Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters or ideas from Tenchi Muyo, Tenchi Universe, and or Tenchi in Tokyo and so on. They are copyrighted by AIC & Pioneer. I am only writing this for entertainment and the Ryoko and Hotsuma Legion. NOT for cash so please, please, pleeeeeeeeease don't sue me. I don't have much of value but my cute wittle puppy. A few graphic novels, and some Ryoko pics. My sex slave (He knows who he is). If this story seems similar to your own or someone you know, don't tell me cause I don't give a damn anymore.
Why I pretended
Far away from Earth a small plant made of snow and ice rotates isolated on its axis. Beneath the thick sheets of ice and stone lays a deserted base where space pirates once hid their plunder and themselves from the Galaxy Police whenever they came too close for capture. But the cold, dark, and empty place wasn't actually empty, one single soul walked the stone halls alone recalling how he came to be in his current position.
Love...One simple four-letter word that meant so much, that did so much, that tortured him. Love had done this to him.
When Yugi first created Hotsuma his heart was full of bitterness and coldness that showed an acute chill in his dull blue eyes accompanied by a dark yet charming smirk always playing across his face.
But that had all changed when he met her. A strong ex-space pirate with a refreshing soul full of a fiery passion that burned deep within her golden cat-like eyes. She wore a mask of stubborn self-centeredness to hide how delicate she really was underneath it all. From time to time she allowed small glimpse of her true self to be revealed but instantly returned the mask leaving him to wonder if the moment had happened at all.
When Hotsuma began to learn more of the pirate Ryoko the cold bitterness was replaced. A love that was suppose to be pretense upon Yugi's orders became real.
Love, pain, passion, fear, hate, and confusion forever contradicting the other made him crave for the bittersweet coldness that once consumed him before. At times a desire so overwhelming took over him that he felt he would lose himself. But as Ryoko did he hid it all behind a mask of wit, charm, and an almost arrogant self-confidence. But still a savage longing burned within him that even being near her made his heart beat rampant.
If he had but just fallen in love that would have been reasonable. But he had fallen madly in love; he had fallen from the stars through the clouds and onto land in a belly flop type of love.
But Ryoko's heart longed for another, that Earthen boy who so foolishly chosen a shadow over the real creature Ryoko. At times he could tell she was longing to return to Earth, to keep her to himself and obey Yugi he would casually reminded her of how her heart was broken and how they treated her back in the Masaki residence. He knew one day he would not be able to convince her to stay and she will go leaving him behind.
In utter jealousy and anger he attacked the one his heart went out for. And she fought back.
It surprised Hotsuma everyday since his battle with Ryoko that fateful day that he was still alive. Yugi had underestimated Ryoko's love for Tenchi and he had underestimated her strength and dedication to the foolish human schoolboy.
He remembered seeing her looking down on his beaten body, looking at him with mild hatred and... something else he could not see clearly without his glasses. Then she just walked away believing him dead. She left him alone in the cold snow to go back to Tenchi.
Hotsuma clutched his fist digging his nails into his palms. Tenchi. Whenever he thought of the boy his blood boiled in anger. The descendent of the Jurai royal family, Tenchi Masaki! That weak schoolboy had stolen the most astounding woman away from him. Ryoko, with her undying devotion made Hotsuma jealous of the undeserving prince.
The alarm system of hideout brought Hotsuma back to the cruelty of the harsh reality. Someone had landed on his rock of frozen ice and timelessness. Maybe it was some fool who forgot to refuel at a station. Or they had to land for some odd reason, but all he knew they might have a ship he could use to get away from his frozen tomb.
***
Hotsuma stared in silent shock as he watched a lithe cyan haired beauty dressed in a pink and white kimono trudged through the snow then stop to form a mound.
'Why is she here? And what is she doing? Is she making a snowman?' Hotsuma asked himself as he walked closer.
As he approached he saw that she had made a headstone out of ice and had neatly written his name. Ryoko sat on bent knees with her gloved hands clasped together in prayer. As he came closer he could hear her speaking out loud.
"Why did you have to turn out to be one of the bad guys? I can't believe I allowed you to convince me to return to piracy." She laughed out loud.
"Ryo-ohki the things I did for a guy's cute smile." She sighed deeply. "Or just for a cute guy. Damn it Hotsuma, why did you turn out to be the bad guy?" She asked again in frustration.
Hotsuma smiled at her comments so she did have feelings towards him. He touched his hand to her shoulder. "I am honored that you mourn for me my dear."
"Hotsuma?" Ryoko asked as she slowly turned. He smiled warmly at her surprised expression.
Alive. The one she was silently mourning and cursing for his betrayal was standing behind her alive and quiet well. He still had his charming yet arrogant smile, the one she had come to trust only to be deceived. Slowly her opened mouth tuned into a sneer. Ryoko released a feral growl. How dare he be alive when she took the time to make such a thoughtful grave in the memory of their good times together!
