The Day of the Angels
Chapter Two: Guarding a Treasure
****
The Royal Palace of Jurai
Three Months Later
(Theme: "By Your Side" by Sade)
Sophia stepped off the airship's ramp as she viewed the massive structure known as Jurai's royal palace. The tall building overwhelmed her for it was where she would live until she had further news on her mother's safety. Aidan walked up beside her and had taken her hand into his, flashing a small smile.
"Come on Sophie, I'll walk with you to the door."
Sophia looked up at him, her eyes lined in confusion.
"What about inside? Aren't you going in with me?"
He shook his head sadly.
"Sorry Sophie, but I have to go somewhere else. Miss Genova will be inside already. She should be in there with you."
"But Aidan, aren't we supposed to be together?"
Tears immediately welled up in her eyes as she clutched at his hand with both of hers. Smiling sadly, he ruffled her hair with his free hand.
"I'm sorry Sophie, but according to Miss Genova, we have to be apart for a while." His heart broke when he heard her childlike sobs. Knelling in front of her to her level, he grabbed both of her small hands and had her look into his blue eyes.
"Please don't cry Sophie. How about a promise?"
She sniffed and freed a hand to wipe a tear away.
"A promise?"
He nodded.
"Yes, like a pact . . . A secret pact."
"Just between us?"
He nodded again, smiling at her curious expression.
"Just between us. No one is to know. Otherwise, it's bad luck."
She nodded, anxious to know his promise. Smiling he continued,
"When we get a little older, I promise that I will visit you."
Her face fell as she considered his promise.
"Why when we're older? How come you can't visit me sooner, Aidan?"
He shook his head sadly.
"Because it might be dangerous. Besides, I'll be old enough to visit you on my own by then. Nothing would stop me from dropping by, not even a thousand asteroids."
Sophia thought on the promise for a bit, then nodded.
"Okay Aidan, when we are older, we will see each other again."
He smiled and she playfully punched her half-brother in the arm.
"But remember, you promised!"
He laughed and nodded, "I promise."
They reached the main doors and Sophia looked up at the building. It seemed to stretch up for miles. Aidan saw her apprehension and asked her what was wrong.
"It's big." she stated.
He chuckled,
"Of course it's big. It's a palace."
She shook her head
"It's too big. Like a large monster ready to swallow me up."
"Sophie, it's the Jurain royal palace. It houses the emperor and empress along with their royal court."
She shook her head, fear clear in her green eyes. A palace or not, it was still a monster to her four-year-old mind. In her mind it had its mouth waiting to swallow her up, and she would be all alone.
"You won't be alone Sophie." Aidan stated as if he read her mind, "Miss Genova is in there, and your mother told me that the emperor and empress are very kind."
Sophia continued to stare up at the large structure that was to be her new home. The doors opened and Sophia jumped back frightened until she saw the soldiers guarding the entrance. She looked at her half-brother, who seemed older than his ten years at the moment. He smiled sadly and gave his little half sister a hug.
"Goodbye Sophie. I'll miss you."
She shook her head, "Don't say goodbye, because we'll see each other again. You promised we will."
He smiled, "You're right, Sophia, we will see each other again. It's time for you got go inside now."
She nodded then let go of him. He smiled at her and she smiled back then watched as he turned around to walk back toward the ship.
The emperor stood beside an ornamental fire place as he listened as Flora Genova describes the situation about Ryoko. The empress sat in a cushioned chair across from their visitor. Flora had left out some information when she had spoken to Miss Shira. She gave the possibilities and chances of finding Lady Ryoko, and she explained their safe keeping of a special treasure.
"It is her proud accomplishment, so she is trusting no one but you to guard it. I must warn you that it is in great danger if it gets caught up in this war."
"So this . . . treasure must stay with us so it will be safe?" the emperor probed.
"It was Lady Ryoko's soul wish that you protect it. She had informed me that there is a secret surrounding this treasure, and a secret it must remain. Otherwise, it's in great danger."
"How long will it be in our care? If this is truly so dangerous, how long must we keep it safe?" Flora sighed, "Until further notice, at least. I wouldn't endanger you as much as I already have. Lady Ryoko also wouldn't want harm to befall you. Importantly if she didn't trust you with something so important, then she wouldn't have bothered."
