Author's Note: Thanks to the support of two people who have reviewed my fic, one of those people reviewing it twice, I have added not one but 4 new chapters!! Hopefully this will inspire people to comment on my story. I love reading reviews. ^_^ They inspire me to write more. (They're the things that inspired me to write these four chapters in the first place.) Anywayz, thanks for the positive feedback so far. I hope you are all enjoying my story. Now, as the plot thickens, Ryoko has some new reflections on her situation, Sasami starts to miss Ryoko even more, and a public service announcement inspires Mihoshi to try and cheer Ryoko up, and Washu analyzes love. I know, I know... Some of you are asking, "Well, where the heck is Tenchi? Why hasn't he visited her, the jerk?" (I know DemonGoddes is thinking this... ^_^) Well, there's a reason for that. Trust me. Be patient, and soon I will provide you with the answers. When? Well... I can't tell you that. Okay, okay! Don't kill me! I'll tell you! It's in chapter 8! Alright? Now, on with the story... Enjoy!
To Dance in The Wind / Ryoko's Dream
Where am I?
The wind is so calm here...
I feel my spirit being blown about.
It's so frightening, and yet- so invigorating.
Just thinking that by any small stroke of bad luck I could be swept away into some dangerous place excites my every nerve.
It's like a giant game of roulette, a dangerous gamble with my life.
Even in life we make bets like this.
No matter what decisions we make. Go to work? Stay home? Call your friend?
Even ordering a pizza could send you on some strange adventure.
It's odd... but it's also true.
I made a gamble when I helped Tenchi to save Ayeka...
I gambled with my life.
Have I lost? Is this the punishment for losing my bet... to be sent here?
To be sent deep inside my mind, never to come out?
No... I know the answer to that question.
I chose to lie unconcious day after day.
I chose to stay here, in this quiet place.
In this place, where I can't be hurt anymore.
Why should I go into that sad world once more, when I was blessed to come to this peaceful one?
Even though I'm not very aware of what's going on out there, outside my body,
I can still hear some things.
'Good morning Lord Tenchi,' Ayeka says.
'Oh, good morning Ayeka! Did you sleep well?' Tenchi replies.
'Mihoshi! What did you do to my socks?!? They're all spotted!' Kiyone shouts.
'I'm sorry, Kiyone... I was just helping Sasami with the laundry. You do put bleach on colors, right? Or was it whites...? No, towels! No wait...' Mihoshi rambles on.
'Breakfast is ready!' Sasami calls out.
I can hear the patter of feet as everyone gathers at the table.
Until now, I never actually took the time to notice how loud everything is. I can even hear their voices downstairs.
Washu goes on and on about some kind of scientific mumbo-jumbo.
Mihoshi asks a stupid question. There is laughter.
I can even hear Ryo-ohki meowing, probably for a carrot.
It all makes me sad, knowing they've forgotten me.
They all go about they're lives without me...
Perhaps they're better off.
Time passes, as it always does. I hardly seem to notice it anymore.
Has it been a day, a month, a year?
It doesn't matter. I'll probably be here for all of eternity, so why should I worry about the time?
But it gets lonely here, by myself...
And I find myself thinking of the past. I watch each scene from my life...
My "career" as a space pirate, my battles, meeting Tenchi for the first time...
Tenchi.
I view the memory of my last concious day. As each scene flashes before my eyes, I am both awed and enraged.
How could I be so stupid? How could I make that gamble? How could I let the wind carry me off like that...?
I get to the part where Tenchi runs off, without me. 'Go, save Ayeka!' I yelled. I actually told hime to leave me, abandon me.
'Oh Tenchi... Don't leave me here alone...' I whisper, in hopes that it could help change the past...
But, it doesn't. He hesitated, then left.
He left.
It still hurts, just thinking about it.
I watch through my own perspective of that day...
I see my own blood rolling out of my wounds across the cold metal floor...
In my mind I can still feel the sting of pain from those injuries.
I start to cry. It's too much to bare, reliving these memories.
'Tenchi... Why did you abandon me?' I whimper.
