A dreadful silence ruled over the Masaki house. Nobody could say anything
to each other. The death of their beloved Ryoko was more than terrifying
and shocking, and it seemed surreal. Everyone was in a state of denial.
Sasami had finally been released from Washu's lab. She had a slight
concussion, but the girl was fine. After she heard the terrible news, the
little princess wasn't fine anymore. After three days of nonstop crying,
she decided that all she could do was cook and wait for Tsunami to find
some answers. Sasami knew something bad was happening because Tsunami
didn't talk to her anymore.
The distressed child got ready for dinner, when Ryo-ohki came by her side. The cabbit didn't look happy any more, and Sasami started crying. The two friends hugged each other, trying to give some comfort and consolation.
"Oh, Ryo-ohki. I know you're sad, but Ryoko would have wanted you to be happy. You have to eat something. I know you miss her. I do too." Sasami couldn't speak anymore. She was caught up by her sob, and the bowl of miso soup dropped to the ground, shattering. The youngsters walked out of the kitchen, both now silently crying for their wild and carefree Ryoko. She truly was a role model that not many kids could have. Ryoko cared about her family more than anyone knew. Sasami was always happy to have her as a sister figure. Aeka taught her many things like respect, manners, and how to be a royalty. But Ryoko was so much more than that. Sasami learned how to laugh without worries, and she followed Ryoko in loving everything out there in the world. Every single second seemed so delicate to Ryoko, even in her tough exterior. The little girl saw through her façade. And Ryoko, after realizing that Sasami was smarter than all the others in the family, dropped the space pirate act. Now, she was gone. And she was never coming back.
Sasami and Ryo-ohki walked toward the lake. This was the place where Ryoko had helped find her sister, Aeka. Sasami let out a distressed sigh. Ryo- ohki dropped her head, and she remembered all the adventures they had together. Ryoko told her many secrets that no one else had known. They were best friends.
"Ryo-ohki, one day, Tenchi will love me, you'll see." Ryoko's laughter echoed in Ryo-ohki's mind. "Hmmm. I can just imagine the wedding. It will be in the springtime, when the cherry blossoms cover the forest floor, scenting it deeply, filling our hearts with love. Tenchi and I will walk down the steps of this forest together and grandpa will give us his blessing. I'll hug Tenchi and kiss him until our breaths are gone. We'll be laughing, and you'll be covered with those beautiful blossoms, Ryo-ohki. It'll be such a happy day. And maybe, you'll have a sister someday, too." Ryoko smiled with her eyes closed.
Ryo-ohki could see her as if she was right in front of her. Sasami stopped walking. "Well, Ryo-ohki, here we are. I think Ryoko liked the lake."
Ryo-ohki couldn't respond to her, but she knew for a fact that Ryoko liked the lake. She would talk of wanting to be in peace many times. Ryoko would say that the lake was a symbolism of that peace. The ripples were always steady, never disrupting each other. It was constant. Every night, the lake would calm her from her nightmares. Now, Ryo-ohki sniffled, the lake had no one to comfort anymore.
"Let's say a little prayer to Funaho." The two clasped their hands together and kneeled.
"Funaho, please keep Ryoko safe wherever she is. Let her know in her heart that we love her very much. Keep her happy and tell her that we miss her. Tell her that we are so glad we got to know her. She was a true friend, and a great person. Tell Ryoko we won't cry anymore because she loved us. She wanted us to be happy. Please Funaho, tell her that she is in our hearts forever." "Meow."
Sasami and Ryo-ohki hugged once more, letting their last drops of tears run down. Suddenly, they heard a familiar phase. Sasami turned around in shock. She couldn't believe what she saw. Everything was in slow motion. Sasami saw the shock of wild cyan hair. She saw the angled face, glowing in an ethereal light. She had her eyes closed, but Sasami was sure. It couldn't be, but it was.
A ghostly image of Ryoko stood a few feet above the lake. She had her eyes closed, and she was smiling.
"Don't worry, dear children of faith. You will see more of this image than you wish. I have seen pain and torment in my mind, but you keep innocence alive. You shall not be afraid, for you will not be harmed." Ryoko disappeared into thin air.
"Oh my gosh, Ryo-ohki, did you see that?"
"Meow, meow!!" Ryo-ohki nodded her head excitedly.
"We have to tell Tenchi and Aeka!!"
They ran as fast as their little feet could carry them back to the house. This would bring back the family together. Ryoko was back!
Sasami ran so fast, that she didn't see herself bump into Tenchi. They both tumbled down on the living room floor.
"Eek. Sasami, are you all right? Where are you going in such a hurry?"
"Tenchi! You won't believe who I just saw! You are going to be so happy, Tenchi! She's back! I knew she would never leave us! She's back!" Sasami blurted out, laughing and talking at the same time.
"Sasami, you have to slow down. Who came back?"
"Ryoko! She came back! We saw her at the lake by Funaho, right, Ryo- ohki?"
Ryo-ohki meowed as much as Sasami laughed. The cabbit nodded and tried to pull Tenchi outside the door.
