Disclaimer: All of these characters are mine. They were my idea and AIC and
Pioneer are using them without my permission! Oh wait a minute, that's
backwards. I have absolutely no claim to these characters, although all
characters introduced within this series are my own creations. Oh, and go ahead
try and sue me! It won't work, because I don't have any money!!! HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!
Um, on second thought, if it's all the same, I'd rather not be sued. It's not
like I'm making any money off of this.
I'd like to thank Masami, Cav, Bobert, and Night for their help making
this fic as good as I can get it, ESPECIALLY Cav. I'd also like to thank
everybody at the #TenchiFF chat room, for their help, support, and suggestions.
For those of you wondering, this latest update is for Derai's sake. I'm sure a
couple of people have noticed that his introduction isn't really in character
for him, so I've changed it. The only really big change is at the end of
Chapter 2. Chapters 3 and 4 only underwent minor editing to preserve
continuity. Let me know what you think of the new scene.
This is my first attempt at an epic fic. I've learned that putting a character
through extreme emotional pain can make for a good story. So if I put your
favorite character through hell, it's nothing personal, and everyone will get
their turn. However, I promise that in the end, everyone will be happy. Send
comments and criticism to bkuhn@ucsd.edu
Last Chapter: On a beautiful night, anything can happen, whether one wants it to
or not. It all started with a kiss, from Aeka to Tenchi. Unable to overcome
the mask she places over her feelings, she runs. Only to encounter her family
and learn that her country has gone to war. Meanwhile Ryoko learns of the kiss
and attempts to flee, and Tenchi is forced to choose between never seeing Ryoko
again, or doing the one thing she may never forgive him for.
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Tenchi Muyo!
To Love and to Hate
by Brook Kuhn
Episode 2:
Pity, Despair, and Revelations
"Un-break my heart.
Say you'll love me again.
Undo this hurt you caused,
When you walked out the door,
And walked outta my life.
Un-cry these tears,
I cried so many nights.
Un-break my heart.
My heart"
- "Unbreak my Heart" Toni Braxton
Step.
Tenchi slowly walked through hell. In truth, his feet trod upon the path
that led back to his home, but Tenchi could not discern the difference.
Step.
He carried Ryoko in his arms. She was not heavy, not compared to the
tremendous weight that pushed down on him, threatening to suffocate him.
Step.
She loved him, that much was clear to him now. He no longer refused to
ignore what lay right beneath his nose. She loved him, and he had hurt her.
Step.
He saw the tears run over the red mark on her cheek when he had slapped
her, last summer. She was concerned for him, that he was in danger, and he had
struck her for it.
Step.
He saw her eyes brim with water, when he had declared his hatred of her.
It was never true, just words spoken in anger, but words can be much sharper
than any sword, and they cut much deeper.
Step.
He saw her beg Kagato, tears in her eyes, to spare his life. She threw
away all of her dignity in a vain attempt to save the one thing she cared for in
all the universe.
Step.
So many tears.
Step.
And for what. She might have well been crying over some hideous insect.
Tenchi was not deserving of those tears. He did not deserve this beautiful
woman. She came to avenge his death at Kagato's hand, but he was no better than
Kagato was. She and Aeka had fought for nothing.
Step.
Aeka.
Step.
She was a princess, beautiful and pure, not to be sullied by his filthy
hands. And yet, she waited patiently, in the hopes that a mangy farmer might
look up from his fields long enough to notice her standing there. Both by
station and by heart, she was far too good for someone like him.
Step.
Two angels and descended upon him, but instead of letting them return to
the heavens, he dragged them down to his level, and hurt them.
Step.
Love turned into pain.
***
Aeka took a step back, and collapsed onto Tenchi's bed, barely managing to
keep herself sitting up.
"What?" she asked.
Funaho entered the room with Akito behind her. "At approximately 18:43
Standard Galactic Time, Soneda Kel attacked Juraian outposts in the Jero region.
The Jero District has already fallen to the Kellan empire. The Jero District is
nearly worthless. It is barely inhabitable, and only at great cost.
Furthermore, there are no large deposits of valuable resources in that area. It
*does* however, provide him with an outpost on the other side of the Jero
Nebula, allowing him to protect that area of his border with a single outpost,
otherwise, he is forced to place sentries all around the nebula's border, in
case a force snuck in through the Jero District and into the nebula."
Kanako yawned, "So what's all that mean, mom?" Aeka glared at her.
Funaho didn't seem to notice. "In other words, he's tightening his
defenses. Not only was this attack a major breach in Juraian-Kellan treaties,
it's only the beginning."
"But enough of that right now," Misaki said cheerfully, "We're being rude,
we haven't even said hello to our hosts."
"You go on ahead, everybody," Funaho said, "I have to discuss something
with Aeka."
After everybody had left, Funaho led Aeka into the room she shared with
Sasami.
"Now," Funaho said, "Tell me what's wrong Aeka."
Aeka burst into tears.
***
"Tenchi!" Sasami said as he opened the door, "What took you so - What
happened?" Tenchi didn't answer. Solemnly, he placed Ryoko on the couch.
"Tenchi?" Sasami asked, but Tenchi merely walked away. He approached
the stairs as Azusa and his family were coming down.
"Greetings, Tenchi," Azusa said.
"E-Emporer Azusa!" Tenchi stammered, momentarily distracted from his
sorrow by the shock of seeing the Emperor of Jurai.
"I'll be blunt, Tenchi," Azusa said, "I don't like the idea of my
daughters staying here on this planet, but due to recent events, I have decided
that it is safest for them to remain here under your protection."
"I can't protect your daughters, I'll only hurt them," Tenchi said, and he
pushed past the Emperor and proceeded up the stairs. He walked into his room,
oblivious to the sounds of crying that came down the hall.
***
Tenchi sat on his bed for several long minutes. He didn't know what to
do, he didn't even know what to *think.* He looked up at the mirror that hung
on his wall. He stared at the man in the reflection. The man looked back,
hatred for what he saw burned in his eyes.
Without even thinking, Tenchi drew his sword and attacked. A long gash
appeared in the mirror. Molten glass dripped down its side. The blade of the
Master Key pulsed and twisted with the energy of Tenchi's emotions.
'You are part of Jurai's royal family. And I am asking you to protect us
until such a time as my brother can be found.'
Aeka's words echoed through his head. She had given him the Master Key so
that he could protect them. But how could he protect them from himself? He sat
there, staring at the now mellow blade of the Master Key, lost in thought.
Finally, he found the answer he was looking for.
***
Meanwhile, down the hall, Aeka stopped crying, and wiped her eyes.
"I'm sorry, Aunt Funaho," Aeka said.
"Don't be," Funaho said, "Everyone needs a good cry every now and then."
"I'm just so tired of being a princess all the time, of never being
allowed to let my feelings show, never being allowed to show a moment of
weakness, never being allowed to be... me. I'm sick of... of... of wearing
this... this mask."
"I know. It is a hard thing to be the focus of so much attention and
responsibility. We wear masks, as you put it, to hide ourselves from judgment.
Having an entire nation watch you is a scary thing, but with our masks on, we
have the small comfort of knowing that it is not truly us who is being judged,
only our ability."
"I think I have been wearing this mask for too long," Aeka said, tears
running down her cheeks, "I don't even know who I am anymore. I spend half my
time hiding my feelings and the other half trying to figure out what they are.
I don't even know if there *is* a real me. Maybe I left her behind years ago,
but nobody noticed because of the mask I wore, not even me. I've worn this
mask so long I can't even take it off. Not even for Tenchi. I want to tell him
how I feel, to just shout it out and let whatever happens happen... but I can't,
and for the life of me I can't figure out why not. What if I have become
hollow? What if I my love for Tenchi isn't real? What if I can't take off my
mask because in reality, it's all I am?"
"Aeka!" Funaho said. Aeka dropped her head, but Funaho grabbed her chin
and forced her to look at her eyes. "You... are... Aeka. If you want proof,
just look at yourself," Funaho pointed to the tear-streaked princess in the
mirror. "Where is your mask now? You have led a hard life, Aeka, and I am sorry
for that. That is why when you left to search for Yosho, I made sure no one
would stop you. You are strong, Aeka. You can overcome this, in time."
"But how? I can't even be myself in front of Tenchi!"
"Of course, after all, you fear his judgment more than the rest of the
galaxy's combined. As I said, being judged by millions is scary, but being
judged by one is far worse, if you love him."
"But I don't even know where to begin."
"You have already started. We're having this talk, aren't we?"
"Then where do I go from here?"
"Start with Tenchi. Tell him how you feel, no matter what. After that,
all the little things will be revealed for what they are: little. Go, do it
now. The more you wait, the more difficult it will become. Now, I must go.
I wish we could have stayed longer. Perhaps next time we'll visit under less
strenuous circumstances. Good luck, Aeka."
"Thank you, Aunt Funaho."
***
"Noboyuki," Azusa said, drawing him to the side.
"Um, yes, your Majesty?" Noboyuki asked nervously.
"I have a favor to ask of you. Jurai is about to go to war, and I fear
for the safety of my children. However, I have realized that due to the
presence of Tenchi, my son, Ryoko, and Washuu, and the remote location of this
planet, your house is probably the safest place in the galaxy."
"Um, okay."
"I would appreciate it if Kanako and Akito could stay here."
"What?" Kanako said.
"Idiot," Akito muttered.
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"Why do you think we came all the way down here to begin with? We're at
war, so we don't exactly have time to go sightseeing."
"I have to stay? In this dump? On this backwater planet?"
"Um, well, sure, they can stay. This house is so full of people already,
one or two more won't make a difference."
"Thank you. Ah, Funaho, there you are. Come, we must return. Kanako,
Akito, good-bye."
"Farewell, father," Akito said. Kanako didn't say anything, she just
sulked in silence. Azusa and his wives left the house and headed back to Jurai.
"Damn!" Kanako swore once her parents were gone, "I can't believe I have
to stay here!"
"I'm sorry about my sister," Akito apologized.
"Oh, don't worry about it. It may not be the palace of Jurai, but this
house has its charm. I'm sure she'll come around.