In my mind I kick myself for becoming so soft, especially over a man.
I decide to slip into complete unconciousness, to let my mind rest for a little while and take a break from thought.
As everything starts to turn black, I hear a voice.
It's a voice from outside my body... Ayeka's voice...?
'Sleep well, Ryoko...' she whispers. I hear her walk away.
Ayeka? Of all people, have you, Ayeka, been the one not to forget me?
I don't even notice the tears coming from my own eyes.
What a strange situation the roulette table has dealt me...
What an odd place the wind has blown me to...
To Dance in The Wind / Ryoko's Dream
Where am I?
The wind is so calm here...
I feel my spirit being blown about.
It's so frightening, and yet- so invigorating.
Just thinking that by any small stroke of bad luck I could be swept away into some dangerous place excites my every nerve.
It's like a giant game of roulette, a dangerous gamble with my life.
Even in life we make bets like this.
No matter what decisions we make. Go to work? Stay home? Call your friend?
Even ordering a pizza could send you on some strange adventure.
It's odd... but it's also true.
I made a gamble when I helped Tenchi to save Ayeka...
I gambled with my life.
Have I lost? Is this the punishment for losing my bet... to be sent here?
To be sent deep inside my mind, never to come out?
No... I know the answer to that question.
I chose to lie unconcious day after day.
I chose to stay here, in this quiet place.
In this place, where I can't be hurt anymore.
Why should I go into that sad world once more, when I was blessed to come to this peaceful one?
Even though I'm not very aware of what's going on out there, outside my body,
I can still hear some things.
'Good morning Lord Tenchi,' Ayeka says.
'Oh, good morning Ayeka! Did you sleep well?' Tenchi replies.
'Mihoshi! What did you do to my socks?!? They're all spotted!' Kiyone shouts.
'I'm sorry, Kiyone... I was just helping Sasami with the laundry. You do put bleach on colors, right? Or was it whites...? No, towels! No wait...' Mihoshi rambles on.
'Breakfast is ready!' Sasami calls out.
I can hear the patter of feet as everyone gathers at the table.
Until now, I never actually took the time to notice how loud everything is. I can even hear their voices downstairs.
Washu goes on and on about some kind of scientific mumbo-jumbo.
Mihoshi asks a stupid question. There is laughter.
I can even hear Ryo-ohki meowing, probably for a carrot.
It all makes me sad, knowing they've forgotten me.
They all go about they're lives without me...
Perhaps they're better off.
Time passes, as it always does. I hardly seem to notice it anymore.
Has it been a day, a month, a year?
It doesn't matter. I'll probably be here for all of eternity, so why should I worry about the time?
But it gets lonely here, by myself...
And I find myself thinking of the past. I watch each scene from my life...
My "career" as a space pirate, my battles, meeting Tenchi for the first time...
Tenchi.
I view the memory of my last concious day. As each scene flashes before my eyes, I am both awed and enraged.
How could I be so stupid? How could I make that gamble? How could I let the wind carry me off like that...?
I get to the part where Tenchi runs off, without me. 'Go, save Ayeka!' I yelled. I actually told hime to leave me, abandon me.
'Oh Tenchi... Don't leave me here alone...' I whisper, in hopes that it could help change the past...
But, it doesn't. He hesitated, then left.
He left.
It still hurts, just thinking about it.
I watch through my own perspective of that day...
I see my own blood rolling out of my wounds across the cold metal floor...
In my mind I can still feel the sting of pain from those injuries.
I start to cry. It's too much to bare, reliving these memories.
'Tenchi... Why did you abandon me?' I whimper.
In my mind I kick myself for becoming so soft, especially over a man.
I decide to slip into complete unconciousness, to let my mind rest for a little while and take a break from thought.
As everything starts to turn black, I hear a voice.
It's a voice from outside my body... Ayeka's voice...?
'Sleep well, Ryoko...' she whispers. I hear her walk away.
Ayeka? Of all people, have you, Ayeka, been the one not to forget me?
I don't even notice the tears coming from my own eyes.
What a strange situation the roulette table has dealt me...
What an odd place the wind has blown me to...