"Sasami.." Tenchi didn't want to hurt the little girl and the cabbit's feelings. He knew they were all depressed and still trying to deny everything that happened, but hallucinating was not a good sign.
"Sasami, listen to me."
"No, Tenchi! I know what you're thinking, but you've got to believe me! You just have to! You'll believe it when you see her! Come on, Tenchi! Let's go to the lake!"
Tenchi couldn't refuse. Sasami dragged him to the lake. Aeka stood by her room, listening in to what was going on downstairs. She stifled her sobs, as she heard her sister's desperate voice. Why couldn't she let go? They all loved Ryoko, and a tragedy happened. But reality had to be in check. This family was falling apart faster and faster as days went by. Even Katsuhito stayed in his shrine more than often.
Aeka punched the wall with all her might. She didn't notice blood staining her beautiful kimono. She did notice the tears though, again.
"Damn it, Ryoko! Why did you have to leave us? Why did you go? You didn't even get to see who Tenchi would choose. Didn't you want to find out, you demon? Please..," sobbed the Princess. She knelt in the middle of the hallway, her body trembling with endless sobs. "Please..why did you go!?" Her cry rang through the house. She took everything for granted, and she didn't even notice some important things when Ryoko was around. She didn't notice the growing friendship. She didn't realize that she cared. But now that she was gone, Aeka cared too much it hurt.
Tenchi now stood in front of the magnificent tree. Sasami and Ryo-ohki expectantly waited for something to pop out. Crickets sang their songs as time passed by. The sun had moved a bit towards the east. Not a single bird fluttered in their trees. All Tenchi could concentrate on was the crickets.
"Sasami, exactly what did you see again?"
"Ryoko was standing right there. She was standing above the lake. She said that we didn't need to worry. She said.."
"Sasami, Ryoko is dead. We don't know how or why, but Ryoko stopped breathing one day. You have to let it go. I'm sorry, Sasami, Ryoko's not coming back."
"But Tenchi, you don't understand. She did come back!"
"Sasami," Tenchi hugged the little girl. "We all miss Ryoko very much. We are all hurt by her sudden departure. But there is nothing more we can do. Little Washu tried everything she could do, but even she couldn't bring her back. Come on, Sasami. You can let it go. She's gone." Tenchi said, trying to strengthen his breaking voice.
Sasami hugged Tenchi back, and she started crying into his shoulders. After a few hours of sobbing, the princess fell asleep in his arms. Tenchi stared at her sympathetically and carried her back to the house.
"Good bye, Ryoko. I'll miss you.." whispered Tenchi, looking back to the thick forest. The breeze seemed to whisper back. All he could hear was her laughter and her taunts. Tenchi shook his head, and he walked inside the safe house. He would not fall in delusions any longer, he promised himself. She was gone, and she was not coming back. Ryoko would never laugh with him again.
The sorrowful afternoon soon became evening, and the already quiet house turned completely silent. Tenchi sat on his bed. It has been a few days since her death. But those few days seemed like years and years of endless mind torture. He recalled all the times Ryoko and he had together. It seemed like it was yesterday when he opened the cave to let her out. He began to lose himself in thoughts. Maybe writing these emotions and agony down on a paper would help him from the nightmares and tears. So he began to write.
-I feel my heart beating without life. It is an empty can. I always had a protective shield around myself. Sure, I liked people, but I promised myself that I would never be hurt by love again. But she replaced that hurt. She showed me what it was like to love again. She gave me unconditional love, and I pushed her away. I heard her grief-stricken sighs, but I ignored them. I was afraid that if I did love her, my heart would be shattered again, just like the time when my mother died. But now, the pain has doubled, and I can't let it go. At least I feel something. I tell the others that dwelling on her death would only hurt them more. I can't help but wonder, just what had happened. She didn't have a single scar on her body. Washu knows for a fact that there was no poison or drugs involved. What caused Ryoko's death? Did she die of sorrow? It seems poetic, but that's probably not the reason. I see her everyday in my dreams, coming back to me, attacking me with a barrage of hugs and kisses. She smiles at me, even in her death. I miss her so much. I miss her voice, her touch, her smell, her love, her everything. It is hard not to cry. If only I had loved her. It had become an undeniable love to me. I can't understand why I didn't tell her. I wish she knew. I wish..you were here, Ryoko. -
Do you really think there is such emotion as love, foolish boy?
"What? Ryoko?" Tenchi looked around the room frantically. He could have sworn it was her voice. But what was she talking about?
"Ryoko!? Are you here? Stop playing around, if you are! I swear, it this is your idea of a joke, I'm really going to get mad!" Tenchi listened quietly for the familiar phase, but he didn't hear anything.
"Ryoko! I'm sorry! I won't get mad. I won't! Please, just stop playing around. I have to tell you something important! Ryoko, come back! Just speak to me, one more time. Ryoko!!!!"
Tenchi's shout woke the others up, and they came rushing into his room.
"Lord Tenchi? Are you alright?" Aeka asked, somewhat scared for his reaction. It must be killing him inside.