***
Aeka wiped her eyes once more, and stood up. Out in the hall, she saw
Tenchi descending the stairs, a travel bag slung over his shoulder.
"Tenchi!" Aeka called out. Tenchi turned to look at her, his eyes filled
with so many emotions: sorrow, longing, pain. As Aeka looked at that beautiful
face and those turmoil-filled eyes, she faltered and lost her voice somewhere.
Tenchi walked forward, his pace slow, and somehow distant. When he stood in
front of Aeka, he took her hand and pressed something into it, then he turned
and continued down the stairs, not having said a single word the entire time.
"Tenchi?" Sasami asked as Tenchi came into the room, "What's wrong? What
happened to Ryoko? Where are you going?" Just as before, Tenchi did not answer
her. He walked over to where Ryoko lay on the couch, still unconscious, and
knelt beside her. He brushed a stray hair away from her eyes.
"I'm sorry, Ryoko," he said, and with that, he got up and headed out the
door. Aeka came running down the stairs. She ran to the door and stopped as
she saw Tenchi walking away into the night.
"Tenchi!" she called out, but he didn't turn, or even slow down. He just
continued walking. For a moment, Aeka said nothing. She couldn't believe
herself. Tenchi was leaving, and she wasn't going to do *anything*?! Aeka
mustered all the courage she had, but the words caught in her throat. Sweat
formed on Aeka's head as she tried desperately to speak her true feelings, but
she would not give up, to give up now would be to give up forever.
"I love you!" she finally yelled out. Tenchi stopped. Once again he
turned silently to look at her. Aeka stared at those sad eyes, wondering what
had happened that would make him so sad, that would make him want to leave. Was
it her? Was it something she had done? She didn't know that it had nothing to
do with her, for she had not seen Ryoko laying on the couch. Finally, after an
eternity, Tenchi spoke.
"I'm sorry, your Highness, for everything. Good-bye." And he disappeared
into the night. Aeka dropped to her knees, one hand holding the door frame for
support. And for the third time that night, she cried.
***
Tenchi shivered in the nighttime chill, and began to walk faster. He did
not allow himself to look back, for fear that he might stay. This was the
hardest thing he had ever had to do. He would leave, go so far away that he
could no longer hurt them.
Suddenly, his feet were knocked out from under him, and something hit him
hard on the chest. He rolled out of the way, as a foot came down where he had
been a second ago. He flipped onto his feet, and turned to face...
"Grandpa?" Tenchi asked, bewildered.
"I'm very disappointed in you, Tenchi. You shouldn't have been hit by
that attack."
"Sorry, I should have been alert."
"More importantly, you shouldn't have been here to be attacked in the
first place. Why are you here?"
"I have to go, Grandpa. It's for the best." Katsuhito was silent for a
moment, then he smacked Tenchi on the head with his bokken.
"Wrong!" he said.
"You don't know what I've done!" Tenchi shouted back, "It's the only way.
Otherwise, I'll just end up hurting them more."
"I don't care what you have done. There is no excuse for such cowardice!
If you have hurt someone, it is your job to tend their wounds. It is a very low
man who would leave them to die. Whatever you have done, you must set it right.
I will not have my grandson act so irresponsibly."
"I *am* setting it right! If I stay, I'll only hurt them more." Tenchi
continued down the path.
"Why must they always learn the hard way," Katsuhito said to himself.
Tenchi didn't even feel the blow that knocked him unconscious.
***
Tenchi woke up with a splitting headache to find himself on the couch.
"Sheesh," Tenchi said, rubbing his head, "Why can't I have a normal
grandfather."
"There's no such thing as normal, Tenchi," Washuu said crossly, "Unless
you're working on a math problem, that is. You're not gonna try to run away
again, are you? Because Kamidake and Azaka won't let you through this time."
"I've made an absolute mess of things, haven't I?"
"Yep, you're right up there with Mihoshi trying to help out in my lab."
"I didn't mean for any of this to happen."
"Neither does Mihoshi, but it still happens. *You,* however, could have
prevented all this from happening. I *knew* something like this would happen,
I just didn't realize how bad it would be. Change is inevitable, but you
desperately clung to the way things were, despite everything the girls did to
change them. Two years, Tenchi, they've been chasing after you for two whole
years, but you just kept looking the other way. There were so many chances for
you to do something, but you never did! Then, when things finally do start to
change, you try to run away! As if you hadn't hurt Ryoko enough already.
Change is finally occurring Tenchi, and it's up to you to control what direction
it takes, if you can."
"I know, I can see that all, now. I'll fix things, no matter what it
takes, I just have no idea how."
"I'd help you if I could, Tenchi, despite how angry I am at you. But it
doesn't matter, all my genius only applies to this world, it means absolutely
nothing in the world of the heart. I learned that a long time ago. Now why
don't you go get the formula ready for Mayuka's early feeding. I have work to
do." Washuu departed for her lab.
***
Tenchi entered his room, and walked to the crib that lay across from his
bed. Mayuka giggled as Tenchi picked her up.
"At least someone's happy to see me," Tenchi said as he fed Mayuka,
"Sometimes I don't think I can do anything right. I wonder how on earth they
fell in love with me in the first place."
After Mayuka had finished eating, she yawned and fell asleep again.
Tenchi smiled as he lay her back in her crib.
"One word of advice, Mayuka. Never come to me for help, your daddy's
about as clueless as they come." And with that, Tenchi changed into his
sleeping clothes and went to bed.
***
The next morning Tenchi came down to a very quiet table. Sasami, Kiyone,
Mihoshi, and Noboyuki sat there, along with two people Tenchi hadn't seen
before. None of them spoke. Tenchi looked around, but Aeka and Ryoko weren't
there. Tenchi decided to greet the newcomers, then try to do whatever he could
to fix the mess he'd caused.
"Good morning," Tenchi said. Ryo-ohki's ears perked up, and with a
startled mew, she scrambled off of Sasami's head and ran out of the room.
Tenchi didn't have much time to ponder this before the tall red-headed man
picked him up by the collar of his shirt.
"What did you do to my sister?" he said between clenched teeth, "Tell me!"
"Akito, don't!" Sasami cried. The man gave him a look of disgust, and
threw him onto the couch.
"This is Akito, Sasami's younger brother," Mihoshi said cheerfully,
although it was obvious it was a forced cheerfulness. Even Mihoshi couldn't
remain happy under these circumstances. "And this is their half-sister Kanako."
"Nice to meet ya, Tenchi," Kanako said. *She* didn't seem to care
that much about the depressing atmosphere that had covered the house.
"I *want* answers, Tenchi, and I *will* get them," Akito said, as he
returned to the table.
"You'll have to forgive him," Kanako said, "He's a bit emotional."
"Be quiet, Kanako," Akito said warningly.
"In a way, you're lucky he's mad at you. If he wasn't he'd probably have
crushed you half to death in one of his bear hugs."
"Kanako, that's enough!" Akito barked, sounding very much like his father.
Kanako just stuck her tongue out at him, and turned back to her breakfast.
Tenchi got up off the couch and straightened his shirt. "I'm sorry about
Aeka. I hurt her. I didn't mean to, but I did." He sat down at the table.
"I'm trying to fix things, I just need to figure out how." He reached for the
bowl of rice, but Sasami pulled it out of his reach.
"Not until Ryoko and Aeka come down," she said. Tenchi had to resist the
urge to laugh. Angry expressions just did not belong on Sasami, but in spite of
that, Tenchi could tell she *was* serious.
"I'll try, Sasami," he said, getting up again, "But I'm not sure if
they're willing to forgive me yet."
Tenchi walked into the living room and looked up.
"Ryoko," he said, "are you awake?"
"Yes," her voice was cold and emotionless. No anger, no sorrow,
completely empty.
"I'm sorry about what I did," Tenchi said, "but I couldn't let you leave
thinking I hated you, when nothing could be farther from the truth. I love you,
Ryoko. Please forgive me." Ryoko didn't reply. Tenchi sighed, he did all he
could think of right now. "Um... why don't you join us for breakfast, Ryoko."
"Yes, Master," Ryoko said in her cold, empty voice, and teleported away.
"Master?" Tenchi said. Oh well, Tenchi thought, at least she was at the
table. He sighed and decided to see if he'd have better luck with Aeka.
***
Aeka sat on her futon. Tears rolled down her cheeks and fell onto a small
object in her hand, the Master Key. Tenchi had given it to her last night,
before he, before he tried to leave her for good. Aeka began to cry anew at
that thought. In the midst of her tears, she did not see that as a tear fell
onto one of the gems that lay within the sword, it glowed yellow, before
returning to its normal red. Nor did she hear Tenchi knock and subsequently
open the door.
"Miss Aeka?" he asked, "Are you all right?" Aeka stiffened at the sound
of his voice. She tried to stop crying, but the tears kept flowing.
"Go away," she cried, "Just go away. I don't want you to see me like
this."
"Aeka, please. I'm sorry."
"You're too late. The damage has already been dealt."
"Damage?" Tenchi asked, bewildered, "Are you hurt?"
"Hurt?" she said, turning to look at him. Her voice was suddenly
strangely calm, almost whimsical, "Yes, I suppose you could say I am hurt. I
don't think I have ever felt pain quite like this. But you have no idea, do you
Tenchi?" As she said this the pain crept back into her voice, and she began to
cry again. "You have no idea how hard it was for me to say those words to you.
Everything I have ever known has taught me to hide my emotions deep within me,
where they could do me no harm, and for so many years, I did just that. But
last night, I took off the mask I wore for so long, because I knew that you
could never hurt me. And I said those words I have longed to say for so very
long, and... and... and you said good-bye! I told you I loved you, and you
walked away!"
"Aeka, that had nothing to do with you."
"Then why did you try to leave me! If it had nothing to do with me, you
would have stayed with me, or taken me with you, or... or... something!" She
burst into tears and turned away from Tenchi again.
"Aeka, I'm sorry."
