To be a Princess, Day 3 - Where is the Old Ryoko
One would expect a young man that lived with six beautiful aliens to have peaceful or somewhat eccentric dreams; however, in the case of Tenchi Masaki his dreams can be anywhere from enjoyable to frightening. Tonight was no exception, he was having a dream about Ryoko and it was not one of his favorites. In his dream the images shown to him by his grandfather's tree, Funaho, played out. This time instead of Ryoko being seen laughing as things blew up around him he could hear her screaming in agony as people fled from her presence in horror.
"Ryoko! Stop it!" Tenchi tried to get her attention, he tried to get her to stop, but all he could hear was her screaming in pain. Tenchi had seen the softer side to Ryoko and every time anyone mentioned that she was a demon and destroyed most of Jurai he could not believe it. Even when Kagato had regained control of her again he could not believe she was capable of such a thing. It only cemented in his mind that she was not the one guilty over these things, but with so many people hating her what could be done?
For a moment the dream mellowed out allowing him to relax for a bit then scenes started replaying in his mind of Ryoko and Ayeka fighting. He could hear the names being tossed around wildly and his mind was able to bring back certain things that he had not noticed during those fights. Sadness, Ryoko's sadness as she was called a demon and a pirate and occasionally a murderer. Suddenly the two dreams merged so that every time he heard an insult at Ryoko a thunderous explosion was heard. As he looked about he could see buildings burning, ships crashing and he could easily hear people screaming.
He looked about and he could see Kagato again holding Ryoko in the palm of his hand. He would command the girl to do something and just like a puppet she would but with each thing done a tear would fall. Tenchi could take no more and he charged Kagato, but he was swatted away like a fly. He kept hearing Kagato and Ayeka berate Ryoko as they called her things from waste products to a harlot and even useless. Tenchi knew that Ayeka never meant to be so harsh in her fights, but unfortunately it came across that way.
All he could do was watch helplessly lying on the ground as she was forced to destroy; unable to take anymore he sat up and called her name. "Ryoko!" At the sound of her name the image vanished and he was in his room wide-awake.
Ryoko was also wide-awake at the sound of her name. She had been reading a sappy romance novel and had fallen asleep in the library inside Washu's lab. She did not hear it with her ears, more she heard it in her head but not anymore. Looking around carefully she tried to locate anyone nearby, but when that did not work she listened very carefully. Still no one was near, and she was not sure but she thought it might have been Tenchi that called her, but how?
She floated out of the library towards the lab. Washu was not in sight so she went to one of the camera systems that Washu had installed. The cameras allowed Washu to watch everyone's room but she said it was to make sure that no one tried to kidnap or attack them at night. Hitting the switch for Tenchi's room she could see him sitting on his bed leaning against the wall. He appeared to be ok, just deep in thought. Relieved she watched him for a few more moments and then returned to a place that Washu had given her to sleep.
Tenchi though continued to think about his dream, "I wonder why? Why did I have this dream? Does it mean anything? What am I going to do about it? And why is Ryoko acting so strangely lately?" His mind kept running over these thoughts as he tried to fill in what was missing. His mind though could just not grasp what could possibly be going on. He thought of many things from her feeling bad over those deaths to her trying to impress him. It was about this time that the sun started to rise and he decided to get going early.
He left a note on the table that he had woke up early and for them to eat without him as he was going out into the field. In the field he toiled for several hours and even began working the ground in a new section to prepare it for planing. The entire time he thought about what could be the problem. The one thing he could not understand is that Washu was acting like everything was normal. Even when Zero took Ryoko's place Washu had known that something was up, so why not now?
Ayeka and Sasami also seamed tight-lipped about it, especially Ayeka. After some time of thinking he returned to his house for lunch. He was surprised to find that not much was going on. Most of the girls were watching a soap opera on the TV while Sasami and Ryo-Ohki worked in the kitchen. Looking around he did not see Washu so he cautiously entered her lab looking for the strange scientist.
"Little Washu?" He was definitely not thrilled about entering her lab, as every time before she had captured him and tried to obtain a certain sample. But now something was wrong and she was his best link to it so after swallowing hard he continued looking for her. As usual she was at her computer typing away and did not even appear to notice him, at least not until he stepped closer.
"Hello Tenchi, can I help you with something?"
"Yes, um, well..." He was not sure how to start or even how to say what was on his mind.
"Come on, I don't have all day."
Tenchi's face suddenly became stern and he asked flat out, "What happened to Ryoko?"
"Oh, something has happened to her?"
"You mean you haven't noticed? She's completely different; she's calling me Lord Tenchi even! And you haven't noticed!" Having gone so far as to find her he lost his ability to curb his tongue as his emotions got away from him for a moment. After raising his voice at the little redhead he finally calmed down a bit, but not much.
"Calm down. Jeez, you're uptight about something." She had still not looked up at him as she was trying to think of a way to let him know without actually telling him the truth.
"Yes I am! It's, It's strange her acting like that and I want to know why."
"Trust me, she's fine, but you won't be if you stay here much longer." She added the last part with a bit of a smirk. Then pointing over to a camera he saw his grandfather standing at the top of the steps looking annoyed and calling for him. He did not even say goodbye as he rushed back out and up to his grandfather. Washu was a bit relieved that he had left cause she did not want to make her daughter angry with her again by telling him about the bet.
Later that evening after a hushed dinner Katsuhito approached her with a question. "Miss Washu, I was wondering if you could build me something to help in Tenchi's training?"
"Oh? And that would be?" Washu always did love it when someone asked her to make something.
"I would like a trainer of sorts, one that I have direct control over, but does not look like me. It should appear to have a solid form, but while it could give him a good scar it would not be capable of killing him." Katsuhito explained more and Washu's mind began mulling over the possibilities and after rubbing her hands together and getting that mad scientist look she finally agreed to it.
"I'll do it! But it won't be ready for at least another day." He accepted it and after leaving her she began to think of the other things that she has to work on as well.
That night Tenchi had another dream about Ryoko, and it appeared to him that his subconscious self was trying to get him to say something to her before it was too late, but it would not say what might happen and when. This uncertainty was driving him partially insane; at least he thought so. He resolved it in his mind to ask her what was wrong tomorrow, but when? Should he ask at breakfast? Or Lunch? After thinking for some time it became clear that asking at any meal time would not be good as someone else was bound to interrupt, no he had to ask her in private. Finally coming to terms with when and how he was going to ask Tenchi resigned himself to bed and attempted to get some sleep. Praying that last night's dream would not come back to him.