"Aeka, I heard Ryoko talk to me. I think she's alive!" Tenchi exclaimed, half in confusion and half in unexplainable joy.
"See, Tenchi? I told you, Ryoko's back!" Sasami was happy that Ryoko got through Tenchi. He was the most affected by this, and now, Tenchi's eyes showed life.
"Sasami, you were right. I think she's coming back. I think,"
"Tenchi!" Washu screamed. Everyone stopped their talking. Tenchi turned his head toward Washu, already knowing what she will say. And he dreaded it.
"My daughter, and our friend, Ryoko, is gone. I heard you talking to Sasami about it near the lake. Listen to yourself, and don't lose focus on reality. Don't lose yourself in delusions. I know it's hard. Believe me, I do. Ryoko is my daughter. You, all of you, will never know what it's like to lose a child, until it actually happens to you. And I pray it won't happen. But Tenchi, Sasami, you have to accept the truth. Cry all you like. Talk about it. But don't let her haunt you."
Mihoshi was the first one to cry. She ran up to Washu and hugged her with all her might. "I miss her, Miss Washu. She made me laugh so much. She was the nicest person to me, even if she was mean." Washu patted Mihoshi's head. "Yes," whispered Washu, tears waiting to fall once more. But the family was reunited. The night was filled with hugs and comforting words, as they shared their sorrow and memories with each other.
But Tenchi would wait for her voice to ring in his head again, in the fields, at school, and even in his sleep.
What is love worth, when the person you love isn't even here?
Another day passed, and Tenchi walked down the shrine steps, admiring its mysterious serenity. He gazed up at the golden sky as the sun started to disappear once more. He sighed. Tomorrow would be Ryoko's funeral, a final goodbye to the lovely pirate who changed his life upside down and made it a great place to live in. Ryoko's body rested in a stasis chamber in Washu's lab. The little scientist hid all day and night in the depth of her lab, still trying to find out what happened and to bring her daughter back to the land of the living. Tenchi shook his head to try to clear his mind. He felt someone hold his hand. Aeka!
'That's right," Tenchi recalled, "She had been here all along." Aeka had been the only person he could lean on for support right now. He had to stop losing himself in his endless thoughts. Not only did they bring sorrow to him, but they pained Aeka and the others too. He squeezed Aeka's had for reassurance of reality. She was so strong. Unlike the others, she didn't cry with them. He knew she hurt inside. Every night, he had heard her quiet strangled sobs. Tenchi admired her for that. She cared enough to hold it back. She loved this family too much to hurt them. And what was he doing?
"Lord Tenchi.." Tenchi looked at her face. Somehow, she looked different. She looked a bit more angular in this way. Her rosy skin looked pale in the shadows. A blossom lazily fell on her shoulder. A memory so far away began to stir again, and it blurred with this reality. Tenchi lowered his focus onto her lips. It looked sumptuous. Those lips, a remembrance of a fond memory, of those beautiful golden eyes, it all drove him to the edge. He touched her face softly, and she gasped slightly at the touch. Carefully he moved towards her, and he could almost feel her pounding heart.
"Ryoko.." Tenchi sighed as their lips brushed against each other.
Aeka's eyes shot open, and her face flushed with shock and terror. Tenchi was also surprised, but only because those eyes were not gold. They were.violet? Then he realized, they were Aeka's! She couldn't do anything. She stood there, not uttering a word. Here she thought Tenchi was finally turning to her for comfort. Here she thought that a relationship could work out, although it was not a proper timing, it would heal the both of them. Well, she was a fool. She felt humiliated, and she ran. She heard a fading mumble. "Oh man., what have I done?" Aeka cringed with disgust. Maybe this place wasn't "home" anymore. Going back to Jurai flashed in her mind. She would start fresh. It was just a thought.
Ryoko glared at her to-be-victim. He couldn't see her, of course, but how pathetic this human being was. At one glance, he didn't even deserve to be punished by her. He looked insignificant, and the way he treated that girl was unspeakable. From her memory, Ryoko knew she and that girl hated each other. But the boy should have been hated more. She almost felt sorry for the family, crying and grieving over something as small as death. She felt irritated. She could kill these weaklings without even trying. She could blast this filthy planet to bits without lifting a finger. Then why was she skulking around like a culprit? She couldn't kill innocents. Those who caused pain, deserved pain, but people like that sweet child and her friend pet should not be touched. The others, they were a different story. They lived in denial of their faults and sins. They kept hurting each other and themselves. This could not be allowed to go on. Another person might be tortured like her past life. She just had to wait one more day.
-Why the funeral, Ryoko?- came the voice again. Ryoko growled in annoyance.
-I thought I would handle this, Tokimi. What do you want?-
-Ryoko, there are only a few in this world who can fathom the power of the light hawk wings. They are the most dangerous to us, goddesses. They, your enemies, your cause of pain, are the only threats left in this world. With our powers combined, we can get rid of them. Why not do it now?-
-Although it is none of your business, I will tell you why. I do not trust you in the first place. I also want to make a grand entrance. I'm just playing with their minds. Unlike your brute force, I like to use my brain.-
-Do what you like, but do not insult me.-
-It is only words. Words, as well as you should know, do not mean a thing. Now then, leave.-
-As you wish, Ryoko.-
Ryoko glanced down at the house. It'll be the last time she'll have to see it. The plan was perfect.
