Tears of Destiny
Prologue
A few days ago, Tenchi sat upon the roof while enjoying a quiet dinner, peering up at the stars, partly to enjoy the scenery, and partly to get away from all the hardships of daily life. Hearing the voices of Ayeka and Sasami and Ryoko calling to him from down below, he started to wish of just one day that he could have total peace, to be free of the deprivation that they had all laid upon him. But deep in his heart, he knew that day would never come, and it would always be that unreachable goal in the back of his mind.
Finishing his dinner, he took one last look at the group of stars that he had admired as a little boy. Smiling for the first time that day, he began to make his way down the ladder that he had perched up on the side of the house to get down. Suddenly, out of nowhere, Ryoko had floated up to the roof and surprised Tenchi. Little did she know that he was on his way down, and when she screamed out, "HEY TENCHI!!", he would lose his balance on the ladder and fall to the ground, impacting hard on his arm and ribs.
"Ow!!! Damn it, Ryoko!!"
Ryoko, now sensing anger and bitterness exulted towards her, she began to act civil.
"Oh no Tenchi, I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to hurt you like that!"
Tenchi looked up at the roof, trying to make out her figure through his blurry and stunned eyes.
"Damn you Ryoko!! Why do you have to approach someone like that, who's on the roof no less!!"
Sorrow began to swell up in her, so she floated down towards him and motioned to help, but a quick hand up signaling stop halted her.
"No! Just leave me be, I.....can get up...... myself. Please, just....leave me alone"
Now Ryoko was on the verge of crying right in front of him.
"T....T.....Tenchi.......I'm so.....sorry about that, please, forgive me?"
Tenchi looked at her, while she struggled to hold back tears that came about. He walked over to her, but instead of hugging her or shaking her hand, he picked up the food tray and turned his back and left. Ryoko was left all alone outside, alone to wallow in her own self pity.
"Tenchi.........."
Chapter 1
Home from school for the day, Tenchi was laying in his bed, arms crossed, eyes gazing towards the ceiling.
Thoughts that he did not even know the reason of were looming in his mind. Fear, doubt, betrayal, love, hatred; his conscious was constantly encompassed with thoughts that he, up until now, had no concern about. Confused, he was about to return to his duties of sweeping outside the Masaki Shrine when Sasami entered, holding a tray of food with a folded washcloth over her arm. Sensing Sasami's eager concern for his health and well being, he quickly laid back on the bed.
"Oh no, Tenchi, you shouldn't get up right now. Let us do all the work, please, I don't want anything to happen to you" Sasami exclaimed.
"It's alright Sasami, don't worry, I'll be fine, it's just a minor injury, it's nothing to worry yourself over"
"Are you sure, Tenchi?" Sasami said with the utmost concern.
"Yes, now please stop worrying about me and go do what you want, I can take care of myself"
Waiting for a few seconds for Tenchi to have a second thought about it, she finally sighed and drooped her head.
"Okay, I'll go....."
Motioning towards the door, Sasami stopped midway, remembering the food and washcloth that she brought for Tenchi.
"Oh, here you go Tenchi, I brought these for you. It's sushi with a side plate of soba and a warm washcloth for your head. Do you want it?"
"Sure Sasami, thanks, just leave it all on the dresser."
Nodding her head, she laid the tray on his dresser and left, closing the door behind her. Getting up to look at the food, he shook his head no, and only took the washcloth back to the bed with him, but not before locking his door first. With a sigh of relief, he returned to his bed, and once again took his position, gazing up at the ceiling.
"Why do they all have to treat me like I'm some troublesome little kid? I can handle myself on my own. They baby me too much, it's like I'm living with six parents, all concentrating on nothing but me. I can't make a move without it being surveyed by at least four people. This isn't a normal life, I can't live like this anymore. It's times like this that I wish that I could just pack everything up and leave. But how am I going to do that?"
Taking the wet washcloth into his hands, he placed it on his forehead, but then quickly retracted it.
"What am I doing? I don't need this, I don't need to live like this, and I certainly don't need th...."
All of a sudden, a new perspective of thinking was brought upon him. Never once had he thought of life without all of them, always taking things day by day, never concentrating his thought on the one person that mattered the most........himself. But it didn't have to always be like this, and suddenly, he was a whole different person.
"I don't need them at all, do I? All of them; everyone of them, they're all holding me back. I can't take it anymore, and I won't take it anymore. I'm sick of this way of living, of this petty existence I call my life. No more, I'm not going to live with all this burden anymore. I'm putting an end to all of this.
Overtaken by this newfound willpower, he stood up firmly from his bed, encompassed with a new energy and zest that he had never felt before. He steadily walked towards the door and began to walk out, but then stopped. He had forgotten about the tray of food that Sasami had left for him to eat. Before a glimpse of thought could cross his mind, he walked over to the tray, stared at it for a few seconds, then, with one quick swipe, knocked it off the table. Soba and remnants of sushi were strewn about his floor, and stains of wasabi quickly covered his dresser. To him, the tray of food was a symbol of an opinion of weakness and helplessness that the others shared about him, and knocking it off the table was his first step towards liberation.