Ryoko quickly produced a saber as she phased with amazing speed into her black and red streaked fighting garb.
"Merrow! Me-oow Merow!" Ryo-ohki cried as she struggled out of the neckline of the skintight outfit carelessly scratching Ryoko's chest in the process.
"Ooow! Ryo-ohki!" A wide-eyed Ryoko cried pulling the cabbit out by the tuff of her neck. Ryo-ohki mayied telling Ryoko that it was her own fault for changing into the tight clothing.
Hotsuma laughed at the two. Sometimes it was so easy to distract Ryoko due to her inquisitive nature. Hotsuma's laughter caused both Ryoko and Ryo-ohki to recall that he was in their presents.
Ryo-ohki hissed at the man as she made her hair stand on ends giving the illusion that she was bigger than what she really was.
Ryoko, on the other hand, quickly armed herself once again with her orange saber and attacked.
"Still mad?" Hotsuma asked as he blocked her advance of attack with his own saber glowing bright blue.
Ryoko growled that he made such light about her anger. In one swift movement she banished her sword and punched Hotsuma directly in the jaw. "I should have known you were alive. All you ever did was lie to me!" Ryoko stated as she attacked again only now she fought aimlessly with aggression hoping that she would land a hit eventually.
Hotsuma carefully avoided her attacks observing that Ryoko was fighting carelessly, but he did not dare underestimate her fighting skills again. That would be the worse case of deja vu if she should defeat him once again on this rock of snow and ice.
Ryoko brought her saber up above her head ready to strike down on Hotsuma when he suddenly vanished. Ryoko had little time to be surprised when she felt herself being propelled forward. Down she fell face first into the snow. Hotsuma quickly pinned her arms behind her and sat on her back. "Now that you've gotten that out of your system I would like to explain to you that unlike Sakuya I am not a shadow or an illusion." He said fighting with Ryoko as she struggled beneath him.
"Oh, then what are you besides a liar?" Ryoko asked skepticism obvious in her voice.
Hotsuma smiled. "I told you before that we are alike. I, my dear, am a creation just like you." He said releasing her.
From his left came a great cry as Ryo-ohki sailed through the air and bit down on his left wrist. Hotsuma cried out as the cabbit's tiny teeth sunk into his flesh. In pain he stood from Ryoko's back and grabbed the brown rabbit-like creature by the neck pulling it from his wrist.
An orange saber suddenly appeared at his throat. He looked up to see Ryoko's golden eyes glowering at him. "Let her go." Ryoko said slowly in a threatening voice that sent an almost delicious shiver throughout Hotsuma's body.
Hotsuma carefully sat down the creature Ryoko care so much for in the snow. It hissed once more at him before it bound up onto Ryoko's shoulder.
A stifling silence overcame Hotsuma and Ryoko as they stood barely three feet apart from on another; the only sounds made were the painful moan of the howling wind. Ryoko gave Hotsuma one last look before she turned to leave.
"Wait!" Hotsuma cried out to her. He watched as Ryoko stopped to turn her head in his direction. He himself wasn't sure what excuse he had in mind to get her to stay if only for a second longer, all he knew was that he was prepared to let her walk away from him again. "Mind coming in for some tea?" He asked hoping the offer of warmth in the cold would win him a few moments until he could come up with a better reason.
Ryoko looked down at Ryo-ohki who mewed to her. "Do you have any carrots?" She asked.
***
Ryoko walked through the deserted halls of the base with Hotsuma by her side explaining how it was that he was still about. "After our fight I crawled beaten and wounded back into the base." Hotsuma said.
Ryoko looked around the cold stone walls of the dark hideout. She suppress the shiver running along her back, the place reminded her of a larger version of her watery tomb in the cave of imprisonment by the hands of Prince Yosho. "Why didn't you leave?" She asked hugging herself.
Hotsuma pushed his glasses up with his middle finger as he laughed softly. "I have nowhere else to go my dear. Yugi lays dormant in a cave until she is mature enough to control her powers, and I have not been redeemed of my crimes as you have."
Ryoko nodded her head slowly. He had a point. Hotsuma ushered her into the dining area that had a homey look to it. Ryoko was grateful that he had rid himself of the Masaki living room and kitchen. That was her past, now she had to figure out her future.
***
Ryoko watched as Ryo-ohki nibbled delighted on the sweet orange vegetable. "Mayi!" The cabbit cried out licking her fuzzy lips before returning to her valued treasure of a carrot.
Ryoko looked down on her little friend envious of how one simple carrot can give the brown cabbit such content whereas she could never be so happy. Well unless you count the satisfaction she receives from chugging saki.
"So why are you here?" Hotsuma asked placing a hot cup of tea before her. "Besides to say farewell to your only worthy partner?"
Ryoko sipped the tea loudly, a habit she had developed while on Earth to annoy the first princess of Jurai. But now she wouldn't need to anymore. "None of your business." Ryoko took another sip this time less noisy.