The funeral
Two large logs floated in the air, carrying a stasis chamber in between them. In the chamber lay a once lively and wild woman, whose soul would be remembered forever. Katsuhito stood, waiting for the others to arrive at the shrine. He felt a great sense of remorse for Ryoko and himself. It was his fault she lost hundreds of years of her life. It was his fault that she was forgotten. She finally was rescued from her cave and her damned life, only to be thrown away into the darkness again and never to come back. He prayed for her soul.
Katsuhito heard slow footsteps and the sobs of his young family. Nobuyuki couldn't come to the funeral. He couldn't deal with another death in the family. The funeral went by slow. Ironically, this dreadful day was celebrated by beautiful weather. The birds seemed to sing songs of happiness, and the cherry blossoms rained upon the forest more than ever. The sky, once so gloomy, shone for the earth to grow and the lakes to reflect its marvelous splendor. It was as if they were trying to wake her up from her sleep.
The family found the healthiest, biggest cherry blossom in the forest. Next to it, Ryoko's body was lowered into the ground. Then she would always enjoy the shade ad the companion of her favorite cherry blossom tree. Tenchi brought a bottle of sake, Aeka brought a golden pair of earrings from Jurai. The earrings would have looked glorifying on her. Sasami and Ryo-ohki had been making drawings of the family, so that Ryoko wouldn't ever forget them. Mihoshi was ready to give up her Galaxy Police badge to Ryoko. She deserved it more than any police in the universe.
Washu.poor Washu walked with her head lower than the others. In her chest, she held firmly onto a picture frame. It contained a picture of the family. Ryoko hung onto Tenchi as always, but no one realized another small detail. Ryoko had held Washu's hand, her only time showing Washu some affection. Washu kissed the frame, and a tear slid down the glass above the picture. Washu put it between Ryoko's crossed arms, and she stroked her daughter's hair. "Good bye, my daughter." Ryoko always wanted to stay beautiful like her soul and she would, even in her death. The stasis chamber was to keep her young forever, looking alive and healthy. That made Washu cry even more. Her daughter looked fine.she just refused to wake up. Tenchi took her aside, and Washu sobbed with the rest of them.
"Why so glum?" Everyone heard the voice this time. They gasped in shock. Tenchi dropped the sake bottle, shattering it on the ground.
"We can't let that go to waste, can we?" Tenchi watched as the broken pieces came back together. Then a magnificent twirl of the cherry blossoms filled the air around them. The blossoms whirled into a shape. A pinkish glow came from the blossoms, and in the small whirlwind, came a laughter that the family remembered so well. The blossoms finally stopped their parade, and she approached the family with a condescending stare.
"Is this for me? Why, you are all so kind." Ryoko smiled, mischievously and maliciously?
"Ryoko!?" Everyone screamed. "You're alive!" Sasami ran up to her, but Ryoko shook her head.
"Child, you have nothing to do with what I'm about to do, so please stay away."
"Ryoko? My daughter?" Washu whispered. Ryoko suddenly turned her attention to Washu.
"Mother, it's me." Ryoko said, almost too sweetly.
"Oh, Ryoko! I can't believe you're back!" Washu shouted happily. She started to hug her when Katsuhito noticed something terribly wrong. Ryoko's body was still in the stasis chamber. Who was this then? And didn't anyone notice the live golden colors of her eyes were no longer there? Ryoko never had emerald eyes.
"Miss Washu, wait!" Katsuhito hollered, but he was too late.
Ryoko hugged her mother lovingly, then stabbed her in the back with a blade that resembled the light hawk sword. Washu was too surprised to scream and only sputtered blood.
"Don't worry, mother dear. You're not going to dye yet." Ryoko held Washu by her head, and the scientist was lifted up in the air. Ryoko whispered a silent curse, and Washu dropped to the ground.
"Now, who's next?" Ryoko sneered at the rest of the family.
"Ryoko, stop this. It's me, Tenchi!"
Ryoko turned to him and summoned the blade once more when the purple hair girl jumped in front of him.
"Miss Ryoko! What are you doing? We are your family! Please, stop it this instant." Aeka was more than happy to see her rival standing in front of her eyes, but this was not the time for happiness. Despite the shock, Aeka knew that Ryoko was trying to kill her family, and that was never a good thing.
Ryoko smiled. "Alright, I'll stop." Tenchi sighed, and he smiled at her. "Thank you, Ryoko. Please, come back to us now. We missed you so much."
"Don't make me laugh. I wouldn't move if I were you, Tenchi. The girl is coming with me!" Ryoko grabbed Aeka, and the women vanished into thin air. Ryoko's laughter filled the air with a venomous scent.