"You've already said that," she sobbed, "Just go away. I want nothing
more than to put my mask back on, and never take it off again, but you took
that away from me. The hurt is so great, that I cannot hide it. Just, GO! And
take this with you," she said throwing the Master Key at his feet, "I don't want
to be reminded of you." Tenchi winced, reminded how much words could hurt.
Tenchi sighed as he picked up the Key. Why did this have to be so
difficult? Why hadn't he done something earlier, before he had caused them so
much pain? Tenchi decided to at least try to get Aeka to come downstairs. It
wasn't much of a solution, but it was a step in the right direction.
"Aeka, please come have breakfast with us. Sasami's worried about you."
There was a long silence.
"Damn you, Tenchi," Aeka said, softly, "Very well, I shall come down, now,
*please* leave me alone."
Tenchi sighed as he left the room and headed back down the stairs. He
walked into the room and sat down at the table next to Ryoko. He sat closer
than he normally would have, in hopes that she would realize that he did like
being with her. He knew it was a long shot, but at this point he was completely
out of ideas, and willing to try almost anything. Ryoko, however, didn't even
move a muscle to acknowledge his presence.
"Aeka's coming down," he told Sasami, "It's the best I could do." Tenchi
just sat there for a while, racking his brains for some way to make it up to
Ryoko. Just talk to her, he told himself, maybe an opportunity will
present itself, and besides, you can't possibly make the situation worse, can
you? Tenchi tried to think of something to say. He felt like he was picking
up some girl at a bar.
"Um, Ryoko, could you pass me the soy sauce?" he said, fully aware of how
lame he must sound.
"Yes, Master," Ryoko said, as she handed him the bottle.
"Would you stop calling me that?" Tenchi said.
"Yes, Master."
"Heh," Tenchi forced a laugh, "Very funny, Ryoko."
"I'm sorry, Master."
Tenchi sighed, and went back to his breakfast, watching Ryoko out of the
corner of his eye. She was like an entirely new person. It was eerie. She
just... sat there. She didn't look at anyone. She just sat there and ate her
breakfast in perfect silence. There was no energy in her movements at all,
almost like if she was a robot.
Then Aeka came down, reminding Tenchi of the other half of his problems.
If Ryoko was not herself, then neither was Aeka. She sat down and leaned
heavily on the table, as if she lacked the energy to sit upright. She made no
move to eat the food Sasami prepared for her. She just sat their, her body
shaking as she cried silently. Tenchi wished desperately for someone to start
talking, to drown out the quiet gasps of Aeka sobbing. Akito's angry glares
didn't help matters, either.
Ryoko finished eating, but she made no move to get up. She just sat there
staring at her empty dishes.
"Do you want some more?" Sasami asked.
"No, thank you," Ryoko replied in that disturbingly cold voice. Sasami
just looked down at the table, a little bit hurt.
"Ryoko?" Tenchi asked, tentatively.
"Yes, Master?" she said immediately, surprising Tenchi with such a quick
response.
"Forget it," Tenchi said, sullenly, "Look, I know I screwed up. I never
claimed to know what I'm doing. I didn't *mean* for this to happen. The last
thing I'd want to do is to hurt either of you. I have to go tend the fields
now. If either one of you decides to accept my apology, you know where I'll
be." Tenchi looked at the two, but he might as well have been talking to a
wall. Aeka just kept crying, and Ryoko continued to, well, do nothing. "Fine,"
he said, and he turned and left.
Tenchi sighed as he stepped into his sandals. How long was this going to
take? he asked himself. It didn't matter he decided. No matter how long it
took, he wouldn't give up. He'd show them both how much he loved them.
...Both?
That thought hadn't occurred to Tenchi before. Assuming he could get both
of them to forgive him, what then? He'd have to choose, and hurt one of them
again. Tenchi wondered if that was why he refused to admit it in the first
place.
"Tenchi, wait!" a voice called out. Tenchi turned to see the prince,
Akito. He appeared to have calmed down, but he was obviously still angry.
"Tell me what happened, Tenchi. What did you do to my sister?"
"It's a long story, Akito. I hurt Ryoko, and in trying to find a way to
avoid hurting either of them, I hurt Aeka, too. I - I love them both, and I
can't stand to see them like this, but I have know idea how to set things
right."
"Then shouldn't you be here, trying, instead of running away to the
fields?"
"I'm not running away, not this time. I tried to reach them, but it
didn't work. I need some distance, to let me think. Maybe it will help them,
too."
"All right, Tenchi, but if you hurt her again..."
"I'd rather cut off my own arm," Tenchi said without a trace of a smile,
and walked away.
Tenchi was halfway to the fields when he felt someone watching him. He
turned around in time to see something small disappear into the bushes.
"Ryo-ohki?" Tenchi called, "Is that you?" The bush rustled slightly,
"Come on, Ryo-ohki, it's just me." Ryo-ohki slowly poked her head out and
looked at Tenchi. There were tears in her eyes.
"Oh, Ryo-ohki," Tenchi sighed, "I should have realized this would affect
you, too. Come here."
Ryo-ohki took a step back. She didn't know what to do. Her understanding
of situations like these was limited, but she knew from Ryoko that something bad
had happened, and that she should hate Tenchi for it. But... it was Tenchi, how
could she possible hate Tenchi?
She meowed in sadness. She was so confused. Ryoko had pulled away from
her, and Ryo-ohki knew it was Tenchi's fault. Everything seemed so strange.
She just wanted something she knew was right.
"There there, Ryo-ohki," Tenchi said, kneeling in front of her, "I'm
sorry. I'll make it up to you," he offered. Ryo-ohki's head lifted. "Look,
why don't you run back home, and I'll bring you lots of carrots, okay?"
Ryo-ohki meowed happily and scampered back down the road.
At least something's going right, Tenchi thought to himself, as he
continued down the path.
Tenchi arrived at the fields and immediately went to work, completely
losing himself in the physical labor. He didn't think about Ryoko, he didn't
think about Aeka, he didn't think at all. Free from worry, free from anxiety,
Tenchi released his stress into the earth itself. Even when thunder sounded,
and the rain began to pour, he continued to work.
***
Tenchi stopped and looked over the fields.
"Finally done," he said to himself, and made one final check of the fields
before he turned to head home. He still hadn't come up with anything to do
about the girls, but tending the fields had offered him a very welcome
distraction, and he felt much more optimistic.
Tenchi looked up to see a large man walking across the fields. His face
was dark, even more than Mihoshi's, and strange tatoos ran down his cheeks. He
wore a light, sleeveless shirt made of fur, which was open in the front, revealing
the man's dark, muscular chest. His right hand was bare, but the left was covered
in a long, black, leather glove. A thick red cloak sat on his shoulders, held in
place by a golden chain.
Tenchi blinked in confusion as the strange man came closer. He was about
to inquire who he was, when the man suddenly drew a massive sword from his back
and charged forward.
"Masaki!" he yelled out in a thick accent, "Get down!" Tenchi's training
had taught him not to question such orders, and he threw himself into the muddy
field.
And not a moment too soon, as a sphere of energy ripped through the air
above him. Tenchi heard a tree shatter as the blast hit it, followed by the sound
of rapid footsteps through the mud, and the clang of steel against steel. He
wuickly wiped the mud from his eyes, so he could see what was going on.
Two figures stood in the mud, pressing sword against claws, each one
trying to force the other back. Tenchi blinked as he saw who - rather what had
attacked him. It was humanoid, but crouched over to almost half it's height,
making it look tiny in comparison to it's opponent. Strange, twisted muscles
showed clearly through it's tight grey skin. What really drew Tenchi's attention,
though, were the sets of dark metal claws that seemed to have grown out of the
back of the creatures hands. It grinned sadistically, its long, pointed tongue
trailing out its mouth between razor-sharp, teeth. The mere sight of this...
thing, gave Tenchi the creeps.
It must have been very powerful, for despite his massively greater size,
the dark-skinned man couldn't push it back an inch. He appeared to realize the
futility of this, as he pulled his sword back and launched a booted foot into the
creature's stomach. The kick launched it backwards, but it flipped in mid-air,
and landed gracefully on its feet.
The stranger lifted the sword above his head, blade pointing to the sky.
"O' great Vallo, t' whom I have sworn t' serve, bless my blade that I may burn
away the evils of this world." Lightning lit up the sky, and the massive blade
was engulfed in blue fire.
The strange creature circled its opponent cautiously, it's eyes focused on
the burning sword. Without warning, it spun around and leapt at Tenchi,
descending claws first.
Tenchi quickly rolled forward onto his feet, and struck behind him with a
sharp kick. He was rewarded with a lound *crack*, and a strange oath muttered in
some language Tenchi didn't understand.
The dark-skinned man charged at them, thrusting forward with his sword.
The creature leapt over the attack, and Tenchi had to jump back to avoid being
impaled himself. His feet slipped out from under him, and Tenchi once again found
himself sitting in the mud.
The man swung his sword again, and the creature vaulted over him. It
landed behind him, and its smile grew even broader as it jabbed a claw at its
opponent's unprotected back. But the man hadn't stopped his swing. He let the
momentum turn him around, and the burning sword sheared through all three claws
aimed at him.
The creature cried out in pain, and the man used this moment of
distraction to wrap a hand around its long neck. He lifted the creature off the
ground, and brought his sword up to it, the blade so close to its head that the
strange blue flames licked the creatures face.
"This is fer Jolsen," the man growled, as he brought the blade back to
strike.
"Wait!" Tenchi yelled out, "Don't kill him!" The man gave Tenchi a
questioning glance, and that's when the creature made its move. It brought it's
remaining set of claws up at its captor's face. The dark-skinned man gasped,
dropping both the creature, and his sword, which hissed in the mud for a second,
before the flames died out.
The creature leapt away, crossing to the far side of the field in two,
long jumps. There it looked at the broken claws on its right hand, and turned to
face them.
"You will pay for thissss, Palfin," it hissed. Tenchi thought that it
sounded almost worse than it looked. It glared at them for a second longer,
before disappearing into the woods.
"What did ye do that fer?" the man yelled at Tenchi.
Tenchi blinked. "Do what?"
"Stop me from killin' him, that's what. I've been chasin' after that
bloody villain fer a long time, an' you let him get away. A great thanks,
considerin' I saved yer life."