*~*~*~*~*
Peering down from the top of the stairs, he carefully surveyed the area, as to not run into Ryoko before he leaves. The suitcase that he had packed before he left his room was getting heavy, but if that was the price for freeing himself of all this, than it was a price he was glad to pay. Day had turned into night, and when he looked downstairs they were all asleep. He made his way towards the door, but then quickly stopped suddenly. One of the beds were empty; it was......Ryoko's Room.
"Damn, she awake. Probably moping around the place, looking for another way to baby me. I've got to find her first"
Walking slowly, he checked in the kitchen, then in the bathroom, then inside Washu's Lab. No sign of her.
"Maybe she went out for another one of her 'I'm feeling sorry for myself' walks again. When will she get it through her head that I don't want......."
Suddenly, just as soon as he spoke, he stopped. He tilted his head a little to the side; he could hear a faint noise behind him. Turning swiftly around, he went back up the stairs, making sure to walk carefully as to not hit a creak and wake everyone up. As he escalated towards the top of the stairs, the noise grew less faint and ever so close, that he could almost feel it. When he reached the top of the stairs, he froze in agony. There was Ryoko, lying right next to his bedroom door, asleep. It seems that she was trying to keep watch of Tenchi, so nothing would happen to him.
"Oh lord, why is she doing this? Don't they know that I can take care of myself? This is exactly the reason why I have to leave this place. I have one minor injury and all of a sudden I'm quarantined"
Turning sharply, he had forgotten that he was at the edge of the stairs, and he slipped and fell down the stairway. His suitcase flew from his hand as he hit the ground hard, all of his belongings were thrashed about wildly all over the floor. The sound of his suitcase hitting the ground rang in his ears. Phased, he looked up, expecting to see all 6 of them looking at him, ready to take him up to his room, but instead, there was silence yet again. No one was around; they were all still asleep. Patiently he got up, grabbing at his arm in pain, and walked back up the stairs. To his utmost surprise, he found Ryoko asleep, in the same position as she was a few minutes ago.
"What the hell? Why didn't they wake up? I guess they're so deep in a dream about me actually liking them, they didn't bother to wake up"
Shrugging off the otherwise awkward situation, he crept towards the door once more. Not thinking twice, he went out of the door, closing it lightly behind him. Walking towards his front gate, holding his suitcase firmly, he made his way out of the Masaki household, not stopping once, not looking back. As he made his way out of sight, Yosho stood in the shadows of the Masaki shrine, watching Tenchi from afar. Instead of going after him, he murmured,
"Tenchi......"
Prologue
A few days ago, Tenchi sat upon the roof while enjoying a quiet dinner, peering up at the stars, partly to enjoy the scenery, and partly to get away from all the hardships of daily life. Hearing the voices of Ayeka and Sasami and Ryoko calling to him from down below, he started to wish of just one day that he could have total peace, to be free of the deprivation that they had all laid upon him. But deep in his heart, he knew that day would never come, and it would always be that unreachable goal in the back of his mind.
Finishing his dinner, he took one last look at the group of stars that he had admired as a little boy. Smiling for the first time that day, he began to make his way down the ladder that he had perched up on the side of the house to get down. Suddenly, out of nowhere, Ryoko had floated up to the roof and surprised Tenchi. Little did she know that he was on his way down, and when she screamed out, "HEY TENCHI!!", he would lose his balance on the ladder and fall to the ground, impacting hard on his arm and ribs.
"Ow!!! Damn it, Ryoko!!"
Ryoko, now sensing anger and bitterness exulted towards her, she began to act civil.
"Oh no Tenchi, I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to hurt you like that!"
Tenchi looked up at the roof, trying to make out her figure through his blurry and stunned eyes.
"Damn you Ryoko!! Why do you have to approach someone like that, who's on the roof no less!!"
Sorrow began to swell up in her, so she floated down towards him and motioned to help, but a quick hand up signaling stop halted her.
"No! Just leave me be, I.....can get up...... myself. Please, just....leave me alone"
Now Ryoko was on the verge of crying right in front of him.
"T....T.....Tenchi.......I'm so.....sorry about that, please, forgive me?"
Tenchi looked at her, while she struggled to hold back tears that came about. He walked over to her, but instead of hugging her or shaking her hand, he picked up the food tray and turned his back and left. Ryoko was left all alone outside, alone to wallow in her own self pity.
"Tenchi.........."
Chapter 1
Home from school for the day, Tenchi was laying in his bed, arms crossed, eyes gazing towards the ceiling.
Thoughts that he did not even know the reason of were looming in his mind. Fear, doubt, betrayal, love, hatred; his conscious was constantly encompassed with thoughts that he, up until now, had no concern about. Confused, he was about to return to his duties of sweeping outside the Masaki Shrine when Sasami entered, holding a tray of food with a folded washcloth over her arm. Sensing Sasami's eager concern for his health and well being, he quickly laid back on the bed.
"Oh no, Tenchi, you shouldn't get up right now. Let us do all the work, please, I don't want anything to happen to you" Sasami exclaimed.