Author's note:
Hello everyone! Thank you so much for your constructive criticism and comments. Also, thank you for your kind words. I was so afraid of putting my first fanfic on the Internet.but your reviews keep me writing! Your reviews helped me see the mistakes and the good things that I didn't notice before! But honestly? I didn't know it was so hard to write a fanfic. -___-
The distressed child got ready for dinner, when Ryo-ohki came by her side. The cabbit didn't look happy any more, and Sasami started crying. The two friends hugged each other, trying to give some comfort and consolation.
"Oh, Ryo-ohki. I know you're sad, but Ryoko would have wanted you to be happy. You have to eat something. I know you miss her. I do too." Sasami couldn't speak anymore. She was caught up by her sob, and the bowl of miso soup dropped to the ground, shattering. The youngsters walked out of the kitchen, both now silently crying for their wild and carefree Ryoko. She truly was a role model that not many kids could have. Ryoko cared about her family more than anyone knew. Sasami was always happy to have her as a sister figure. Aeka taught her many things like respect, manners, and how to be a royalty. But Ryoko was so much more than that. Sasami learned how to laugh without worries, and she followed Ryoko in loving everything out there in the world. Every single second seemed so delicate to Ryoko, even in her tough exterior. The little girl saw through her façade. And Ryoko, after realizing that Sasami was smarter than all the others in the family, dropped the space pirate act. Now, she was gone. And she was never coming back.
Sasami and Ryo-ohki walked toward the lake. This was the place where Ryoko had helped find her sister, Aeka. Sasami let out a distressed sigh. Ryo- ohki dropped her head, and she remembered all the adventures they had together. Ryoko told her many secrets that no one else had known. They were best friends.
"Ryo-ohki, one day, Tenchi will love me, you'll see." Ryoko's laughter echoed in Ryo-ohki's mind. "Hmmm. I can just imagine the wedding. It will be in the springtime, when the cherry blossoms cover the forest floor, scenting it deeply, filling our hearts with love. Tenchi and I will walk down the steps of this forest together and grandpa will give us his blessing. I'll hug Tenchi and kiss him until our breaths are gone. We'll be laughing, and you'll be covered with those beautiful blossoms, Ryo-ohki. It'll be such a happy day. And maybe, you'll have a sister someday, too." Ryoko smiled with her eyes closed.
Ryo-ohki could see her as if she was right in front of her. Sasami stopped walking. "Well, Ryo-ohki, here we are. I think Ryoko liked the lake."
Ryo-ohki couldn't respond to her, but she knew for a fact that Ryoko liked the lake. She would talk of wanting to be in peace many times. Ryoko would say that the lake was a symbolism of that peace. The ripples were always steady, never disrupting each other. It was constant. Every night, the lake would calm her from her nightmares. Now, Ryo-ohki sniffled, the lake had no one to comfort anymore.
"Let's say a little prayer to Funaho." The two clasped their hands together and kneeled.
"Funaho, please keep Ryoko safe wherever she is. Let her know in her heart that we love her very much. Keep her happy and tell her that we miss her. Tell her that we are so glad we got to know her. She was a true friend, and a great person. Tell Ryoko we won't cry anymore because she loved us. She wanted us to be happy. Please Funaho, tell her that she is in our hearts forever." "Meow."
Sasami and Ryo-ohki hugged once more, letting their last drops of tears run down. Suddenly, they heard a familiar phase. Sasami turned around in shock. She couldn't believe what she saw. Everything was in slow motion. Sasami saw the shock of wild cyan hair. She saw the angled face, glowing in an ethereal light. She had her eyes closed, but Sasami was sure. It couldn't be, but it was.
A ghostly image of Ryoko stood a few feet above the lake. She had her eyes closed, and she was smiling.
"Don't worry, dear children of faith. You will see more of this image than you wish. I have seen pain and torment in my mind, but you keep innocence alive. You shall not be afraid, for you will not be harmed." Ryoko disappeared into thin air.
"Oh my gosh, Ryo-ohki, did you see that?"
"Meow, meow!!" Ryo-ohki nodded her head excitedly.
"We have to tell Tenchi and Aeka!!"
They ran as fast as their little feet could carry them back to the house. This would bring back the family together. Ryoko was back!
Sasami ran so fast, that she didn't see herself bump into Tenchi. They both tumbled down on the living room floor.
"Eek. Sasami, are you all right? Where are you going in such a hurry?"
"Tenchi! You won't believe who I just saw! You are going to be so happy, Tenchi! She's back! I knew she would never leave us! She's back!" Sasami blurted out, laughing and talking at the same time.
"Sasami, you have to slow down. Who came back?"
"Ryoko! She came back! We saw her at the lake by Funaho, right, Ryo- ohki?"
Ryo-ohki meowed as much as Sasami laughed. The cabbit nodded and tried to pull Tenchi outside the door.
"Sasami.." Tenchi didn't want to hurt the little girl and the cabbit's feelings. He knew they were all depressed and still trying to deny everything that happened, but hallucinating was not a good sign.
"Sasami, listen to me."