The empress looked between Flora and her husband.
"Before we can accept a possibly dangerous task, could you at least show us what we are getting ourselves into?"
Flora smiled and motioned to a guard by the door. The guard opened it and a little girl stood in the doorway. The raven haired stranger slowly walked into the room as Flora beckoned her inside. The little girl stared at the regally dressed young man and woman until Flora admonished her.
"Lady Sophia, this is the emperor and empress of Jurai. Bow before them, child."
Sophia bowed and rose when the emperor had beckoned her to do so, and listened as Flora introduced her.
"Your excellencies, I would proudly present Lady Sophia Nicholaa Hakubi Dimos, heiress to the Fuerzan Empire. The only daughter of Lady Ryoko and Lord Zarin.
Tenchi and Ayeka gasped. They were both surprised by Sophia, that they had entirely forgotten all proper decorum. They stared. The sharp angular features and her feline eyes were the only indication that she was Ryoko's daughter. And there was also the fact that she had inherited Washu's green eyes.
Flora worried about their reaction to Sophia. They hadn't said anything since she entered the room.
"I must have your approval of guardianship now. If you do not wish to have her under your ward-ship, then I must know so I may make arrangements at the Tsunami Order of Sisterhood."
Ayeka looked over at Tenchi, who was still studying Sophia. He finally looked over to Ayeka who nodded. Tenchi cleared his throat.
"Miss Genova, Lady Ayeka and I will accept guardianship of Lady Sophia. We owe Lady Ryoko a great deal, and I can't imagine anything more important thane caring for her daughter."
Flora smiled, relieved that this business was over with. She produced the papers for the Emperor and Empress to sign, claiming Sophia as their royal ward. After all formalities were completed, Flora left to take Aidan to his birth mother's side of the family.
Sophia gathered enough courage to study her new guardians. Ayeka looked every bit an empress with her pale blue robes, and her violet hair swept up in a simple twist. The emperor wore robes befitting his status, the same pale blue as his wife's. The Jurain family's seal was securing a white mantle. The emperor and empress studied Sophia, and she studied them. Ayeka smiled as she stooped to meet Sophia's face.
"Hello Sophia, I'm very pleased to meet the daughter of a very good friend."
Sophia nodded, acknowledging the praise, her eyes now to the floor.
"I remember my mother telling me stories about everyone she had lived with on Earth."
Ayeka smiled, "Good stories, I hope."
Sophia blushed
"I remember most were good, but sometimes she told me that you used to have screaming matches, along with bouts of energy blasts that would normally destroy the house."
Ayeka saw that Sophia was beginning to get nervous, watching her play with a loose string of her lavender dress. She smiled stating, "Those are good stories, and maybe I can tell my side someday. I would think that Ryoko has taken all the blame off herself, am I correct?"
Sophia nodded, finally looking up at Ayeka, who was smiling.
"Then I must defend myself. I assure you, Sophia, that everything wasn't entirely my fault."
She winked before whispering "Believe me, she started everything!"
Sophia smiled for the first time since entering this room. The emperor walked behind Ayeka, shaking his head, but he was smiling.
"I know everything will seem frightening on your first few days, and that this is a large palace, and there are a lot of people you don't know. I'm still trying to get used to everything." Tenchi chuckled, continuing, "But you aren't alone, and will have many friends. We have a son that is close to your age and a daughter that may be a year younger than you are. I'm sure you will get along nicely."
Ayeka nodded agreeably, "There are also my younger sister, Sasami, and Ryo-ohki. Along with Kiyone and Mihoshi, who work for the Galaxy Police. They are all friends of your mother's and ours, and if you ever need anything, they'll help you."
"Not to forget to mention me. I have certain responsibilities where Sophia is concerned too, you know." another voice broke in. Sophia smiled as she recognized the owner of the voice, and ran towards the person in the door.
"Grandma Washu!"
Washu caught Sophia in her arms and hugged her. Ayeka and Tenchi looked puzzled.
"Little Washu, when did you meet Sophia?"
