****************Face the Music
It took a few days to get to Jurai.
Before getting to there, I radioed ahead and spoke to Ayeka and told her I had information concerning the whereabouts of Ryoko. I also told her to expect my arrival in a few hours.
Well, I couldn't exactly say, " Oh, by the way I have a video of Ryoko's last words and I am bringing Ryo Oki for Sasami."
At least I was greeted at the space dock by a familiar face, Azaka. He showed me to Ayeka's chambers. I took a deep breath and put on my game face as we entered the room. Seated behind a beautifully carved desk was Ayeka in back of her was a large window with purple curtains, the material had the look of velvet, with Startica blossoms on it. This women seated in front of me was not the same whiney princess, I met when I took Ryoko's man- No the women before me had changed she now had definite regal commanding presence, one fit to be queen.
" Please miss Nagi, tell me what information do you have on the pirate."
" Princess Ayeka, I don't know how to tell you this but…Ryoko is dead." I waited for the princess to digest what I had said.
Ayeka looked right at me and without blinking she laughed uncomfortably in an attempt to hide her fear and said, " I am sorry miss Nagi, I must not have heard you correctly, did you just say Ryoko's dead?"
"You heard correctly, she is dead."
" When…I mean how, did you Nagi?" Stammered the princess. She couldn't believe it. Azaka and Kamadake had told her of the pirate's valiant and courageous behavior in bringing Lord Tenchi to her rescue, and how the wound she got from Kagato was bad, but never in a million years did she ever think anything would beat the demon women, let alone kill her. After they told her about the wound she sent out loyal scouts to find out about the pirates whereabouts and to give her a reward for her courage. Ayeka fought back the tears and put on her strong princess mask and waited for Nagi to give her the details.
" Listen, before you jump to conclusions princess Ayeka, I had nothing to do with her death, I may have wanted to take her in for the bounty, but I didn't want to kill her- hell I even helped her get passed the Juraian fleet to save you. "
Still denying what I had said she asked, " How do you know she is dead? That demon women is sneaky maybe she just wanted to make sure you didn't find her and she is hiding out somewhere."
" Please understand, princess Ayeka, I found a distraught Ryo Oki in deep space, when I boarded the ship I expected to find Ryoko sitting there with a sly grin on her face, but that's not what I found. In the command chair I found Ryoko's lifeless body, even the gems in her wrists lost their luster. When I asked Ryo Oki to tell me what happened she played back a video message. I don't know how but somehow Ryoko knew I would find her. She told me to bring Ryo Oki here because she wanted Sasami to have her and to deliver her last words.
" I see." Said the Princess.
"Azaka, please go and find Sasami."
He bowed and left the room in search of the little princess.
" Nagi, I am surprised that you are here delivering her last words, you could have easily sent the vid with a courier. I mean, your relationship with Ryoko or lack of- is no secret, why deliver the message personally?"
" Princess, do you really think Ryo Oki would have let someone else bring her here, let alone come here on her own accord?"
" No, I suppose not," said Ayeka
" I have to know Nagi, where is Ryoko's body? I would like to give her a proper burial befitting a heroine."
" This might be hard to understand princess, but I will try…her last request was that I remove her gems and give them to Tenchi to remember her by. The strangest thing happened when I actually took the gems out of her wrists, her body just seemed to disappear, like when she teleports away…"
" It figures", said Ayeka while shaking her head, " that demon woman always causing problems for me. I will just have to think of another way to honor her. Nagi you still haven't answered my question- why do this for her?"
I couldn't look the princess in the eyes when I told her why, so I walked over to the window and looked out at the garden below. It was hard even for me to admit why I would go to great lengths for someone I considered an enemy. I certainly wasn't' going to tell anyone that Ryoko had been the closest thing in my life besides Ken Oki that I would consider friend.
" I don't have to tell you what a pain in the ass Ryoko was, however there was something about her- that, well I respected. The last time I saw her was before she left for Jurai, she could hardly stand. Yet she was to determined to take Tenchi to Jurai and nothing or no one was going to stop her. Space pirate Ryoko did something completely unselfish, Ryoko brought Tenchi here to save you- even though it was going to kill her."