"No, Tenchi! I know what you're thinking, but you've got to believe me! You just have to! You'll believe it when you see her! Come on, Tenchi! Let's go to the lake!"
Tenchi couldn't refuse. Sasami dragged him to the lake. Aeka stood by her room, listening in to what was going on downstairs. She stifled her sobs, as she heard her sister's desperate voice. Why couldn't she let go? They all loved Ryoko, and a tragedy happened. But reality had to be in check. This family was falling apart faster and faster as days went by. Even Katsuhito stayed in his shrine more than often.
Aeka punched the wall with all her might. She didn't notice blood staining her beautiful kimono. She did notice the tears though, again.
"Damn it, Ryoko! Why did you have to leave us? Why did you go? You didn't even get to see who Tenchi would choose. Didn't you want to find out, you demon? Please..," sobbed the Princess. She knelt in the middle of the hallway, her body trembling with endless sobs. "Please..why did you go!?" Her cry rang through the house. She took everything for granted, and she didn't even notice some important things when Ryoko was around. She didn't notice the growing friendship. She didn't realize that she cared. But now that she was gone, Aeka cared too much it hurt.
Tenchi now stood in front of the magnificent tree. Sasami and Ryo-ohki expectantly waited for something to pop out. Crickets sang their songs as time passed by. The sun had moved a bit towards the east. Not a single bird fluttered in their trees. All Tenchi could concentrate on was the crickets.
"Sasami, exactly what did you see again?"
"Ryoko was standing right there. She was standing above the lake. She said that we didn't need to worry. She said.."
"Sasami, Ryoko is dead. We don't know how or why, but Ryoko stopped breathing one day. You have to let it go. I'm sorry, Sasami, Ryoko's not coming back."
"But Tenchi, you don't understand. She did come back!"
"Sasami," Tenchi hugged the little girl. "We all miss Ryoko very much. We are all hurt by her sudden departure. But there is nothing more we can do. Little Washu tried everything she could do, but even she couldn't bring her back. Come on, Sasami. You can let it go. She's gone." Tenchi said, trying to strengthen his breaking voice.
Sasami hugged Tenchi back, and she started crying into his shoulders. After a few hours of sobbing, the princess fell asleep in his arms. Tenchi stared at her sympathetically and carried her back to the house.
"Good bye, Ryoko. I'll miss you.." whispered Tenchi, looking back to the thick forest. The breeze seemed to whisper back. All he could hear was her laughter and her taunts. Tenchi shook his head, and he walked inside the safe house. He would not fall in delusions any longer, he promised himself. She was gone, and she was not coming back. Ryoko would never laugh with him again.
The sorrowful afternoon soon became evening, and the already quiet house turned completely silent. Tenchi sat on his bed. It has been a few days since her death. But those few days seemed like years and years of endless mind torture. He recalled all the times Ryoko and he had together. It seemed like it was yesterday when he opened the cave to let her out. He began to lose himself in thoughts. Maybe writing these emotions and agony down on a paper would help him from the nightmares and tears. So he began to write.
-I feel my heart beating without life. It is an empty can. I always had a protective shield around myself. Sure, I liked people, but I promised myself that I would never be hurt by love again. But she replaced that hurt. She showed me what it was like to love again. She gave me unconditional love, and I pushed her away. I heard her grief-stricken sighs, but I ignored them. I was afraid that if I did love her, my heart would be shattered again, just like the time when my mother died. But now, the pain has doubled, and I can't let it go. At least I feel something. I tell the others that dwelling on her death would only hurt them more. I can't help but wonder, just what had happened. She didn't have a single scar on her body. Washu knows for a fact that there was no poison or drugs involved. What caused Ryoko's death? Did she die of sorrow? It seems poetic, but that's probably not the reason. I see her everyday in my dreams, coming back to me, attacking me with a barrage of hugs and kisses. She smiles at me, even in her death. I miss her so much. I miss her voice, her touch, her smell, her love, her everything. It is hard not to cry. If only I had loved her. It had become an undeniable love to me. I can't understand why I didn't tell her. I wish she knew. I wish..you were here, Ryoko. -
Do you really think there is such emotion as love, foolish boy?
"What? Ryoko?" Tenchi looked around the room frantically. He could have sworn it was her voice. But what was she talking about?
"Ryoko!? Are you here? Stop playing around, if you are! I swear, it this is your idea of a joke, I'm really going to get mad!" Tenchi listened quietly for the familiar phase, but he didn't hear anything.
"Ryoko! I'm sorry! I won't get mad. I won't! Please, just stop playing around. I have to tell you something important! Ryoko, come back! Just speak to me, one more time. Ryoko!!!!"
Tenchi's shout woke the others up, and they came rushing into his room.
"Lord Tenchi? Are you alright?" Aeka asked, somewhat scared for his reaction. It must be killing him inside.
"Aeka, I heard Ryoko talk to me. I think she's alive!" Tenchi exclaimed, half in confusion and half in unexplainable joy.
"See, Tenchi? I told you, Ryoko's back!" Sasami was happy that Ryoko got through Tenchi. He was the most affected by this, and now, Tenchi's eyes showed life.
