No Need for Dreams
"The what?!" Ryoko exclaimed,
"The Black Despair. This is _real_ bad," Washu informed sternly.
"What is it?" Ryoko asked.
"It's a viral disease. It causes the host to have horrible nightmares," Washu
notified. She looked over to Tenchi and frowned. "They'll start soon."
"OK, so Tenchi will have a couple of bad dreams. That's not that bad,
right?" Ryoko interjected.
"I'm not finished yet! That's only the beginning. The nightmares begin to
get worse, until it reflects the host's worst fears. To him it'll seem so real... it's
called the Black Despair because most hosts lose their will to live and slowly die."
"What?!" Ryoko shouted. "Can't you do something?!"
"If there was something I could do I would've already done it," she said not
trying to hide her disappointment. "There are some things not even the Universe's
Greatest Scientific Genius can't do." Washu blinked back tears. He's so young.
He shouldn't be dying! "I can't save him."
Those four final words hit Ryoko like a rock. "I can't save him" she had
said. Ryoko collapsed to her knees. "No... no... no!" With every no she pounded
the pavement, leaving decent-sized potholes.
Washu knelt down and cupped Ryoko's chin in her hand, forcing Ryoko's
tear-filled eyes to meet her own. "I said there wasn't anything _I_ could do. I
didn't say _you_ couldn't help."
Ryoko eyed curiously. "What do you mean?"
Washu grabbed Ryoko's left wrist and led her to Tenchi's unmoving form.
She grabbed Tenchi's right hand and pressed his palm against Ryoko's left palm.
Ryoko reflexively tried to pull her hand back, but Washu's grip prevented it. She
laced Ryoko's fingers around Tenchi's hand.
His hands were clammy Ryoko noticed. Probably running a fever. She
found herself just staring at him. He looked so peaceful when he slept. That
however did not last long. The first sign that something was wrong was his
twitching eyes. His breathing began to come as short gasps. He clenched his teeth
and his breath came out as hisses. He squeezed Ryoko's hand and it was obvious
he felt physical pain. He began thrashing around, causing him to sweat fiercely.
"Ryoko... Ayeka... Sasami... Little Washu... where are you guys..." he
muttered.
Ryoko squeezed his hand and said, "I'm right here, Tenchi. Can't you hear
me?"
Tenchi gulped and seemed to calm down slightly. "Black... total black..." he
muttered.
Ryoko leaned over to Tenchi's face and whispered into his ear, "Don't
worry, Tenchi. Ryoko's right here." She leaned up to Tenchi her lips brushing
against his. "I love you, Tenchi, and I'll never leave your side." She raised her feet
off of the ground so she was literally floating a centimeter above Tenchi, running
parallel to him. She closed her eyes and lowered her head slowly. Her lips were
barely touching his when...
"MISS RYOKO!!!" an all too familiar voice exclaimed.
Ryoko jerked in the direction of the sound and scowled. It was, of course,
Ayeka. "This is an outrage! You get away from Tenchi right this second!"
Ryoko groaned and levitated up and sat in mid-air. "What's the matter Miss
Prissy Priss? I wasn't doing anything wrong!"
"Don't play innocent with me! I know exactly what you were trying to do!"
Ayeka retorted.
"What's your problem?! Why do you care if I kiss Tenchi or not?!"
"Because Tenchi's mine!" Ayeka blurted out. Her eyes widened and she
slapped her hands over her mouth.
Ryoko stared at Ayeka for a moment. "Wait, wait. Let me get this straight.
_You_ like _Tenchi_? So much for just friends, huh?"
"Well at least I didn't try to kill him!"
Ryoko gritted her teeth and clenched her fists. "You take that back!"
Ayeka relaxed a little... _a little_. "You're right, Miss Ryoko. I was just
mad, but you really don't have much of a chance."
Ryoko grinned, "Is that so? And what? You think you stand a better chance
than me?"
Ayeka let out a slight laugh. "Of course. I've known Tenchi since he was
six. We have a very close relationship. You've known him for what a week and a
half?" She gracefully made her way over to Tenchi. She leaned down over him and
brought herself close to him. "It's like we were made for each other, don't you
agree?" she whispered more to Tenchi than to Ryoko.
"And how do you know that Tenchi doesn't see you as more than a friend?"
Ryoko asked.
"It's something that you wouldn't understand, Ryoko. I can tell what he's
feeling. That's true friendship," said Ayeka as-a-matter-of-factly.
Ryoko growled. "I do have a friend!"
"And that's he'll ever be to you, because he loves me!"
"That's what you think!"
Washu stepped between the two girls, "Calm down now! I don't want any
fighting in here! Got it?"