"You almost killed me in the process!" Tenchi snapped back.
"Ye're fine, aren't ye?" he asked, "Ne'er a scratch on ye, which is a lot
better than that bloke would'a left ye with. Shouldn'a expected gratitude from a
Juraian, I guess." He picked up his sword, and, wiping the mud from it
with his cloak, slid it into the sheath on his back.
"Wait," Tenchi called out, "You're right. I owe you my life. Thank you.
I'm sorry about that... that thing getting away, but I don't want to see anyone
killed on my fields."
The large man laughed, "I suppose ye wouldn't. Velgrin blood'd keep
anythin' from growin' there for years."
Tenchi forced a laugh. "Yeah, I guess." He looked at the three cuts on
the man's face. "Um... why don't I get you something for that," he offered. The
man looked at him curiously. "Well, it's my fault you got hurt," he explained,
"And it's the least I can do after you saved my life."
The stranger looked at Tenchi as if seeing him for the first time. "Ye're
a good man, Masaki," he told Tenchi, before adding, "fer a Juraian."
Tenchi laughed nervously. "Well, I'm only one eighth Juraian, actually,
and you can call me Tenchi."
"All right," the man said, thrusting out a big hand at Tenchi, "Derai.
Derai Palfin."
***
"Kiyone? Where's Tenchi?" Sasami asked. "He normally comes back if it
starts raining."
"I don't know, Sasami," Kiyone told her, "But I think there's a lot of
hurt feelings going around right now. Maybe Tenchi needed some time by himself.
I'm sure he's all right." They heard the sound of a door opening. "That's
probably him right now, why don't you go say hi, show him that not everybody's
mad at him."
"All right!" Sasami said, running out of the room, "Hi, Tenchi- Oh, it's
you grandpa."
"Why so disappointed, Sasami?" Katsuhito asked.
"I thought you were Tenchi," Sasami said. He's been out there in the rain
for hours."
"Don't worry, Sasami. A little rain never hurt anyone. Quite the
opposite. It's steady rhythm has a calming effect that helps meditation. It's
very good for the soul. I'm sure Tenchi's fine. He just needs some time alone."
"Well, I guess we'd better eat before it gets cold," Sasami said,
disappointedly. She walked into the dining room, the Katsuhito and Kiyone
right behind her. "Tenchi's still not here," she said to the others who were
waiting there, "I guess we should eat now."
"Hiya, bro!" Kanako said. There was a pause.
"Are you talking to me, Kanako?" Akito asked, curtly.
"No, *Lord* Akito," Kanako said, loading as much sarcasm as possible into
the terms of respect, "I'm talking to my *full* brother, Yosho." Kanako got up
and wrapped her arms around her older brother.
"Please do not call me that," he told her, unwrapping her arms from around
her him, "Yosho is a name I used long ago. It is a reminder of the distant past
I can do without."
"Aeka's coming," Mihoshi said somberly, walking into the room, "She'll be
a moment, though. I told her we'd wait for her."
"Thank you, Miss Mihoshi," Akito said, "It's nice to know someone cares
for my sister. I wish I could do more for her, but... well, I guess she doesn't
know me, so I can't."
"Don't worry, Lord Akito," Mihoshi said, blushing slightly, "I'm sure
she'll be fine soon, and you'll quickly become as close as, well, brother and
sister." Again, the sound of the door opening could be heard.
"Maybe that's Tenchi!" Sasami exclaimed, rushing for the door. A second
later, they heard her scream. Mihoshi and Kiyone glanced at each other, then
rushed out of the room, drawing their guns. Akito followed right behind them.
They came in to see a large man, holding both arms above his head. Ryoko
hovered in front of him, her energy sword inches from his throat. Sasami lay on
the floor.
"What is the meaning of this?" Akito yelled, "Who is this man?"
Tenchi stared at the scene, just as confused as anyone else. Sasami had
ran in, shouting greetings to Tenchi, when she had cried out and collapsed on the
floor.
"Answer him," Tenchi told Derai, anger overcoming his confusion.
"My name be Derai Palfin," he said, calmly, seemingly oblivious to the red
sword which hummed beside his neck, "An' I have no more idea what be happenin'
than any of you."
"I don't believe you," Akito growled.
Derai turned an angry eye towards the Juraian prince. "I couldn'a care
less what ye think of me. Vallo knows my innocence. If I was ye, I'd be more
concerned about helpin' the lass, than pointin' fingers."
Sasami got up off the floor, and slowly walked towards Derai.
"Sasami," Tenchi said, "Stay back!"
"No," Sasami said in Tsunami's voice, "Do not worry, Tenchi. No harm will
come to us. Derai is a friend, who brings a gift. I have been waiting for this
gift for a long time." She turned to Derai. "Greetings, Derai, Servant of
Vallo. Will you honor me with the blessings of your Lord?"
Derai looked questioning at Sasami. "O' course, lass. Vallo's blessings
are given freely, t' all those who would ask, but I'm not so sure yer friends'll
let me."
Sasami turned to the others, and again she spoke in Tsunami's voice.
"Derai is a friend," she repeated, "You can trust him. It would be against
everything he believes in to attack a child."
Akito didn't say anything, but he stepped back to lean against the wall.
His eyes didn't soften, though, and he didn't remove them from Derai.
Tenchi hesitated for a second. "All right," he sighed, "Do it, but I'm
watching you. Ryoko, let him go!"
"Yes, Master," Ryoko said coldly, and disappeared.
Derai swallowed nervously, as he knelt in front of Sasami. He placed his
right hand on her forehead.
"Great Vallo, lend yer flame t' the will of this child, so that yer fire
may bring purity t' her soul, and warmth t' her heart."
"Thank you, Derai," Tsunami said, as the calm eyes of the goddess shifted
to the nervous ones of a child. Sasami bit her lip as she looked around at her
friends.
"I-I should go check on dinner," Sasami said running from the room.
"Tenchi, do you want to tell us what's going on?" Kiyone asked, keeping an
eye on the stranger.
"This is Derai," Tenchi said, "He's a friend, I think."
"You think?" Kiyone asked, warily.
"Well, I was working in this field," he began to explain, "When this
strange creature showed up."
"A Velgrin," Derai supplied.
"Anyways," Tenchi continued, "I'd be dead if Derai didn't show up when he
did." This statement seemed to catch everybody present off guard.
"His name is B'ganarr," Derai said, pronouncing the name as more of a
snarl than anything else, "He's an assassin. We've met a time or two before, an'
when I heard rumor that he'd picked up the Imperial children as his latest
targets, I decided to take th' opportunity to pay back some ol' debts."
Kiyone pursed her lips in though. "You're a Servant of Vallo, aren't
you." It wasn't exactly a question.
"Aye."
"We can trust him," Kiyone told Tenchi.
"What? How can you be sure?" Tenchi asked.
"He's a Servant of Vallo, and a Trenan. Both are known for their high
honor. Of course, most Servants *are* Trenans, but that's beside the point. We
can trust him."
"Kiyone?" Mihoshi asked.
"Yes, Mihoshi?"
"How did he find us?"
"Good question," Akito said, eyeing Derai suspiciously, "Want to fill us
in, Derai?"
Derai ignored the angry glare. "B'ganarr managed to find out one o' th'
ports path th' Emporer's ship was passin' by," he explained, "An' he followed the
ion trails left by the Ryu-Shin. I simply followed him, an' ye should be right
glad I did," he added, looking pointedly at Akito.
Kiyone frowned. "If B'ganarr tells anyone about where we are, we could
have a lot more assassin's on our hands."
"I wouldn'a worry much 'bout that," Derai told her, "It's a pretty sizable
price on ye're heads, an' B'ganarr wants it for himself. He won' tell anyone."
"All right, then. We should be all right. The ion trails will be too
cold for anyone else to follow. Still, we should be on the lookout."
"Yeah," Mihoshi said enthusiastically, "We've been kinda lax on our
patrols, anyway."
Kiyone turned to face the Trenan. "If you don't mind, I'd like you to
stay here for a while, for safety reasons."
"I can handle that," Derai said, "Ye're my best leads on that bastard, an'
I know he'll be back t' try again."
"Well you're welcome to join us for dinner," Tenchi offered, "But you
should probably get those cuts taken care of, first."
Derai nodded, and the group made their way to the kitchen, where the
others were waiting.
"Hi, everybody, this is, um," Tenchi cut himself off, as he saw Derai
doing something strange. He had his eyes closed in concentration, and his hands
held out in front of him, palms forward.
"O' holy fire of Vallo, burn away the illusions of darkness!" He thrust
his arms forward and fire flashed around them. Even odder was what happened to
Katsuhito. He was gone, replaced by a young man Tenchi had seen once before, in
the memories of Funaho.
"Grandfather?" Tenchi asked. The young man stared at his hands for a
moment in disbelief.
"Oops!" he said, nervously, a bead of sweat forming on his brow, "Did I
forget to tell you about that?"
The silence that followed was so absolute that the tiny gasp was
completely audible by all. They all turned their heads to the door, to see Aeka
kneeling there, one hand on the doorway, apparently the only thing keeping her
from collapsing in a heap right there. She stared at the young Katsuhito as if
he were some sort of a ghost. Rivers of tears flowed down her cheeks. She made
an attempt to stand up, but stumbled, then tried again, successfully.
"Aeka, wait," Katsuhito said, "I can explain."
"Aeka," Tenchi said, at a total loss for what he could do.
"I've had it," Aeka suddenly yelled, gasping for breath between sobs. She
tore her tiara from her head, and looked at it through tear-filled eyes. "I
can't stand this anymore. Everybody wears a mask, is nothing real? I can't
stand it." She dropped the tiara, and watched it fall. Everybody watched in
horror, somehow paralyzed by this act. It seemed to everybody to be an eternity
before it landed on the floor. With a final sob Aeka turned and ran.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Well I hope you liked "Pity, Despair, and Revelations" Remember, C&C is the
food and drink of fan fic writers, so please email me at bkuhn@ucsd.edu Even if
it's just to say "you rule" or "you suck" I'd like to know.