"Sasami, you were right. I think she's coming back. I think,"
"Tenchi!" Washu screamed. Everyone stopped their talking. Tenchi turned his head toward Washu, already knowing what she will say. And he dreaded it.
"My daughter, and our friend, Ryoko, is gone. I heard you talking to Sasami about it near the lake. Listen to yourself, and don't lose focus on reality. Don't lose yourself in delusions. I know it's hard. Believe me, I do. Ryoko is my daughter. You, all of you, will never know what it's like to lose a child, until it actually happens to you. And I pray it won't happen. But Tenchi, Sasami, you have to accept the truth. Cry all you like. Talk about it. But don't let her haunt you."
Mihoshi was the first one to cry. She ran up to Washu and hugged her with all her might. "I miss her, Miss Washu. She made me laugh so much. She was the nicest person to me, even if she was mean." Washu patted Mihoshi's head. "Yes," whispered Washu, tears waiting to fall once more. But the family was reunited. The night was filled with hugs and comforting words, as they shared their sorrow and memories with each other.
But Tenchi would wait for her voice to ring in his head again, in the fields, at school, and even in his sleep.
What is love worth, when the person you love isn't even here?
Another day passed, and Tenchi walked down the shrine steps, admiring its mysterious serenity. He gazed up at the golden sky as the sun started to disappear once more. He sighed. Tomorrow would be Ryoko's funeral, a final goodbye to the lovely pirate who changed his life upside down and made it a great place to live in. Ryoko's body rested in a stasis chamber in Washu's lab. The little scientist hid all day and night in the depth of her lab, still trying to find out what happened and to bring her daughter back to the land of the living. Tenchi shook his head to try to clear his mind. He felt someone hold his hand. Aeka!
'That's right," Tenchi recalled, "She had been here all along." Aeka had been the only person he could lean on for support right now. He had to stop losing himself in his endless thoughts. Not only did they bring sorrow to him, but they pained Aeka and the others too. He squeezed Aeka's had for reassurance of reality. She was so strong. Unlike the others, she didn't cry with them. He knew she hurt inside. Every night, he had heard her quiet strangled sobs. Tenchi admired her for that. She cared enough to hold it back. She loved this family too much to hurt them. And what was he doing?
"Lord Tenchi.." Tenchi looked at her face. Somehow, she looked different. She looked a bit more angular in this way. Her rosy skin looked pale in the shadows. A blossom lazily fell on her shoulder. A memory so far away began to stir again, and it blurred with this reality. Tenchi lowered his focus onto her lips. It looked sumptuous. Those lips, a remembrance of a fond memory, of those beautiful golden eyes, it all drove him to the edge. He touched her face softly, and she gasped slightly at the touch. Carefully he moved towards her, and he could almost feel her pounding heart.
"Ryoko.." Tenchi sighed as their lips brushed against each other.
Aeka's eyes shot open, and her face flushed with shock and terror. Tenchi was also surprised, but only because those eyes were not gold. They were.violet? Then he realized, they were Aeka's! She couldn't do anything. She stood there, not uttering a word. Here she thought Tenchi was finally turning to her for comfort. Here she thought that a relationship could work out, although it was not a proper timing, it would heal the both of them. Well, she was a fool. She felt humiliated, and she ran. She heard a fading mumble. "Oh man., what have I done?" Aeka cringed with disgust. Maybe this place wasn't "home" anymore. Going back to Jurai flashed in her mind. She would start fresh. It was just a thought.
Ryoko glared at her to-be-victim. He couldn't see her, of course, but how pathetic this human being was. At one glance, he didn't even deserve to be punished by her. He looked insignificant, and the way he treated that girl was unspeakable. From her memory, Ryoko knew she and that girl hated each other. But the boy should have been hated more. She almost felt sorry for the family, crying and grieving over something as small as death. She felt irritated. She could kill these weaklings without even trying. She could blast this filthy planet to bits without lifting a finger. Then why was she skulking around like a culprit? She couldn't kill innocents. Those who caused pain, deserved pain, but people like that sweet child and her friend pet should not be touched. The others, they were a different story. They lived in denial of their faults and sins. They kept hurting each other and themselves. This could not be allowed to go on. Another person might be tortured like her past life. She just had to wait one more day.
-Why the funeral, Ryoko?- came the voice again. Ryoko growled in annoyance.
-I thought I would handle this, Tokimi. What do you want?-
-Ryoko, there are only a few in this world who can fathom the power of the light hawk wings. They are the most dangerous to us, goddesses. They, your enemies, your cause of pain, are the only threats left in this world. With our powers combined, we can get rid of them. Why not do it now?-
-Although it is none of your business, I will tell you why. I do not trust you in the first place. I also want to make a grand entrance. I'm just playing with their minds. Unlike your brute force, I like to use my brain.-
-Do what you like, but do not insult me.-
-It is only words. Words, as well as you should know, do not mean a thing. Now then, leave.-
-As you wish, Ryoko.-
Ryoko glanced down at the house. It'll be the last time she'll have to see it. The plan was perfect.
