Disclaimer: I don't own the Tenchi Muyo gang.
The
Lonely Moon Series
Part
Four
Tenchi went downstairs and sat next to Ryoko, who looked at him, worried.
"She says that she's fine," he said with a shrug. "what more can we do?"
Ryoko sighed and nodded. "I know... she won't talk at all. Tenchi, what possibly could be hurting her so much?"
"I have no idea, Ryoko. Maybe the answer lies in her past. No one really knows anything about that…except Sasami..." Tenchi's eyes lit up. "We should talk to her. I'm sure Sasami would have to know something!"
"I'd have to know something about what?" Sasami inquired, as she walked into the room, untying her apron and putting it over a nearby chair.
"Aeka's past." Ryoko supplied. "And why she's been so upset lately."
"I'm not sure... Aeka and I didn't do a whole lot together back on Jurai. Most of the time we were in our classes, you know. And when we weren't in classes, I'd usually be with my friends, and Aeka would be reading or walking in the gardens or something."
Tenchi sighed. "Oh well, thanks anyway, Sasami"
"I'm worried about her too." Sasami said, her usually cheerful face suddenly very serious. "She's been so strange lately."
XXXXXX
It had been several hours, and everyone had gone about their usual business. Ryoko had fallen asleep on her favorite rafter, a bottle of sake at her side, Tenchi was at the shrine, Noboyuki was working in his den, Sasami was playing with Ryo-Ouki, and Washu, as always, was in her lab. Life seemed almost normal in the Masaki home. But not for long.
Ryoko woke up quickly, and immediately felt that something was not right. She scanned all the visible areas of the house, before it hit her.
Aeka.
Ryoko quickly disappeared, then reappeared in front of the princess's bedroom door. Cautiously, she knocked.
"Aeka, you in there?" Ryoko called. All she could hear was the door opening and closing downstairs. Tenchi was back. She listened as Sasami and Tenchi spoke. She couldn't make out what they were saying, but they sounded cheerful enough.
Ryoko knocked again, harder this time.
"Aeka! Answer me or I'm busting this door down! I mean it!" Still no reply.
Ryoko braced herself and rammed the door. It broke open easily, and when Ryoko's eyes adjusted to the dark, the sight she saw almost made her wish to go blind.
"TENCHIIIII!! WASHUUU!!"
Footsteps thundered up the stairs, and a moment later Washu appeared in the doorway. Seeing Ryoko kneeled next to the prone form of Aeka, she rushed inside. Tenchi appeared moments later, Sasami right behind. As soon as Tenchi saw, he steered Sasami away.
"Sasami, no." Tenchi said, his voice just above a whisper.
"What? What's going on?!" Sasami questioned, alarm in her voice.
"We have to get her to the lab." Came Washu's urgent voice.
"Aeka? AEKA!!" Sasami shrieked as she tried to wrestle away from Tenchi.
"Sasami, no!" He shouted. Ryoko and Washu appeared, Ryoko carrying the limp form of the First Princess of Jurai. Tenchi held Sasami tight, his back to the procession. The blue haired princess peeked around Tenchi before he could stop her, and promptly burst into tears. She fell to her knees, sobs wracking her small form.
Tenchi knelt down next to Sasami, and put his hand on her shoulder.
"Why wouldn't you let me go to her? She's my sister! I need to go to her!"
"Sasami. Sasami, look at me. She's going to be okay."
Sasami stared beseechingly into Tenchi's eyes.
"How do you know that?" She sniffled.
Tenchi smiled slightly. It was a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes, which were filled with the tears he refused to let fall.
"I just know."