Pioneer are using them without my permission! Oh wait a minute, that's
backwards. I have absolutely no claim to these characters, although all
characters introduced within this series are my own creations. Oh, and go ahead
try and sue me! It won't work, because I don't have any money!!! HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!
Um, on second thought, if it's all the same, I'd rather not be sued. It's not
like I'm making any money off of this.
I'd like to thank Masami, Cav, Bobert, and Night for their help making
this fic as good as I can get it, ESPECIALLY Cav. I'd also like to thank
everybody at the #TenchiFF chat room, for their help, support, and suggestions.
For those of you wondering, this latest update is for Derai's sake. I'm sure a
couple of people have noticed that his introduction isn't really in character
for him, so I've changed it. The only really big change is at the end of
Chapter 2. Chapters 3 and 4 only underwent minor editing to preserve
continuity. Let me know what you think of the new scene.
This is my first attempt at an epic fic. I've learned that putting a character
through extreme emotional pain can make for a good story. So if I put your
favorite character through hell, it's nothing personal, and everyone will get
their turn. However, I promise that in the end, everyone will be happy. Send
comments and criticism to bkuhn@ucsd.edu
Last Chapter: On a beautiful night, anything can happen, whether one wants it to
or not. It all started with a kiss, from Aeka to Tenchi. Unable to overcome
the mask she places over her feelings, she runs. Only to encounter her family
and learn that her country has gone to war. Meanwhile Ryoko learns of the kiss
and attempts to flee, and Tenchi is forced to choose between never seeing Ryoko
again, or doing the one thing she may never forgive him for.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tenchi Muyo!
To Love and to Hate
by Brook Kuhn
Episode 2:
Pity, Despair, and Revelations
"Un-break my heart.
Say you'll love me again.
Undo this hurt you caused,
When you walked out the door,
And walked outta my life.
Un-cry these tears,
I cried so many nights.
Un-break my heart.
My heart"
- "Unbreak my Heart" Toni Braxton
Step.
Tenchi slowly walked through hell. In truth, his feet trod upon the path
that led back to his home, but Tenchi could not discern the difference.
Step.
He carried Ryoko in his arms. She was not heavy, not compared to the
tremendous weight that pushed down on him, threatening to suffocate him.
Step.
She loved him, that much was clear to him now. He no longer refused to
ignore what lay right beneath his nose. She loved him, and he had hurt her.
Step.
He saw the tears run over the red mark on her cheek when he had slapped
her, last summer. She was concerned for him, that he was in danger, and he had
struck her for it.
Step.
He saw her eyes brim with water, when he had declared his hatred of her.
It was never true, just words spoken in anger, but words can be much sharper
than any sword, and they cut much deeper.
Step.
He saw her beg Kagato, tears in her eyes, to spare his life. She threw
away all of her dignity in a vain attempt to save the one thing she cared for in
all the universe.
Step.
So many tears.
Step.
And for what. She might have well been crying over some hideous insect.
Tenchi was not deserving of those tears. He did not deserve this beautiful
woman. She came to avenge his death at Kagato's hand, but he was no better than
Kagato was. She and Aeka had fought for nothing.
Step.
Aeka.
Step.
She was a princess, beautiful and pure, not to be sullied by his filthy
hands. And yet, she waited patiently, in the hopes that a mangy farmer might
look up from his fields long enough to notice her standing there. Both by
station and by heart, she was far too good for someone like him.
Step.
Two angels and descended upon him, but instead of letting them return to
the heavens, he dragged them down to his level, and hurt them.
Step.
Love turned into pain.
***
Aeka took a step back, and collapsed onto Tenchi's bed, barely managing to
keep herself sitting up.
"What?" she asked.
Funaho entered the room with Akito behind her. "At approximately 18:43
Standard Galactic Time, Soneda Kel attacked Juraian outposts in the Jero region.
The Jero District has already fallen to the Kellan empire. The Jero District is
nearly worthless. It is barely inhabitable, and only at great cost.
Furthermore, there are no large deposits of valuable resources in that area. It
*does* however, provide him with an outpost on the other side of the Jero
Nebula, allowing him to protect that area of his border with a single outpost,
otherwise, he is forced to place sentries all around the nebula's border, in
case a force snuck in through the Jero District and into the nebula."
Kanako yawned, "So what's all that mean, mom?" Aeka glared at her.
Funaho didn't seem to notice. "In other words, he's tightening his
defenses. Not only was this attack a major breach in Juraian-Kellan treaties,
it's only the beginning."
"But enough of that right now," Misaki said cheerfully, "We're being rude,
we haven't even said hello to our hosts."
"You go on ahead, everybody," Funaho said, "I have to discuss something
with Aeka."
After everybody had left, Funaho led Aeka into the room she shared with
Sasami.
"Now," Funaho said, "Tell me what's wrong Aeka."
Aeka burst into tears.
***
"Tenchi!" Sasami said as he opened the door, "What took you so - What
happened?" Tenchi didn't answer. Solemnly, he placed Ryoko on the couch.
"Tenchi?" Sasami asked, but Tenchi merely walked away. He approached
the stairs as Azusa and his family were coming down.
"Greetings, Tenchi," Azusa said.
"E-Emporer Azusa!" Tenchi stammered, momentarily distracted from his
sorrow by the shock of seeing the Emperor of Jurai.
"I'll be blunt, Tenchi," Azusa said, "I don't like the idea of my
daughters staying here on this planet, but due to recent events, I have decided
that it is safest for them to remain here under your protection."
"I can't protect your daughters, I'll only hurt them," Tenchi said, and he
pushed past the Emperor and proceeded up the stairs. He walked into his room,
oblivious to the sounds of crying that came down the hall.
***
Tenchi sat on his bed for several long minutes. He didn't know what to
do, he didn't even know what to *think.* He looked up at the mirror that hung
on his wall. He stared at the man in the reflection. The man looked back,
hatred for what he saw burned in his eyes.
Without even thinking, Tenchi drew his sword and attacked. A long gash
appeared in the mirror. Molten glass dripped down its side. The blade of the
Master Key pulsed and twisted with the energy of Tenchi's emotions.
'You are part of Jurai's royal family. And I am asking you to protect us
until such a time as my brother can be found.'
Aeka's words echoed through his head. She had given him the Master Key so
that he could protect them. But how could he protect them from himself? He sat
there, staring at the now mellow blade of the Master Key, lost in thought.
Finally, he found the answer he was looking for.
***
Meanwhile, down the hall, Aeka stopped crying, and wiped her eyes.
"I'm sorry, Aunt Funaho," Aeka said.
"Don't be," Funaho said, "Everyone needs a good cry every now and then."
"I'm just so tired of being a princess all the time, of never being
allowed to let my feelings show, never being allowed to show a moment of
weakness, never being allowed to be... me. I'm sick of... of... of wearing
this... this mask."
"I know. It is a hard thing to be the focus of so much attention and
responsibility. We wear masks, as you put it, to hide ourselves from judgment.
Having an entire nation watch you is a scary thing, but with our masks on, we
have the small comfort of knowing that it is not truly us who is being judged,
only our ability."
"I think I have been wearing this mask for too long," Aeka said, tears
running down her cheeks, "I don't even know who I am anymore. I spend half my
time hiding my feelings and the other half trying to figure out what they are.
I don't even know if there *is* a real me. Maybe I left her behind years ago,
but nobody noticed because of the mask I wore, not even me. I've worn this
mask so long I can't even take it off. Not even for Tenchi. I want to tell him
how I feel, to just shout it out and let whatever happens happen... but I can't,
and for the life of me I can't figure out why not. What if I have become
hollow? What if I my love for Tenchi isn't real? What if I can't take off my
mask because in reality, it's all I am?"
"Aeka!" Funaho said. Aeka dropped her head, but Funaho grabbed her chin
and forced her to look at her eyes. "You... are... Aeka. If you want proof,
just look at yourself," Funaho pointed to the tear-streaked princess in the
mirror. "Where is your mask now? You have led a hard life, Aeka, and I am sorry
for that. That is why when you left to search for Yosho, I made sure no one
would stop you. You are strong, Aeka. You can overcome this, in time."
"But how? I can't even be myself in front of Tenchi!"
"Of course, after all, you fear his judgment more than the rest of the
galaxy's combined. As I said, being judged by millions is scary, but being
judged by one is far worse, if you love him."
"But I don't even know where to begin."
"You have already started. We're having this talk, aren't we?"
"Then where do I go from here?"
"Start with Tenchi. Tell him how you feel, no matter what. After that,
all the little things will be revealed for what they are: little. Go, do it
now. The more you wait, the more difficult it will become. Now, I must go.
I wish we could have stayed longer. Perhaps next time we'll visit under less
strenuous circumstances. Good luck, Aeka."
"Thank you, Aunt Funaho."
***
"Noboyuki," Azusa said, drawing him to the side.
"Um, yes, your Majesty?" Noboyuki asked nervously.
"I have a favor to ask of you. Jurai is about to go to war, and I fear
for the safety of my children. However, I have realized that due to the
presence of Tenchi, my son, Ryoko, and Washuu, and the remote location of this
planet, your house is probably the safest place in the galaxy."
"Um, okay."
"I would appreciate it if Kanako and Akito could stay here."
"What?" Kanako said.
"Idiot," Akito muttered.
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"Why do you think we came all the way down here to begin with? We're at
war, so we don't exactly have time to go sightseeing."
"I have to stay? In this dump? On this backwater planet?"
"Um, well, sure, they can stay. This house is so full of people already,
one or two more won't make a difference."
"Thank you. Ah, Funaho, there you are. Come, we must return. Kanako,
Akito, good-bye."
"Farewell, father," Akito said. Kanako didn't say anything, she just
sulked in silence. Azusa and his wives left the house and headed back to Jurai.
"Damn!" Kanako swore once her parents were gone, "I can't believe I have
to stay here!"
"I'm sorry about my sister," Akito apologized.
"Oh, don't worry about it. It may not be the palace of Jurai, but this
house has its charm. I'm sure she'll come around.
