her, not sure if he should or not. "Ryoko?" he spoke softly.
Fluttering her eyes open, Ryoko saw Tenchi staring down at her. She frowned and studied her surroundings, not sure what to make of this. "What?…" she asked him.
Tenchi didn't say a word; he smiled at her and stood up, walking over to the door.
"Tenchi? What am I doing in your bed?"
"Now Ryoko, no need for discussions." He smiled and opened the door, seeing Ayeka standing right in front of him. "Oh, hello Ayeka… Does Sasami have breakfast ready?" he spoke nervously as she flared her nostrils. "RYOKO!!! I'll KILL you!"
Ryoko jumped up on the bed, glaring at her angrily. Ayeka barged into the room, running up to her. She was fuming. "Ryoko! I cannot believe this!"
"Oh come, come, Little Girl. What Tenchi and I did is none of your business!" Ryoko growled.
"WHAAAT?!…Oh I knew it! I knew it! Lord Tenchi! How could you?!" Ayeka turned her head toward him and glared furiously.
Tenchi held his hands up as if to protect himself. "I didn't do ANYTHING! Ayeka, please, try to understand. I was asleep and Ryo-"
"Oh no! Not another word! Not another word!…I am THROUGH with these childish games!"
Ryoko smirked, taking advantage of the situation. She flew over to Tenchi, casting her arms around his neck and making herself comfortable in his hold. "Oh Tenchi, I'm so glad we're finally together! And I'm sure Ayeka is so happy for us!… Whoa! I am SO tired! Don't you agree, Tenchi? A whole night of love making sure can make you exhausted, AND hungry!.. Ayeka, is breakfast ready yet?"
By this time Ayeka had practically begun to foam at the mouth! "You dirty hoare." she muttered angrily. Ryoko released herself from Tenchi and stood in front of her, arms crossed. "What did you say?" she sneered.
"You heard me." Ayeka answered plainly, her usual nonchalant attitude when she challenged her rival.
Ryoko held her hand up, swinging it down very fast and hard to land a painful slap on Ayeka's face. "How DARE you call me that! You have no right, you stupid bitch!"
"And you have NO RIGHTS WHAT SO EVER to call me by that filthy name! … And YOU, Lord Tenchi! To just stand there while she makes these crude remarks! I can't beli-… Tenchi?"
"He's gone!" Ryoko gulped.
Ayeka looked at her, thinking quietly to herself. She started to quickly leave the room when Ryoko shoved her aside, "Oh no you don't, Princess!"
***
"YuuuuuuUm! That was grrrrrreat!" Washu grinned. She placed her arms behind herself, propping her body up. "Sooooooo,… What's on the agenda for today?"
Sasami was about to speak up when Tenchi came running down the stairs. He appeared to be in a hurry.
"Hey Tenchi! You missed breakfast, you naughty boy!" she yelled at him in a motherly tone.
"Not now, Sasami! I have to find somewhere to hide! And quick!" He started looking and dodging his head everywhere to find somewhere to go.
"He's gone!" He heard Ryoko shout from upstairs and he started to panic.
Ayeka and Ryoko had gotten into a really big fight this time, and he was sure they wouldn't hesitate on ripping his arms off by pulling him back and forth between them. He tried to shove himself under the couch, but couldn't possibly fit. Deciding that Washu's lab would most likely not be a great place to hide, he ran out of the front door.
As soon as he left, Ryoko jetted down the stairs and out the door, Ayeka close at her heels.
"Wait!" Sasami called out to them, "You haven't eaten your breakfasts yet!"
***
"Oh no! Where could he have gone!" Ayeka wailed.
"Don't get upset. We'll find him."
"It's all my fault! I should have never accused him of… Oh, I feel so awful! How could I?!"
"Well, that I can agree with!" Ryoko smirked.
"Don't mock me! It's just as well your fault as it is mine!"
Ryoko smiled, enjoying the fresh air. "Well, let's split up and find him!" she spoke up after a little hesitation.
Ayeka nodded, running into the forest, as did Ryoko, but in separate directions…
***
Tenchi sighed in relief as he sat down on a hard rock. Resting his head in the palm of his hand, he frowned. "Why can't they stop bickering for once? I'm sick of it!… All that pulling and fighting… Ugh!" he moaned exhaustingly.
Stretching his arms, he moved off of the rock and lied on the soft grass. He smiled as he looked at the clouds, watching them pass by. He was about to drift off to sleep until he heard this soft singing coming from deeper within the forest.
Tenchi wanted to follow, but deep inside something warned him not to. As he stood up, he simply ignored the caution signs flowing through his head. He walked further into the forest, the voice becoming clearer. It was a woman's voice. And it was beautiful.
But the words were so strange, not even a language. It was like humming, but not even music, nor words. Just a beautiful tune spoken through a weird, yet also beautiful tone.
As the voice grew louder, Tenchi approached a clearing in the forest, surround by thousands and thousands of flowers. His eyes widened at the sight before him.
A girl.
She had long, wavy hair that was a light lavender-gray color with dark violet streaks all throughout it. She had a very thin and fragile body, and with barely anything up top(if you get my meaning). She wore a simple blue kimono, with an ornate sash around her waist to add design and style. And her hair was tied up with two black chopsticks to match the blue. She sang her mysterious song, her eyes closed shut. The girl looked so peaceful, enjoying the nature and beauty surrounding her.
Tenchi's eyes narrowed, What was she doing out here? And he'd never seen her before. Had she come to visit his Grandfather's shrine? Or was she just passing through?
He wasn't sure if he should just come out and ask her, or if he should stay where he was, waiting for her to see him instead. Hesitating, he finally decided to approach her with much caution. But she was after all, just a girl. What could she do to him?
Tenchi stepped out of the bush, stepping on a small branch and cracking it in half.
The girl immediately stopped her song and shot her head toward the sound, opening her eyes.
As she opened her eyes, Tenchi could've sworn they were an eerie bright red. But as he blinked, he noticed her eyes were just deep rich, cherry brown color.
The girl jumped up, standing in a fighting stance. "Who are you?!" she demanded in a frightened tone.
"I won't hurt you!" Tenchi sputtered out.
She narrowed her eyes. And then in an instant, she slammed her whole body down to the ground, quickly grabbing a long stick. She jolted back up, quickly moving at the speed of light. She jumped at him, holding the stick up in mid-air, obviously preparing to strike him with it.
Tenchi didn't even have enough time to protect himself, and not even enough time to close his eyes!
She stopped, the stick mere millimeters from Tenchi's face.
"And how do I know that?" she smirked.
"I wouldn't harm a fly! PLEASE trust me!" he yelped.
Slowly, but surely she lowered the stick. Tenchi sighed and relaxed again.
"Alright then! Who are you?!" she suddenly demanded.
"Who am I?!… The question is, Who are you!" he retorted, "This is my Grandfather's land!… Did you come here to visit the shrine or what?"
"Tell me who you are! … Then I shall answer whatever it is you seek." She yelled at him, still holding the stick up.
"Okay! Okay!" he gave in. Tenchi knew she could easily get him off guard and smack him with the stick, and he did not want that. "My name is Tenchi Masaki. I live over that hill and through the forest." He answered, pointing his finger in that direction.
"Tenchi Masaki?!" she spoke, her eyes full with excitement.
"Uh…yeah…" Tenchi gulped.
"Oh! I've finally found you!" the girl proclaimed. She jumped at him, her hair coming lose and flowing down her back. She threw her arms around him, causing his eyes to widen. But even more so when she landed a hard, long kiss right on his lips.
To be continued…
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