" Nagi, I saw the force field surveillance tapes…what she managed to do was incredible. Kamidake said she had the courage and spirit of 1000 knights- he was right. I honestly don't think Lord Tenchi would have made it to the palace without her. I didn't realize just how powerful she was until I saw the tapes. Ryoko could have beaten me anytime, all those times we fought- and she could have killed me. For as long as I live, I doubt I will ever understand why she held back."
There was a knock at the door. Azaka and princess Sasami walked in.
Ryo Oki immediately bounded over to the little princess.
She smiled and said, " Oh Ryo Oki, I am so glad to see you. Where is Ryoko? Ryoko come out, I know you're here." The little princess looked all around the room and even behind the curtains.
No one in the room spoke; it was filled with a defining silence.
Sasami looked to Ayeka, back to me, to Ryo Oki, then to Azaka, and finally back to her sister. As the realization was starting to set in as to why we were all in Ayeka's chamber, tears were started to well up in her eyes, " Ryoko, its not funny anymore- PLEASE COME OUT."
Ayeka went over to her little sister and put her arms around her, " Sasami, I am sorry but Ryoko died after bringing Lord Tenchi to the palace."
Sasami stamped her food hard on the floor and said " No, I refuse to believe it, Ryoko promised to take me flying and teach me how to fight." With tears spilling down her face. Sasami said, " She… she… said she would if I taught her how to cook- Oh Ayeka say it isn't so". Sasami held on to Ayeka for dear life and Ayeka could not hold in the tears any longer and cried along with her sister.
" Why, Ayeka why, it's just not fair."
" No, its not fair Sasami."
It took all the strength I had not to tell Sasami the truth. I swore then and there that as long as I lived and breathed- I'd never forgive Ryoko for making me deliver the news of her death…the defeated look on the face of little princess Sasami was almost enough to make me cry, and I never cry.
After the princesses composed themselves, I showed them the message.
*************
With a pained look on her face Ryoko smiled and started her message. " Well, I don't have much time before we leave to storm the palace…. Ha! I always wanted to say that."
"In all my years of being a pirate, I really never thought there would be anyone else in my life except Ryo Oki and I used to only dream about being apart of a family. You were the only family I ever had. None of you know this but I would thank Tsunami everyday for bringing all of us together. I know living with a wanted space pirate was hard and I guess I will never understand why all of you put up with me, but I am glad you did."
"Princess Ayeka, I know we didn't exactly get along- but I always thought of you as the sister I never had."
"Sasami, I am sorry we won't get to do those things I promised. I know I can trust you with Ryo Oki. When you turn eighteen she will teach you how to fly her, but not until then."
"Mihoshi, thanks for reminding me not to take myself so seriously and always making me laugh."
"Kiyone, You would have made one hellva space pirate!"
"Washu, thanks for making the dimension tuner and giving me the chance to live in my perfect world- even if it was for a short while."
"Nobuyuki, thanks for all the Sake and the books you gave me to read, it's a shame I won't have the opportunity to put them to use."
"Honorable Grandfather, without you I would have never understood the quiet beauty of spring, Thanks."
"Tenchi… My Tenchi, I won't be able to take you on that journey, maybe in the next life."
The smile on Ryoko's face now gone as a tear rolls down her face, she says,
"I must have something in my eye."
"Ayeka, promise me that you will personally make sure whoever Tenchi marries is worthy of his love."
"Oh, one last thing. Tenchi there is a letter for you under my pillow in my room."
"I will miss you all."
With a wink and a blown kiss she faded away and the message was over.
***************
Thanks to: B. F Raven, Krystalcat, TranquilSilence and BobR for their reviews!
I fixed the 1st and 3rd person issues in chapter 2.
Enjoy.
" a friend is someone who knows the song in your heart and can sing it back to you when you have forgotten the words." -Unknown