***
Aeka wiped her eyes once more, and stood up. Out in the hall, she saw
Tenchi descending the stairs, a travel bag slung over his shoulder.
"Tenchi!" Aeka called out. Tenchi turned to look at her, his eyes filled
with so many emotions: sorrow, longing, pain. As Aeka looked at that beautiful
face and those turmoil-filled eyes, she faltered and lost her voice somewhere.
Tenchi walked forward, his pace slow, and somehow distant. When he stood in
front of Aeka, he took her hand and pressed something into it, then he turned
and continued down the stairs, not having said a single word the entire time.
"Tenchi?" Sasami asked as Tenchi came into the room, "What's wrong? What
happened to Ryoko? Where are you going?" Just as before, Tenchi did not answer
her. He walked over to where Ryoko lay on the couch, still unconscious, and
knelt beside her. He brushed a stray hair away from her eyes.
"I'm sorry, Ryoko," he said, and with that, he got up and headed out the
door. Aeka came running down the stairs. She ran to the door and stopped as
she saw Tenchi walking away into the night.
"Tenchi!" she called out, but he didn't turn, or even slow down. He just
continued walking. For a moment, Aeka said nothing. She couldn't believe
herself. Tenchi was leaving, and she wasn't going to do *anything*?! Aeka
mustered all the courage she had, but the words caught in her throat. Sweat
formed on Aeka's head as she tried desperately to speak her true feelings, but
she would not give up, to give up now would be to give up forever.
"I love you!" she finally yelled out. Tenchi stopped. Once again he
turned silently to look at her. Aeka stared at those sad eyes, wondering what
had happened that would make him so sad, that would make him want to leave. Was
it her? Was it something she had done? She didn't know that it had nothing to
do with her, for she had not seen Ryoko laying on the couch. Finally, after an
eternity, Tenchi spoke.
"I'm sorry, your Highness, for everything. Good-bye." And he disappeared
into the night. Aeka dropped to her knees, one hand holding the door frame for
support. And for the third time that night, she cried.
***
Tenchi shivered in the nighttime chill, and began to walk faster. He did
not allow himself to look back, for fear that he might stay. This was the
hardest thing he had ever had to do. He would leave, go so far away that he
could no longer hurt them.
Suddenly, his feet were knocked out from under him, and something hit him
hard on the chest. He rolled out of the way, as a foot came down where he had
been a second ago. He flipped onto his feet, and turned to face...
"Grandpa?" Tenchi asked, bewildered.
"I'm very disappointed in you, Tenchi. You shouldn't have been hit by
that attack."
"Sorry, I should have been alert."
"More importantly, you shouldn't have been here to be attacked in the
first place. Why are you here?"
"I have to go, Grandpa. It's for the best." Katsuhito was silent for a
moment, then he smacked Tenchi on the head with his bokken.
"Wrong!" he said.
"You don't know what I've done!" Tenchi shouted back, "It's the only way.
Otherwise, I'll just end up hurting them more."
"I don't care what you have done. There is no excuse for such cowardice!
If you have hurt someone, it is your job to tend their wounds. It is a very low
man who would leave them to die. Whatever you have done, you must set it right.
I will not have my grandson act so irresponsibly."
"I *am* setting it right! If I stay, I'll only hurt them more." Tenchi
continued down the path.
"Why must they always learn the hard way," Katsuhito said to himself.
Tenchi didn't even feel the blow that knocked him unconscious.
***
Tenchi woke up with a splitting headache to find himself on the couch.
"Sheesh," Tenchi said, rubbing his head, "Why can't I have a normal
grandfather."
"There's no such thing as normal, Tenchi," Washuu said crossly, "Unless
you're working on a math problem, that is. You're not gonna try to run away
again, are you? Because Kamidake and Azaka won't let you through this time."
"I've made an absolute mess of things, haven't I?"
"Yep, you're right up there with Mihoshi trying to help out in my lab."
"I didn't mean for any of this to happen."
"Neither does Mihoshi, but it still happens. *You,* however, could have
prevented all this from happening. I *knew* something like this would happen,
I just didn't realize how bad it would be. Change is inevitable, but you
desperately clung to the way things were, despite everything the girls did to
change them. Two years, Tenchi, they've been chasing after you for two whole
years, but you just kept looking the other way. There were so many chances for
you to do something, but you never did! Then, when things finally do start to
change, you try to run away! As if you hadn't hurt Ryoko enough already.
Change is finally occurring Tenchi, and it's up to you to control what direction
it takes, if you can."
"I know, I can see that all, now. I'll fix things, no matter what it
takes, I just have no idea how."
"I'd help you if I could, Tenchi, despite how angry I am at you. But it
doesn't matter, all my genius only applies to this world, it means absolutely
nothing in the world of the heart. I learned that a long time ago. Now why
don't you go get the formula ready for Mayuka's early feeding. I have work to
do." Washuu departed for her lab.
***
Tenchi entered his room, and walked to the crib that lay across from his
bed. Mayuka giggled as Tenchi picked her up.
"At least someone's happy to see me," Tenchi said as he fed Mayuka,
"Sometimes I don't think I can do anything right. I wonder how on earth they
fell in love with me in the first place."
After Mayuka had finished eating, she yawned and fell asleep again.
Tenchi smiled as he lay her back in her crib.
"One word of advice, Mayuka. Never come to me for help, your daddy's
about as clueless as they come." And with that, Tenchi changed into his
sleeping clothes and went to bed.
***
The next morning Tenchi came down to a very quiet table. Sasami, Kiyone,
Mihoshi, and Noboyuki sat there, along with two people Tenchi hadn't seen
before. None of them spoke. Tenchi looked around, but Aeka and Ryoko weren't
there. Tenchi decided to greet the newcomers, then try to do whatever he could
to fix the mess he'd caused.
"Good morning," Tenchi said. Ryo-ohki's ears perked up, and with a
startled mew, she scrambled off of Sasami's head and ran out of the room.
Tenchi didn't have much time to ponder this before the tall red-headed man
picked him up by the collar of his shirt.
"What did you do to my sister?" he said between clenched teeth, "Tell me!"
"Akito, don't!" Sasami cried. The man gave him a look of disgust, and
threw him onto the couch.
"This is Akito, Sasami's younger brother," Mihoshi said cheerfully,
although it was obvious it was a forced cheerfulness. Even Mihoshi couldn't
remain happy under these circumstances. "And this is their half-sister Kanako."
"Nice to meet ya, Tenchi," Kanako said. *She* didn't seem to care
that much about the depressing atmosphere that had covered the house.
"I *want* answers, Tenchi, and I *will* get them," Akito said, as he
returned to the table.
"You'll have to forgive him," Kanako said, "He's a bit emotional."
"Be quiet, Kanako," Akito said warningly.
"In a way, you're lucky he's mad at you. If he wasn't he'd probably have
crushed you half to death in one of his bear hugs."
"Kanako, that's enough!" Akito barked, sounding very much like his father.
Kanako just stuck her tongue out at him, and turned back to her breakfast.
Tenchi got up off the couch and straightened his shirt. "I'm sorry about
Aeka. I hurt her. I didn't mean to, but I did." He sat down at the table.
"I'm trying to fix things, I just need to figure out how." He reached for the
bowl of rice, but Sasami pulled it out of his reach.
"Not until Ryoko and Aeka come down," she said. Tenchi had to resist the
urge to laugh. Angry expressions just did not belong on Sasami, but in spite of
that, Tenchi could tell she *was* serious.
"I'll try, Sasami," he said, getting up again, "But I'm not sure if
they're willing to forgive me yet."
Tenchi walked into the living room and looked up.
"Ryoko," he said, "are you awake?"
"Yes," her voice was cold and emotionless. No anger, no sorrow,
completely empty.
"I'm sorry about what I did," Tenchi said, "but I couldn't let you leave
thinking I hated you, when nothing could be farther from the truth. I love you,
Ryoko. Please forgive me." Ryoko didn't reply. Tenchi sighed, he did all he
could think of right now. "Um... why don't you join us for breakfast, Ryoko."
"Yes, Master," Ryoko said in her cold, empty voice, and teleported away.
"Master?" Tenchi said. Oh well, Tenchi thought, at least she was at the
table. He sighed and decided to see if he'd have better luck with Aeka.
***
Aeka sat on her futon. Tears rolled down her cheeks and fell onto a small
object in her hand, the Master Key. Tenchi had given it to her last night,
before he, before he tried to leave her for good. Aeka began to cry anew at
that thought. In the midst of her tears, she did not see that as a tear fell
onto one of the gems that lay within the sword, it glowed yellow, before
returning to its normal red. Nor did she hear Tenchi knock and subsequently
open the door.
"Miss Aeka?" he asked, "Are you all right?" Aeka stiffened at the sound
of his voice. She tried to stop crying, but the tears kept flowing.
"Go away," she cried, "Just go away. I don't want you to see me like
this."
"Aeka, please. I'm sorry."
"You're too late. The damage has already been dealt."
"Damage?" Tenchi asked, bewildered, "Are you hurt?"
"Hurt?" she said, turning to look at him. Her voice was suddenly
strangely calm, almost whimsical, "Yes, I suppose you could say I am hurt. I
don't think I have ever felt pain quite like this. But you have no idea, do you
Tenchi?" As she said this the pain crept back into her voice, and she began to
cry again. "You have no idea how hard it was for me to say those words to you.
Everything I have ever known has taught me to hide my emotions deep within me,
where they could do me no harm, and for so many years, I did just that. But
last night, I took off the mask I wore for so long, because I knew that you
could never hurt me. And I said those words I have longed to say for so very
long, and... and... and you said good-bye! I told you I loved you, and you
walked away!"
"Aeka, that had nothing to do with you."
"Then why did you try to leave me! If it had nothing to do with me, you
would have stayed with me, or taken me with you, or... or... something!" She
burst into tears and turned away from Tenchi again.
"Aeka, I'm sorry."
"You've already said that," she sobbed, "Just go away. I want nothing
more than to put my mask back on, and never take it off again, but you took
that away from me. The hurt is so great, that I cannot hide it. Just, GO! And
take this with you," she said throwing the Master Key at his feet, "I don't want
to be reminded of you." Tenchi winced, reminded how much words could hurt.