Ayeka and Ryoko hesitated and glared at each other. Ayeka was the first to
break away as she walked over to Tenchi and looked up and down his body
looking at his body checking to see the damage. Besides the large hole in his
chest, which was closing thank God, he seemed to be OK. She reached down and
moved a wisp of hair that had fallen out on his face.
Washu put a hand on Ayeka's shoulder and took a deep breath. "Ayeka,
there's something wrong with Tenchi." She explained to Ayeka about the Black
Despair. Ayeka's face paled and she nearly fell over. Washu led Ayeka to a chair
where she just stared blankly at the floor. The astral PC suddenly beeped and
Washu checked to see what was going on. "Tenchi's going to have another
hallucination."
As if on cue, Tenchi began to mutter softly, "Ayeka... Ryoko... please
stop..."
Ryoko sighed, "I wish we could see what he's seeing..."
"Of course! That's it! Ryoko, you're a genius!" Washu interjected. She
dashed into a corridor and came back with a helmet. She promptly placed it on
Tenchi's head. The monitor of her astral computer flickered for a moment then
came into focus. The image was of Ryoko and Ayeka standing off against each
other, Ryoko with her energy sword and Ayeka with Akeya's energy scimitar.
"Come on you guys, stop!" Tenchi's voice could be heard.
"This must be from Tenchi's point of view," Washu stated.
Ryoko and Ayeka ignored the obvious statement and stared intently at the
screen. The image of Ryoko turned to the dream Tenchi and said, "No, Tenchi it's
too late for that now. This fight will determine who's going to get your heart,
Tenchi!"
The screen began to shake as the Dream Tenchi ran to the two girls who
were now dueling each other. Even as Ryoko and Ayeka watched they noticed
Dream Tenchi making no progress even though he was running so hard his real
legs were twitching.
The two girls' duel continued both of them locked in a deadly ballet of
slashes and twirls. This is all my fault. This wouldn't be happening if... The
screen grew blurry as if covered by a film of water. Tears welled up in the real
Tenchi's eyes. ..if only I had chosen! There was a flash of light and suddenly
Ryoko and Ayeka were lying on the ground, unmoving. In an instant Tenchi was
at their side kneeling in a pool of blood. There was no need to even check, by the
blank look on their faces they were dead. Dead... because of me... The dream
Tenchi collapsed to the ground staring straight up. Just let me die...
"Wake him up, _now_!"
Ayeka moved without hesitation to Tenchi's side gently shaking him.
"Tenchi, wake up."
Tenchi's eyes snapped open and grinned when he saw Ayeka. He embraced
her, hugging her tightly. "Thank God, you're OK!" He broke away after a while to
look into Ayeka's crimson eyes. He swung his legs around the edge of the bed and
tentatively stood up. He winced as the action caused pain to shoot through his
body from the wound. "Tenchi, what are you doing? You shouldn't be standing
up," Ayeka said, the worry apparent in her voice.
He grinned. He shuffle-walked over to Ryoko and gave her a hard glare. A
look of confusion crossed her face as he stared at her menacingly. After a brief
pause Tenchi's expression and he wrapped his arms around Ryoko and said,
"Gotchya! It's good to see you Ryoko." Suddenly, Tenchi thought better of this
action, but it was too late. Ryoko opened her arms up wide grabbed Tenchi in one
of her enormous bear-hugs. Tenchi endured it though, just glad to see her alive
again. Washu tapped Ryoko and the shoulder and said, "All right I think his face is
blue enough now!"
Ryoko sighed and released Tenchi who took a gasp of air., but he was still
smiling. "Now I know this can't be a dream."
Ryoko smiled, Always joking, aren't you?
Tenchi turned to face Washu. "So _Dr._ Washu," he said emphasizing Dr.
"What's the diagnosis?"
Washu shook her head, "Now you know better than that, Tenchi."
"Sorry, _Little_ Washu."
Washu grinned but it quickly faded as she explained what was going on.
"But know we have an advantage, Tenchi. You see now that you know about the
Black Despair you know that mostly these next few scenario's you'll be facing are
dreams. That is very important you have to remember that! OK?"
Tenchi nodded. "Dreams... thanks Little Washu." Tenchi stumbled and
Ryoko caught him. Tenchi chuckled to himself. "Guess I'm not so ready to walk
yet, huh?"
Ryoko led him back to the bed and Tenchi cautiously laid back down.
"Good night, you guys. And hey don't stay up too late for me."
Ayeka shook her head, "And you always call me a worry wart."
"Shut up..." he said as he slowly drifted back off to sleep.
-The next morning-
Sasami opened her eyes, awoken by something. She didn't know what just
something didn't feel right. She looked over to her sister's bed and her heart
skipped. She was gone! She quickly exited the room and dashed her way to the
medical ward. She sighed as she saw Ryoko and Ayeka asleep on the couch. She
smiled as she got an idea. She rushed off to find Washu.