"Why, three years ago, before Lord Zarin was killed. Ryoko visited Earth so that Zarin's son could get extra training from Katsuhito. She brought Sophia along, so we could meet her."
"You mean to say that you saw Ryoko, but never told us?" Tenchi interrogated.
"She didn't want anyone to know where she was just yet. She wasn't ready to face everybody yet, because she was still hurt. I promised her I wouldn't say anything."
"I can understand that, but you still could have told us she was okay. Besides, it does us no good to stand around arguing about now."
Ayeka looked over to Sophia, then smiled.
"Little Washu, show her to the nursery so she can meet Kino and Li. I'm sure that they will become good friends on sight. Maybe they will help her in adjusting to everything."
Washu nodded then led Sophia out of the room.
Ayeka was correct in thinking that Sophia, Kino, and Li would become fast friends. The prince and princess were happy to receive somebody close to their own age to play with, and accepted her friendship happily. Washu smiled as she watched Kino draw Sophia into one of their make-believe games. Her last thought before slipping out of the nursery. . . Sophia was home.
(End theme:) Silence by Delerium feat. Sarah McLachlan.
Give me release
Witness me, I am outside
Give me peace
Heaven holds a sense of wonder
And I wanted to believe
that I'd get caught up
when the rage in me subsides
Passion chokes the flower until she cries no more
Possessing all the beauty hungry still for more
Heaven holds a sense of wonder
And I wanted to believe that I'd get caught up
When the rage in me subsides
In this white wave
I am sinking
In this silence
In this white wave ... in this silence ...
I believe I can't help this longing ...
comfort me I can't hold it all in ...
if you won't let me ...
Heaven holds a sense of wonder
And I wanted to believe that I'd get caught up
When the rage in me subsides
In this white wave
I am sinking
In this silence
In this white wave ...
in this silence I believe I have seen you ...
in this white wave you are silent
You are breathing in this white wave ...
I am free
*****
Disclaimer: I still don't own Tenchi Muyo. And I don't own Sade, Delerium, and Sarah McLachlan. The only things that I own in the story are the story line itself, and the characters not mentioned in the anime or manga. If there is anything written that is about the same as someone else wrote, I will assure you that its completely incidental. If I had forgotten to include anything in this disclaimer, please be polite about letting me know and don't sue me. It wouldn't do much good if you did. I don't have anything except maybe two quarters and a piece of gum. Thank you.
I've decided to keep the disclaimer and things down here at the bottom, so you can read the fic without scrolling down through some meaningless rambling. This may be a shorter chapter than the rest, but I thought maybe it was best that I stop there. This is going to be my first multi-chapter fanfic that I'm going to try to complete. I might try to write some other stuff, and I might start working on The Journal Entries sequel. Everything is still uncertain, mainly because I just moved and may be moving again, but I'm trying.
What do you think about the fanfic so far? So far it's slow in getting to the good part, I know, but keep reading and it may get better. So please email me at julieanne14_98@yahoo.com. All comments are welcome, just be sure to be polite in the criticism. Thank you for taking your time to read this.
Chapter Two: Guarding a Treasure
****
The Royal Palace of Jurai
Three Months Later
(Theme: "By Your Side" by Sade)
Sophia stepped off the airship's ramp as she viewed the massive structure known as Jurai's royal palace. The tall building overwhelmed her for it was where she would live until she had further news on her mother's safety. Aidan walked up beside her and had taken her hand into his, flashing a small smile.
"Come on Sophie, I'll walk with you to the door."
Sophia looked up at him, her eyes lined in confusion.
"What about inside? Aren't you going in with me?"
He shook his head sadly.
"Sorry Sophie, but I have to go somewhere else. Miss Genova will be inside already. She should be in there with you."
"But Aidan, aren't we supposed to be together?"
Tears immediately welled up in her eyes as she clutched at his hand with both of hers. Smiling sadly, he ruffled her hair with his free hand.
"I'm sorry Sophie, but according to Miss Genova, we have to be apart for a while." His heart broke when he heard her childlike sobs. Knelling in front of her to her level, he grabbed both of her small hands and had her look into his blue eyes.
"Please don't cry Sophie. How about a promise?"
She sniffed and freed a hand to wipe a tear away.