Tenchi sighed as he picked up the Key. Why did this have to be so
difficult? Why hadn't he done something earlier, before he had caused them so
much pain? Tenchi decided to at least try to get Aeka to come downstairs. It
wasn't much of a solution, but it was a step in the right direction.
"Aeka, please come have breakfast with us. Sasami's worried about you."
There was a long silence.
"Damn you, Tenchi," Aeka said, softly, "Very well, I shall come down, now,
*please* leave me alone."
Tenchi sighed as he left the room and headed back down the stairs. He
walked into the room and sat down at the table next to Ryoko. He sat closer
than he normally would have, in hopes that she would realize that he did like
being with her. He knew it was a long shot, but at this point he was completely
out of ideas, and willing to try almost anything. Ryoko, however, didn't even
move a muscle to acknowledge his presence.
"Aeka's coming down," he told Sasami, "It's the best I could do." Tenchi
just sat there for a while, racking his brains for some way to make it up to
Ryoko. Just talk to her, he told himself, maybe an opportunity will
present itself, and besides, you can't possibly make the situation worse, can
you? Tenchi tried to think of something to say. He felt like he was picking
up some girl at a bar.
"Um, Ryoko, could you pass me the soy sauce?" he said, fully aware of how
lame he must sound.
"Yes, Master," Ryoko said, as she handed him the bottle.
"Would you stop calling me that?" Tenchi said.
"Yes, Master."
"Heh," Tenchi forced a laugh, "Very funny, Ryoko."
"I'm sorry, Master."
Tenchi sighed, and went back to his breakfast, watching Ryoko out of the
corner of his eye. She was like an entirely new person. It was eerie. She
just... sat there. She didn't look at anyone. She just sat there and ate her
breakfast in perfect silence. There was no energy in her movements at all,
almost like if she was a robot.
Then Aeka came down, reminding Tenchi of the other half of his problems.
If Ryoko was not herself, then neither was Aeka. She sat down and leaned
heavily on the table, as if she lacked the energy to sit upright. She made no
move to eat the food Sasami prepared for her. She just sat their, her body
shaking as she cried silently. Tenchi wished desperately for someone to start
talking, to drown out the quiet gasps of Aeka sobbing. Akito's angry glares
didn't help matters, either.
Ryoko finished eating, but she made no move to get up. She just sat there
staring at her empty dishes.
"Do you want some more?" Sasami asked.
"No, thank you," Ryoko replied in that disturbingly cold voice. Sasami
just looked down at the table, a little bit hurt.
"Ryoko?" Tenchi asked, tentatively.
"Yes, Master?" she said immediately, surprising Tenchi with such a quick
response.
"Forget it," Tenchi said, sullenly, "Look, I know I screwed up. I never
claimed to know what I'm doing. I didn't *mean* for this to happen. The last
thing I'd want to do is to hurt either of you. I have to go tend the fields
now. If either one of you decides to accept my apology, you know where I'll
be." Tenchi looked at the two, but he might as well have been talking to a
wall. Aeka just kept crying, and Ryoko continued to, well, do nothing. "Fine,"
he said, and he turned and left.
Tenchi sighed as he stepped into his sandals. How long was this going to
take? he asked himself. It didn't matter he decided. No matter how long it
took, he wouldn't give up. He'd show them both how much he loved them.
...Both?
That thought hadn't occurred to Tenchi before. Assuming he could get both
of them to forgive him, what then? He'd have to choose, and hurt one of them
again. Tenchi wondered if that was why he refused to admit it in the first
place.
"Tenchi, wait!" a voice called out. Tenchi turned to see the prince,
Akito. He appeared to have calmed down, but he was obviously still angry.
"Tell me what happened, Tenchi. What did you do to my sister?"
"It's a long story, Akito. I hurt Ryoko, and in trying to find a way to
avoid hurting either of them, I hurt Aeka, too. I - I love them both, and I
can't stand to see them like this, but I have know idea how to set things
right."
"Then shouldn't you be here, trying, instead of running away to the
fields?"
"I'm not running away, not this time. I tried to reach them, but it
didn't work. I need some distance, to let me think. Maybe it will help them,
too."
"All right, Tenchi, but if you hurt her again..."
"I'd rather cut off my own arm," Tenchi said without a trace of a smile,
and walked away.
Tenchi was halfway to the fields when he felt someone watching him. He
turned around in time to see something small disappear into the bushes.
"Ryo-ohki?" Tenchi called, "Is that you?" The bush rustled slightly,
"Come on, Ryo-ohki, it's just me." Ryo-ohki slowly poked her head out and
looked at Tenchi. There were tears in her eyes.
"Oh, Ryo-ohki," Tenchi sighed, "I should have realized this would affect
you, too. Come here."
Ryo-ohki took a step back. She didn't know what to do. Her understanding
of situations like these was limited, but she knew from Ryoko that something bad
had happened, and that she should hate Tenchi for it. But... it was Tenchi, how
could she possible hate Tenchi?
She meowed in sadness. She was so confused. Ryoko had pulled away from
her, and Ryo-ohki knew it was Tenchi's fault. Everything seemed so strange.
She just wanted something she knew was right.
"There there, Ryo-ohki," Tenchi said, kneeling in front of her, "I'm
sorry. I'll make it up to you," he offered. Ryo-ohki's head lifted. "Look,
why don't you run back home, and I'll bring you lots of carrots, okay?"
Ryo-ohki meowed happily and scampered back down the road.
At least something's going right, Tenchi thought to himself, as he
continued down the path.
Tenchi arrived at the fields and immediately went to work, completely
losing himself in the physical labor. He didn't think about Ryoko, he didn't
think about Aeka, he didn't think at all. Free from worry, free from anxiety,
Tenchi released his stress into the earth itself. Even when thunder sounded,
and the rain began to pour, he continued to work.
***
Tenchi stopped and looked over the fields.
"Finally done," he said to himself, and made one final check of the fields
before he turned to head home. He still hadn't come up with anything to do
about the girls, but tending the fields had offered him a very welcome
distraction, and he felt much more optimistic.
Tenchi looked up to see a large man walking across the fields. His face
was dark, even more than Mihoshi's, and strange tatoos ran down his cheeks. He
wore a light, sleeveless shirt made of fur, which was open in the front, revealing
the man's dark, muscular chest. His right hand was bare, but the left was covered
in a long, black, leather glove. A thick red cloak sat on his shoulders, held in
place by a golden chain.
Tenchi blinked in confusion as the strange man came closer. He was about
to inquire who he was, when the man suddenly drew a massive sword from his back
and charged forward.
"Masaki!" he yelled out in a thick accent, "Get down!" Tenchi's training
had taught him not to question such orders, and he threw himself into the muddy
field.
And not a moment too soon, as a sphere of energy ripped through the air
above him. Tenchi heard a tree shatter as the blast hit it, followed by the sound
of rapid footsteps through the mud, and the clang of steel against steel. He
wuickly wiped the mud from his eyes, so he could see what was going on.
Two figures stood in the mud, pressing sword against claws, each one
trying to force the other back. Tenchi blinked as he saw who - rather what had
attacked him. It was humanoid, but crouched over to almost half it's height,
making it look tiny in comparison to it's opponent. Strange, twisted muscles
showed clearly through it's tight grey skin. What really drew Tenchi's attention,
though, were the sets of dark metal claws that seemed to have grown out of the
back of the creatures hands. It grinned sadistically, its long, pointed tongue
trailing out its mouth between razor-sharp, teeth. The mere sight of this...
thing, gave Tenchi the creeps.
It must have been very powerful, for despite his massively greater size,
the dark-skinned man couldn't push it back an inch. He appeared to realize the
futility of this, as he pulled his sword back and launched a booted foot into the
creature's stomach. The kick launched it backwards, but it flipped in mid-air,
and landed gracefully on its feet.
The stranger lifted the sword above his head, blade pointing to the sky.
"O' great Vallo, t' whom I have sworn t' serve, bless my blade that I may burn
away the evils of this world." Lightning lit up the sky, and the massive blade
was engulfed in blue fire.
The strange creature circled its opponent cautiously, it's eyes focused on
the burning sword. Without warning, it spun around and leapt at Tenchi,
descending claws first.
Tenchi quickly rolled forward onto his feet, and struck behind him with a
sharp kick. He was rewarded with a lound *crack*, and a strange oath muttered in
some language Tenchi didn't understand.
The dark-skinned man charged at them, thrusting forward with his sword.
The creature leapt over the attack, and Tenchi had to jump back to avoid being
impaled himself. His feet slipped out from under him, and Tenchi once again found
himself sitting in the mud.
The man swung his sword again, and the creature vaulted over him. It
landed behind him, and its smile grew even broader as it jabbed a claw at its
opponent's unprotected back. But the man hadn't stopped his swing. He let the
momentum turn him around, and the burning sword sheared through all three claws
aimed at him.
The creature cried out in pain, and the man used this moment of
distraction to wrap a hand around its long neck. He lifted the creature off the
ground, and brought his sword up to it, the blade so close to its head that the
strange blue flames licked the creatures face.
"This is fer Jolsen," the man growled, as he brought the blade back to
strike.
"Wait!" Tenchi yelled out, "Don't kill him!" The man gave Tenchi a
questioning glance, and that's when the creature made its move. It brought it's
remaining set of claws up at its captor's face. The dark-skinned man gasped,
dropping both the creature, and his sword, which hissed in the mud for a second,
before the flames died out.
The creature leapt away, crossing to the far side of the field in two,
long jumps. There it looked at the broken claws on its right hand, and turned to
face them.
"You will pay for thissss, Palfin," it hissed. Tenchi thought that it
sounded almost worse than it looked. It glared at them for a second longer,
before disappearing into the woods.
"What did ye do that fer?" the man yelled at Tenchi.
Tenchi blinked. "Do what?"
"Stop me from killin' him, that's what. I've been chasin' after that
bloody villain fer a long time, an' you let him get away. A great thanks,
considerin' I saved yer life."