"It's alright Sasami, don't worry, I'll be fine, it's just a minor injury, it's nothing to worry yourself over"
"Are you sure, Tenchi?" Sasami said with the utmost concern.
"Yes, now please stop worrying about me and go do what you want, I can take care of myself"
Waiting for a few seconds for Tenchi to have a second thought about it, she finally sighed and drooped her head.
"Okay, I'll go....."
Motioning towards the door, Sasami stopped midway, remembering the food and washcloth that she brought for Tenchi.
"Oh, here you go Tenchi, I brought these for you. It's sushi with a side plate of soba and a warm washcloth for your head. Do you want it?"
"Sure Sasami, thanks, just leave it all on the dresser."
Nodding her head, she laid the tray on his dresser and left, closing the door behind her. Getting up to look at the food, he shook his head no, and only took the washcloth back to the bed with him, but not before locking his door first. With a sigh of relief, he returned to his bed, and once again took his position, gazing up at the ceiling.
"Why do they all have to treat me like I'm some troublesome little kid? I can handle myself on my own. They baby me too much, it's like I'm living with six parents, all concentrating on nothing but me. I can't make a move without it being surveyed by at least four people. This isn't a normal life, I can't live like this anymore. It's times like this that I wish that I could just pack everything up and leave. But how am I going to do that?"
Taking the wet washcloth into his hands, he placed it on his forehead, but then quickly retracted it.
"What am I doing? I don't need this, I don't need to live like this, and I certainly don't need th...."
All of a sudden, a new perspective of thinking was brought upon him. Never once had he thought of life without all of them, always taking things day by day, never concentrating his thought on the one person that mattered the most........himself. But it didn't have to always be like this, and suddenly, he was a whole different person.
"I don't need them at all, do I? All of them; everyone of them, they're all holding me back. I can't take it anymore, and I won't take it anymore. I'm sick of this way of living, of this petty existence I call my life. No more, I'm not going to live with all this burden anymore. I'm putting an end to all of this.
Overtaken by this newfound willpower, he stood up firmly from his bed, encompassed with a new energy and zest that he had never felt before. He steadily walked towards the door and began to walk out, but then stopped. He had forgotten about the tray of food that Sasami had left for him to eat. Before a glimpse of thought could cross his mind, he walked over to the tray, stared at it for a few seconds, then, with one quick swipe, knocked it off the table. Soba and remnants of sushi were strewn about his floor, and stains of wasabi quickly covered his dresser. To him, the tray of food was a symbol of an opinion of weakness and helplessness that the others shared about him, and knocking it off the table was his first step towards liberation.
*~*~*~*~*
Peering down from the top of the stairs, he carefully surveyed the area, as to not run into Ryoko before he leaves. The suitcase that he had packed before he left his room was getting heavy, but if that was the price for freeing himself of all this, than it was a price he was glad to pay. Day had turned into night, and when he looked downstairs they were all asleep. He made his way towards the door, but then quickly stopped suddenly. One of the beds were empty; it was......Ryoko's Room.
"Damn, she awake. Probably moping around the place, looking for another way to baby me. I've got to find her first"
Walking slowly, he checked in the kitchen, then in the bathroom, then inside Washu's Lab. No sign of her.
"Maybe she went out for another one of her 'I'm feeling sorry for myself' walks again. When will she get it through her head that I don't want......."
Suddenly, just as soon as he spoke, he stopped. He tilted his head a little to the side; he could hear a faint noise behind him. Turning swiftly around, he went back up the stairs, making sure to walk carefully as to not hit a creak and wake everyone up. As he escalated towards the top of the stairs, the noise grew less faint and ever so close, that he could almost feel it. When he reached the top of the stairs, he froze in agony. There was Ryoko, lying right next to his bedroom door, asleep. It seems that she was trying to keep watch of Tenchi, so nothing would happen to him.
"Oh lord, why is she doing this? Don't they know that I can take care of myself? This is exactly the reason why I have to leave this place. I have one minor injury and all of a sudden I'm quarantined"
Turning sharply, he had forgotten that he was at the edge of the stairs, and he slipped and fell down the stairway. His suitcase flew from his hand as he hit the ground hard, all of his belongings were thrashed about wildly all over the floor. The sound of his suitcase hitting the ground rang in his ears. Phased, he looked up, expecting to see all 6 of them looking at him, ready to take him up to his room, but instead, there was silence yet again. No one was around; they were all still asleep. Patiently he got up, grabbing at his arm in pain, and walked back up the stairs. To his utmost surprise, he found Ryoko asleep, in the same position as she was a few minutes ago.
"What the hell? Why didn't they wake up? I guess they're so deep in a dream about me actually liking them, they didn't bother to wake up"
Shrugging off the otherwise awkward situation, he crept towards the door once more. Not thinking twice, he went out of the door, closing it lightly behind him. Walking towards his front gate, holding his suitcase firmly, he made his way out of the Masaki household, not stopping once, not looking back. As he made his way out of sight, Yosho stood in the shadows of the Masaki shrine, watching Tenchi from afar. Instead of going after him, he murmured,
"Tenchi......"