"A promise?"
He nodded.
"Yes, like a pact . . . A secret pact."
"Just between us?"
He nodded again, smiling at her curious expression.
"Just between us. No one is to know. Otherwise, it's bad luck."
She nodded, anxious to know his promise. Smiling he continued,
"When we get a little older, I promise that I will visit you."
Her face fell as she considered his promise.
"Why when we're older? How come you can't visit me sooner, Aidan?"
He shook his head sadly.
"Because it might be dangerous. Besides, I'll be old enough to visit you on my own by then. Nothing would stop me from dropping by, not even a thousand asteroids."
Sophia thought on the promise for a bit, then nodded.
"Okay Aidan, when we are older, we will see each other again."
He smiled and she playfully punched her half-brother in the arm.
"But remember, you promised!"
He laughed and nodded, "I promise."
They reached the main doors and Sophia looked up at the building. It seemed to stretch up for miles. Aidan saw her apprehension and asked her what was wrong.
"It's big." she stated.
He chuckled,
"Of course it's big. It's a palace."
She shook her head
"It's too big. Like a large monster ready to swallow me up."
"Sophie, it's the Jurain royal palace. It houses the emperor and empress along with their royal court."
She shook her head, fear clear in her green eyes. A palace or not, it was still a monster to her four-year-old mind. In her mind it had its mouth waiting to swallow her up, and she would be all alone.
"You won't be alone Sophie." Aidan stated as if he read her mind, "Miss Genova is in there, and your mother told me that the emperor and empress are very kind."
Sophia continued to stare up at the large structure that was to be her new home. The doors opened and Sophia jumped back frightened until she saw the soldiers guarding the entrance. She looked at her half-brother, who seemed older than his ten years at the moment. He smiled sadly and gave his little half sister a hug.
"Goodbye Sophie. I'll miss you."
She shook her head, "Don't say goodbye, because we'll see each other again. You promised we will."
He smiled, "You're right, Sophia, we will see each other again. It's time for you got go inside now."
She nodded then let go of him. He smiled at her and she smiled back then watched as he turned around to walk back toward the ship.
The emperor stood beside an ornamental fire place as he listened as Flora Genova describes the situation about Ryoko. The empress sat in a cushioned chair across from their visitor. Flora had left out some information when she had spoken to Miss Shira. She gave the possibilities and chances of finding Lady Ryoko, and she explained their safe keeping of a special treasure.
"It is her proud accomplishment, so she is trusting no one but you to guard it. I must warn you that it is in great danger if it gets caught up in this war."
"So this . . . treasure must stay with us so it will be safe?" the emperor probed.
"It was Lady Ryoko's soul wish that you protect it. She had informed me that there is a secret surrounding this treasure, and a secret it must remain. Otherwise, it's in great danger."
"How long will it be in our care? If this is truly so dangerous, how long must we keep it safe?" Flora sighed, "Until further notice, at least. I wouldn't endanger you as much as I already have. Lady Ryoko also wouldn't want harm to befall you. Importantly if she didn't trust you with something so important, then she wouldn't have bothered."
The empress looked between Flora and her husband.
"Before we can accept a possibly dangerous task, could you at least show us what we are getting ourselves into?"
Flora smiled and motioned to a guard by the door. The guard opened it and a little girl stood in the doorway. The raven haired stranger slowly walked into the room as Flora beckoned her inside. The little girl stared at the regally dressed young man and woman until Flora admonished her.
"Lady Sophia, this is the emperor and empress of Jurai. Bow before them, child."
Sophia bowed and rose when the emperor had beckoned her to do so, and listened as Flora introduced her.
"Your excellencies, I would proudly present Lady Sophia Nicholaa Hakubi Dimos, heiress to the Fuerzan Empire. The only daughter of Lady Ryoko and Lord Zarin.
Tenchi and Ayeka gasped. They were both surprised by Sophia, that they had entirely forgotten all proper decorum. They stared. The sharp angular features and her feline eyes were the only indication that she was Ryoko's daughter. And there was also the fact that she had inherited Washu's green eyes.
Flora worried about their reaction to Sophia. They hadn't said anything since she entered the room.