-A few minutes later-
Ryoko yawned loudly. She stretched and looked over at Tenchi. Sleeping
like a baby, she thought. But something was different. Hey! He's wearing one
of those medical gowns. She snickered aloud. How did Mom manage that?
Tenchi stirred and sat up. Ryoko quickly closed her eyes. Then she opened
them up just a slit. Tenchi almost immediately noticed a draft. He gulped and
examined his new medical gown. He looked up and saw Ryoko and Ayeka asleep
on the couch and blushed profoundly. I got to find Washu before they wake up!
He stood up, and side-stepped his way toward the door, making sure to keep his
back to the door.
Oh, this is too good an opportunity to miss! Ryoko told herself. She
yawned and opened her eyes. "Oh, good morning, Tenchi," she said feigning
innocence.
Tenchi's face became coated in sweat. Oh, no.... "G-G-Good morning,
Ryoko," he stuttered.
Ryoko stood up and flew in front of Tenchi, her body horizontal. "Did you
sleep well?" she asked rotating around to Tenchi's backside.
Tenchi whipped around, preventing the exposure of his naked backside to
Ryoko's prying eyes. "Just fine, and you?"
"I slept great! But I had the weirdest dream," Ryoko replied.
"Oh, yeah?" Tenchi swallowed hard. "What kind of dream?"
"Well, there was you... and me..." she quickly turned, Tenchi whipped back
around. "And we were alone and..."
"Good morning everyone! Breakfast is... AH!" Sasami said as she burst
through the door. Unfortunately, Tenchi's backside was facing the door, giving
Sasami more than an eyeful.
Tenchi turned around at the sound. At that precise moment Ayeka was
startled awake by the screaming, and Washu walked through a round portal in the
middle of the ward. "Tenchi!" Ayeka exclaimed as she quickly covered her eyes.
Ryoko laughed hysterically and Washu rolled her eyes.
Tenchi made a mad dash behind a machine and exclaimed, "Little Washu!
Where are my clothes?!"
Washu sighed, "They were blood-stained I had to wash them."
Tenchi softened his expression, "Thanks, Washu. RYOKO, IT'S NOT
FUNNY!"
Ryoko stifled her laughter long enough to say, "Aww...Tenchi, but it's so
cute!"
Tenchi flashed a deep crimson, whether it was from embarrassment or from
anger Ryoko couldn't tell.
Ayeka, however was fuming. "Ry... o... ko!" she exclaimed accenting and
stretching every syllable of her rival's name. "Can't you give Tenchi a moment of
peace!?" Once again an argument ensued between the two girls.
Tenchi was about to try to stop the them when he heard a voice behind him
saying, "She's right, you know?" Twirled around to see Washu. "I mean it _is_
nice..."
"Little Washu..."
"I'm joking, Tenchi. You not really my type."
Tenchi chuckled. "Hey Little Washu could you do something about this
whole situation?"
Washu grinned, "One set of clothes coming right up." She reached into a
hole in space and threw several garments of clothing at Tenchi.
"Could you uh...?" Tenchi started.
Washu quickly turned around. "Thanks," she heard Tenchi said. After a
minute or so, Tenchi was fully dressed in his school uniform, but somehow it felt
different. "I've made some changes," Washu stated, identified the reason for
Tenchi confusion. She quickly formed an energy sword and thrust it towards
Tenchi's chest. Before he could dodge the sword glanced off the shirt causing
sparks to fly.
"You made it into armor!" Tenchi realized.
"Now mind you my sword is weaker than even Ryoko's without her gems,
not to mention Kagato's sword so don't get cocky."
Tenchi nodded, "Can I ask you one thing? Could you do that again because
that was really cool!"
Washu stared at him for a moment, then shook her head. "Tenchi, you really
are something else you know that? I'm still trying to figure out what."
Tenchi grinned. He noticed that a new voice had entered the fray between
Ryoko and Ayeka. It was, of course, Sasami playing peace keeper as usual. He
stood up and whistled shrilly. The three girls' heads snapped into that direction.
"Oh, Tenchi you're dressed now. I made breakfast for everybody," Sasami
said.
Tenchi smiled and walked over. He saw the food strewn about the floor.
"Thanks Sasami it looks gr-" Tenchi was cut off by an explosion. A ball of
electricity materialized. It seemed unstable as it flickered. It also wreaked havoc
with the atmosphere, blowing everything away.
"What is it?!" Tenchi shouted over the noise.
"He's found us!" Washu responded.
"Who?!" Sasami asked.
"It's- It's..." Ryoko started. She was cut off by evil laughter.
"Kagato!" Ayeka finished.