"You almost killed me in the process!" Tenchi snapped back.
"Ye're fine, aren't ye?" he asked, "Ne'er a scratch on ye, which is a lot
better than that bloke would'a left ye with. Shouldn'a expected gratitude from a
Juraian, I guess." He picked up his sword, and, wiping the mud from it
with his cloak, slid it into the sheath on his back.
"Wait," Tenchi called out, "You're right. I owe you my life. Thank you.
I'm sorry about that... that thing getting away, but I don't want to see anyone
killed on my fields."
The large man laughed, "I suppose ye wouldn't. Velgrin blood'd keep
anythin' from growin' there for years."
Tenchi forced a laugh. "Yeah, I guess." He looked at the three cuts on
the man's face. "Um... why don't I get you something for that," he offered. The
man looked at him curiously. "Well, it's my fault you got hurt," he explained,
"And it's the least I can do after you saved my life."
The stranger looked at Tenchi as if seeing him for the first time. "Ye're
a good man, Masaki," he told Tenchi, before adding, "fer a Juraian."
Tenchi laughed nervously. "Well, I'm only one eighth Juraian, actually,
and you can call me Tenchi."
"All right," the man said, thrusting out a big hand at Tenchi, "Derai.
Derai Palfin."
***
"Kiyone? Where's Tenchi?" Sasami asked. "He normally comes back if it
starts raining."
"I don't know, Sasami," Kiyone told her, "But I think there's a lot of
hurt feelings going around right now. Maybe Tenchi needed some time by himself.
I'm sure he's all right." They heard the sound of a door opening. "That's
probably him right now, why don't you go say hi, show him that not everybody's
mad at him."
"All right!" Sasami said, running out of the room, "Hi, Tenchi- Oh, it's
you grandpa."
"Why so disappointed, Sasami?" Katsuhito asked.
"I thought you were Tenchi," Sasami said. He's been out there in the rain
for hours."
"Don't worry, Sasami. A little rain never hurt anyone. Quite the
opposite. It's steady rhythm has a calming effect that helps meditation. It's
very good for the soul. I'm sure Tenchi's fine. He just needs some time alone."
"Well, I guess we'd better eat before it gets cold," Sasami said,
disappointedly. She walked into the dining room, the Katsuhito and Kiyone
right behind her. "Tenchi's still not here," she said to the others who were
waiting there, "I guess we should eat now."
"Hiya, bro!" Kanako said. There was a pause.
"Are you talking to me, Kanako?" Akito asked, curtly.
"No, *Lord* Akito," Kanako said, loading as much sarcasm as possible into
the terms of respect, "I'm talking to my *full* brother, Yosho." Kanako got up
and wrapped her arms around her older brother.
"Please do not call me that," he told her, unwrapping her arms from around
her him, "Yosho is a name I used long ago. It is a reminder of the distant past
I can do without."
"Aeka's coming," Mihoshi said somberly, walking into the room, "She'll be
a moment, though. I told her we'd wait for her."
"Thank you, Miss Mihoshi," Akito said, "It's nice to know someone cares
for my sister. I wish I could do more for her, but... well, I guess she doesn't
know me, so I can't."
"Don't worry, Lord Akito," Mihoshi said, blushing slightly, "I'm sure
she'll be fine soon, and you'll quickly become as close as, well, brother and
sister." Again, the sound of the door opening could be heard.
"Maybe that's Tenchi!" Sasami exclaimed, rushing for the door. A second
later, they heard her scream. Mihoshi and Kiyone glanced at each other, then
rushed out of the room, drawing their guns. Akito followed right behind them.
They came in to see a large man, holding both arms above his head. Ryoko
hovered in front of him, her energy sword inches from his throat. Sasami lay on
the floor.
"What is the meaning of this?" Akito yelled, "Who is this man?"
Tenchi stared at the scene, just as confused as anyone else. Sasami had
ran in, shouting greetings to Tenchi, when she had cried out and collapsed on the
floor.
"Answer him," Tenchi told Derai, anger overcoming his confusion.
"My name be Derai Palfin," he said, calmly, seemingly oblivious to the red
sword which hummed beside his neck, "An' I have no more idea what be happenin'
than any of you."
"I don't believe you," Akito growled.
Derai turned an angry eye towards the Juraian prince. "I couldn'a care
less what ye think of me. Vallo knows my innocence. If I was ye, I'd be more
concerned about helpin' the lass, than pointin' fingers."
Sasami got up off the floor, and slowly walked towards Derai.
"Sasami," Tenchi said, "Stay back!"
"No," Sasami said in Tsunami's voice, "Do not worry, Tenchi. No harm will
come to us. Derai is a friend, who brings a gift. I have been waiting for this
gift for a long time." She turned to Derai. "Greetings, Derai, Servant of
Vallo. Will you honor me with the blessings of your Lord?"
Derai looked questioning at Sasami. "O' course, lass. Vallo's blessings
are given freely, t' all those who would ask, but I'm not so sure yer friends'll
let me."
Sasami turned to the others, and again she spoke in Tsunami's voice.
"Derai is a friend," she repeated, "You can trust him. It would be against
everything he believes in to attack a child."
Akito didn't say anything, but he stepped back to lean against the wall.
His eyes didn't soften, though, and he didn't remove them from Derai.
Tenchi hesitated for a second. "All right," he sighed, "Do it, but I'm
watching you. Ryoko, let him go!"
"Yes, Master," Ryoko said coldly, and disappeared.
Derai swallowed nervously, as he knelt in front of Sasami. He placed his
right hand on her forehead.
"Great Vallo, lend yer flame t' the will of this child, so that yer fire
may bring purity t' her soul, and warmth t' her heart."
"Thank you, Derai," Tsunami said, as the calm eyes of the goddess shifted
to the nervous ones of a child. Sasami bit her lip as she looked around at her
friends.
"I-I should go check on dinner," Sasami said running from the room.
"Tenchi, do you want to tell us what's going on?" Kiyone asked, keeping an
eye on the stranger.
"This is Derai," Tenchi said, "He's a friend, I think."
"You think?" Kiyone asked, warily.
"Well, I was working in this field," he began to explain, "When this
strange creature showed up."
"A Velgrin," Derai supplied.
"Anyways," Tenchi continued, "I'd be dead if Derai didn't show up when he
did." This statement seemed to catch everybody present off guard.
"His name is B'ganarr," Derai said, pronouncing the name as more of a
snarl than anything else, "He's an assassin. We've met a time or two before, an'
when I heard rumor that he'd picked up the Imperial children as his latest
targets, I decided to take th' opportunity to pay back some ol' debts."
Kiyone pursed her lips in though. "You're a Servant of Vallo, aren't
you." It wasn't exactly a question.
"Aye."
"We can trust him," Kiyone told Tenchi.
"What? How can you be sure?" Tenchi asked.
"He's a Servant of Vallo, and a Trenan. Both are known for their high
honor. Of course, most Servants *are* Trenans, but that's beside the point. We
can trust him."
"Kiyone?" Mihoshi asked.
"Yes, Mihoshi?"
"How did he find us?"
"Good question," Akito said, eyeing Derai suspiciously, "Want to fill us
in, Derai?"
Derai ignored the angry glare. "B'ganarr managed to find out one o' th'
ports path th' Emporer's ship was passin' by," he explained, "An' he followed the
ion trails left by the Ryu-Shin. I simply followed him, an' ye should be right
glad I did," he added, looking pointedly at Akito.
Kiyone frowned. "If B'ganarr tells anyone about where we are, we could
have a lot more assassin's on our hands."
"I wouldn'a worry much 'bout that," Derai told her, "It's a pretty sizable
price on ye're heads, an' B'ganarr wants it for himself. He won' tell anyone."
"All right, then. We should be all right. The ion trails will be too
cold for anyone else to follow. Still, we should be on the lookout."
"Yeah," Mihoshi said enthusiastically, "We've been kinda lax on our
patrols, anyway."
Kiyone turned to face the Trenan. "If you don't mind, I'd like you to
stay here for a while, for safety reasons."
"I can handle that," Derai said, "Ye're my best leads on that bastard, an'
I know he'll be back t' try again."
"Well you're welcome to join us for dinner," Tenchi offered, "But you
should probably get those cuts taken care of, first."
Derai nodded, and the group made their way to the kitchen, where the
others were waiting.
"Hi, everybody, this is, um," Tenchi cut himself off, as he saw Derai
doing something strange. He had his eyes closed in concentration, and his hands
held out in front of him, palms forward.
"O' holy fire of Vallo, burn away the illusions of darkness!" He thrust
his arms forward and fire flashed around them. Even odder was what happened to
Katsuhito. He was gone, replaced by a young man Tenchi had seen once before, in
the memories of Funaho.
"Grandfather?" Tenchi asked. The young man stared at his hands for a
moment in disbelief.
"Oops!" he said, nervously, a bead of sweat forming on his brow, "Did I
forget to tell you about that?"
The silence that followed was so absolute that the tiny gasp was
completely audible by all. They all turned their heads to the door, to see Aeka
kneeling there, one hand on the doorway, apparently the only thing keeping her
from collapsing in a heap right there. She stared at the young Katsuhito as if
he were some sort of a ghost. Rivers of tears flowed down her cheeks. She made
an attempt to stand up, but stumbled, then tried again, successfully.
"Aeka, wait," Katsuhito said, "I can explain."
"Aeka," Tenchi said, at a total loss for what he could do.
"I've had it," Aeka suddenly yelled, gasping for breath between sobs. She
tore her tiara from her head, and looked at it through tear-filled eyes. "I
can't stand this anymore. Everybody wears a mask, is nothing real? I can't
stand it." She dropped the tiara, and watched it fall. Everybody watched in
horror, somehow paralyzed by this act. It seemed to everybody to be an eternity
before it landed on the floor. With a final sob Aeka turned and ran.
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Well I hope you liked "Pity, Despair, and Revelations" Remember, C&C is the
food and drink of fan fic writers, so please email me at bkuhn@ucsd.edu Even if
it's just to say "you rule" or "you suck" I'd like to know.