The funeral
Two large logs floated in the air, carrying a stasis chamber in between them. In the chamber lay a once lively and wild woman, whose soul would be remembered forever. Katsuhito stood, waiting for the others to arrive at the shrine. He felt a great sense of remorse for Ryoko and himself. It was his fault she lost hundreds of years of her life. It was his fault that she was forgotten. She finally was rescued from her cave and her damned life, only to be thrown away into the darkness again and never to come back. He prayed for her soul.
Katsuhito heard slow footsteps and the sobs of his young family. Nobuyuki couldn't come to the funeral. He couldn't deal with another death in the family. The funeral went by slow. Ironically, this dreadful day was celebrated by beautiful weather. The birds seemed to sing songs of happiness, and the cherry blossoms rained upon the forest more than ever. The sky, once so gloomy, shone for the earth to grow and the lakes to reflect its marvelous splendor. It was as if they were trying to wake her up from her sleep.
The family found the healthiest, biggest cherry blossom in the forest. Next to it, Ryoko's body was lowered into the ground. Then she would always enjoy the shade ad the companion of her favorite cherry blossom tree. Tenchi brought a bottle of sake, Aeka brought a golden pair of earrings from Jurai. The earrings would have looked glorifying on her. Sasami and Ryo-ohki had been making drawings of the family, so that Ryoko wouldn't ever forget them. Mihoshi was ready to give up her Galaxy Police badge to Ryoko. She deserved it more than any police in the universe.
Washu.poor Washu walked with her head lower than the others. In her chest, she held firmly onto a picture frame. It contained a picture of the family. Ryoko hung onto Tenchi as always, but no one realized another small detail. Ryoko had held Washu's hand, her only time showing Washu some affection. Washu kissed the frame, and a tear slid down the glass above the picture. Washu put it between Ryoko's crossed arms, and she stroked her daughter's hair. "Good bye, my daughter." Ryoko always wanted to stay beautiful like her soul and she would, even in her death. The stasis chamber was to keep her young forever, looking alive and healthy. That made Washu cry even more. Her daughter looked fine.she just refused to wake up. Tenchi took her aside, and Washu sobbed with the rest of them.
"Why so glum?" Everyone heard the voice this time. They gasped in shock. Tenchi dropped the sake bottle, shattering it on the ground.
"We can't let that go to waste, can we?" Tenchi watched as the broken pieces came back together. Then a magnificent twirl of the cherry blossoms filled the air around them. The blossoms whirled into a shape. A pinkish glow came from the blossoms, and in the small whirlwind, came a laughter that the family remembered so well. The blossoms finally stopped their parade, and she approached the family with a condescending stare.
"Is this for me? Why, you are all so kind." Ryoko smiled, mischievously and maliciously?
"Ryoko!?" Everyone screamed. "You're alive!" Sasami ran up to her, but Ryoko shook her head.
"Child, you have nothing to do with what I'm about to do, so please stay away."
"Ryoko? My daughter?" Washu whispered. Ryoko suddenly turned her attention to Washu.
"Mother, it's me." Ryoko said, almost too sweetly.
"Oh, Ryoko! I can't believe you're back!" Washu shouted happily. She started to hug her when Katsuhito noticed something terribly wrong. Ryoko's body was still in the stasis chamber. Who was this then? And didn't anyone notice the live golden colors of her eyes were no longer there? Ryoko never had emerald eyes.
"Miss Washu, wait!" Katsuhito hollered, but he was too late.
Ryoko hugged her mother lovingly, then stabbed her in the back with a blade that resembled the light hawk sword. Washu was too surprised to scream and only sputtered blood.
"Don't worry, mother dear. You're not going to dye yet." Ryoko held Washu by her head, and the scientist was lifted up in the air. Ryoko whispered a silent curse, and Washu dropped to the ground.
"Now, who's next?" Ryoko sneered at the rest of the family.
"Ryoko, stop this. It's me, Tenchi!"
Ryoko turned to him and summoned the blade once more when the purple hair girl jumped in front of him.
"Miss Ryoko! What are you doing? We are your family! Please, stop it this instant." Aeka was more than happy to see her rival standing in front of her eyes, but this was not the time for happiness. Despite the shock, Aeka knew that Ryoko was trying to kill her family, and that was never a good thing.
Ryoko smiled. "Alright, I'll stop." Tenchi sighed, and he smiled at her. "Thank you, Ryoko. Please, come back to us now. We missed you so much."
"Don't make me laugh. I wouldn't move if I were you, Tenchi. The girl is coming with me!" Ryoko grabbed Aeka, and the women vanished into thin air. Ryoko's laughter filled the air with a venomous scent.
Author's note:
Hello everyone! Thank you so much for your constructive criticism and comments. Also, thank you for your kind words. I was so afraid of putting my first fanfic on the Internet.but your reviews keep me writing! Your reviews helped me see the mistakes and the good things that I didn't notice before! But honestly? I didn't know it was so hard to write a fanfic. -___-