Title: Vanishing Act

Pairing: I don't know yet, any suggestion?

Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters ::sighing:: So don't sue me?

Note: Please C & C

Chapter 1

Glancing at the Calendar, Sasami felt the tears swell up in her eyes and glanced away before she could cry.

"I won't cry," she promised herself. Wiping away any traces of tears, she made her way downstairs to where everyone sat down, eating breakfast silently.

"I'm sorry I didn't wake up and make breakfast" She apolgize.

"Don't worry, Sasami" Tenchi gave her a warm smile. He gestured to the seat next to him. "Grandpa took care of everything"

"It looks good" Sasami glanced at her food before turning away. "I'm sorry. I'm not hungry"

"Me either" Mihosi whimpered. Shoving her plate forward, her eyes began to water. "Every since Ryoko disappear I—"

"Mihosi!" Kiyone jabbed her partner.

"Oh, right" Mihosi closed her mouth, but the damage had been already done.

"Ryoko!" Sasami cried. Rushing out, everyone could hear her sobs drift further away as she ran back to her room. 

"I'm sorry" Mihosi whispered. "I didn't mean to make anyone upset"

Her apology was met with silence.

"It's been a year since Ryoko vanished" Aeka spoke slowly. "It's has been very quiet"

"Too quiet" Tenchi got up. "I have to go to school. Bye everyone"

"Bye Tenchi" Kiyone shook her head slightly when she saw his slump back.

"Lord Tenchi is taking this very hard" Aeka grabbed a napkin to dabbed at her eyes.

"I heard him crying last night, too," Mihosi admitted.

"Ryo-ki is very upset as well" Aeka glanced around and noticed the creature lurking in a corner, sulking no doubt.

"Everyone is upset" Kiyone sighed. "How is Washu doing?"

"She never comes out of her lab" Mihosi glanced at her food. "She's been in there for months"

"Ryoko is her daughter, after all" Aeka got up. "I think I will check on Sasami"

"I'll check on Washu" Kiyone slowly made her way to the lab.

Blankly staring at all the numbers on her computer screen, Washu gave a heavy sighed before closing the program down. She simply couldn't concentrate. Instead, she brought up a hologram of Ryoko and stared at it for several minutes.

__One year ago__

"Hey, Washu?" Ryoko knocked on the lab door before opening it.

"What is it, Ryoko?" Glancing up from her chair, Washu frowned a bit when she noticed Ryoko's determine face.

"I want you to build me a space craft"

"But you have Ryo-ki" Washu frowned.

"I know, I just need you to build me another ship and fast" Ryoko slumped to the ground. "I need to get out of here for a while and I want Ryo-ki to stay here to watch Sasami."

"Why the sudden rush, though?" Washu probed her daughter's mind. "Is it Tenchi?"

"Stay out of my head!" Ryoko growled. "This has nothing to do with Tenchi!"

Exhausted, Ryoko did something Washu would have never expected. She begged.

"I need to get away from here, Washu. I can't stand being here all cope up." Ryoko glazed into her eyes, pleading. "I'm asking you, as a daughter asking her mother, to build me a space craft... Please."

"Little Ryoko" Jumping off her chair, Washu walked over and gazed down at Ryoko. "I'll do as you ask," she promised.

After creating a spaceship that was silent enough for departure, Ryoko left one night, vanishing in the stars with only Washu to say goodbye.

__(Today)__

Even now, Washu couldn't forget the last words Ryoko had told her before disappearing.

"Thanks Mom"

For thousands of years, she waited for Ryoko to say those words, and now… she may have lost her daughter for good. Desperately, Washu tried to contact Ryoko again with her mind. Again, there was no answer. Either Ryoko was too far in the galaxy or she was dead. Shuddering slightly, Washu didn't want to think of the second option, but decided to work on her tracing device she had implanted on Ryoko's spacecraft.

*MOM!* the mental call came so clear into Washu's mind that the scientist fell to her knees in pain.

*Ryoko?*

*MOM!!!!!! AHHHHHH* In Ryoko's mind, Washu could see a series of gunshots lasers. She could smell the burning engines. * DAMMIT!!!! I'M GOING TO CRASH!*

*RYOKO!*

An explosion quite like the size of a super nova had erupted.

Abrupt silence.

*RYOKO!* Washu screamed.

TBC