Hotsuma's brow lifted above his glasses frame. "Oh?" He asked. "So this has nothing to do with your Tenchi?" He asked.
Ryoko scowled at him. "As I said it's none of your business." She said through clenched teeth.
Hotsuma nodded. "I understand." He said figuring out on his own that her presents was indeed the cause of Tenchi. But what exactly had happened he wasn't about to pressure her out of at the moment.
An awkward silence took over. Ryo-ohki had long since finished her carrot and laid beneath the table napping peacefully. Ryoko slammed the cup to the table breaking it in six pieces. "He chose her! Okay!" Ryoko screamed.
Silence hovered in the air as Ryoko's hand, still clutched to the broken mug handle, tightened into a fist. Ryoko had thought she was through with her crying but it seems there was still a few more tears within her. "The years of devotion and undying love I pledged to him since the day he was born, and he chose Ayeka over me!" Ryoko shouted the tears rolling down her cheeks.
She opened her hand to reveal the mug handle broken in her bleeding palm. "And worse he pretended as if he had not made up his mind, stringing my heart along as if I stood a chance." The silence that followed was stifling. Ryoko stared at Hotsuma her eyes burning with anger and embarrassment.
Hotsuma frowned, that foolish boy had no idea how much Ryoko given her heart to him. Perhaps he had no clue how many times he had broke it. And now Ryoko sat before him crying because that boy had finally pushed her too far. If only he could get his hands on Tenchi now he would make him hurt, as Ryoko had been so pained by his indecisions.
Hotsuma slowly stood then in the same slow and silent pace walked around the table towards Ryoko.
Ryoko watched him wondering what he was going to do. Laugh at her for being so foolish? Tell her how sorry he felt for her? The last thing she wanted was pity. She preferred to be laughed at than pitied. She was still wondering when he took her hand and looked down on it.
Their blood was of a deeper red giving it a rich color of dark crimson unlike that bright red of human and Jurain blood. Hotsuma carefully picked the shards of porcelain out of her already healing palm. "That Tenchi," He began his voice tender with understanding. "Doesn't know what kind of a woman he has let slip through his fingers."
Ryoko watched as Hotsuma began to dab away her blood with a handkerchief he had pulled from his pocket. As he cleaned her wound she felt herself indulging in the moment of having someone take care of her for once.
Upon realizing this Ryoko pulled her hand away ending the moment. "Thanks." She mumbled bending down to pick up the remaining pieces. She began to wonder if it was all just an act. The way she handled herself as if she could manage anything that came her way single handedly. Self-reliance, that's what she was taught. Survival depended on her physical strength, and pleasing her master. But once she was free of Kagato her overconfident attitude took the place of the need to please Kagato.
Ryoko disposed of the damaged cup. We should go now. She thought to herself. No, stay you need him. A small but strong voice said. Zero, I don't want to use him as a rebound. I can't put him through that kind of pain. Ryoko said surprised at herself for actually caring for Hotsuma's feelings. Please Ryoko, Ryo-ohki needs rest you might as well. Ryoko sighed as she looked down on the cabbit still dozing beneath the table. Damn you, Zero. Ryoko thought.
Ryoko looked towards Hotsuma. "Is my room still here or have you destroyed it by now?" Ryoko asked.
Hotsuma looked up at her with surprise. "Yes it is still intact, are you staying?" He asked careful to keep his joy hidden.
"Yeah," Ryoko said. She pointed down to Ryo-ohki. "Just until she gets enough rest then I'm gone. What about the onsen?" Ryoko asked.
"The same as always." Hotsuma reported.
Ryoko sighed. "Good I think I'll go relax there after a quick catnap." She said walking away towards her room.
Hotsuma waited until he was absolutely sure that Ryoko was gone before he reached under the table and held Ryo-ohki before him.
"Mayai?" She yawned.
"Listen I know you can understand me to a point." He said gently to the little cabbit. "I know what I did to Ryoko was wrong I want to make it up to her." He lied, he just wanted her. "But in order for me to do so I need for her to stay with me. Ryoko's only staying here until you regain your strength, can you perhaps pretend to need more rest and stall for me?" Hotsuma asked.
Ryo-ohki considered Hotsuma's request for a brief moment before she shook her head no. Hotsuma cursed his luck beneath his breath. It was to laugh that his fate with the woman he was so infatuated with rested in the hands or should he say paws of the little cabbit before him. Hotsuma was ready to give in when an idea struck him. "You like carrots do you not?" Hotsuma asked. Ryo-ohki's floppy ears perked at the mention of her beloved orange vegetable. "If you do this for me I'll give you all the carrots I have." Hotsuma said.
Ryo-ohki carefully thought should she prolong Ryoko's stay with the man she obviously disliked for some carrots? She loved Ryoko, but she knew Ryoko needed to be around people in her fragile state, she needed someone to talk to, to cry to. Finding that her choice would both benefit herself and Ryoko she nodded her head in agreement.
that's it for part two...