"I must have your approval of guardianship now. If you do not wish to have her under your ward-ship, then I must know so I may make arrangements at the Tsunami Order of Sisterhood."
Ayeka looked over at Tenchi, who was still studying Sophia. He finally looked over to Ayeka who nodded. Tenchi cleared his throat.
"Miss Genova, Lady Ayeka and I will accept guardianship of Lady Sophia. We owe Lady Ryoko a great deal, and I can't imagine anything more important thane caring for her daughter."
Flora smiled, relieved that this business was over with. She produced the papers for the Emperor and Empress to sign, claiming Sophia as their royal ward. After all formalities were completed, Flora left to take Aidan to his birth mother's side of the family.
Sophia gathered enough courage to study her new guardians. Ayeka looked every bit an empress with her pale blue robes, and her violet hair swept up in a simple twist. The emperor wore robes befitting his status, the same pale blue as his wife's. The Jurain family's seal was securing a white mantle. The emperor and empress studied Sophia, and she studied them. Ayeka smiled as she stooped to meet Sophia's face.
"Hello Sophia, I'm very pleased to meet the daughter of a very good friend."
Sophia nodded, acknowledging the praise, her eyes now to the floor.
"I remember my mother telling me stories about everyone she had lived with on Earth."
Ayeka smiled, "Good stories, I hope."
Sophia blushed
"I remember most were good, but sometimes she told me that you used to have screaming matches, along with bouts of energy blasts that would normally destroy the house."
Ayeka saw that Sophia was beginning to get nervous, watching her play with a loose string of her lavender dress. She smiled stating, "Those are good stories, and maybe I can tell my side someday. I would think that Ryoko has taken all the blame off herself, am I correct?"
Sophia nodded, finally looking up at Ayeka, who was smiling.
"Then I must defend myself. I assure you, Sophia, that everything wasn't entirely my fault."
She winked before whispering "Believe me, she started everything!"
Sophia smiled for the first time since entering this room. The emperor walked behind Ayeka, shaking his head, but he was smiling.
"I know everything will seem frightening on your first few days, and that this is a large palace, and there are a lot of people you don't know. I'm still trying to get used to everything." Tenchi chuckled, continuing, "But you aren't alone, and will have many friends. We have a son that is close to your age and a daughter that may be a year younger than you are. I'm sure you will get along nicely."
Ayeka nodded agreeably, "There are also my younger sister, Sasami, and Ryo-ohki. Along with Kiyone and Mihoshi, who work for the Galaxy Police. They are all friends of your mother's and ours, and if you ever need anything, they'll help you."
"Not to forget to mention me. I have certain responsibilities where Sophia is concerned too, you know." another voice broke in. Sophia smiled as she recognized the owner of the voice, and ran towards the person in the door.
"Grandma Washu!"
Washu caught Sophia in her arms and hugged her. Ayeka and Tenchi looked puzzled.
"Little Washu, when did you meet Sophia?"
"Why, three years ago, before Lord Zarin was killed. Ryoko visited Earth so that Zarin's son could get extra training from Katsuhito. She brought Sophia along, so we could meet her."
"You mean to say that you saw Ryoko, but never told us?" Tenchi interrogated.
"She didn't want anyone to know where she was just yet. She wasn't ready to face everybody yet, because she was still hurt. I promised her I wouldn't say anything."
"I can understand that, but you still could have told us she was okay. Besides, it does us no good to stand around arguing about now."
Ayeka looked over to Sophia, then smiled.
"Little Washu, show her to the nursery so she can meet Kino and Li. I'm sure that they will become good friends on sight. Maybe they will help her in adjusting to everything."
Washu nodded then led Sophia out of the room.
Ayeka was correct in thinking that Sophia, Kino, and Li would become fast friends. The prince and princess were happy to receive somebody close to their own age to play with, and accepted her friendship happily. Washu smiled as she watched Kino draw Sophia into one of their make-believe games. Her last thought before slipping out of the nursery. . . Sophia was home.
(End theme:) Silence by Delerium feat. Sarah McLachlan.
Give me release
Witness me, I am outside
Give me peace
Heaven holds a sense of wonder
And I wanted to believe
that I'd get caught up
when the rage in me subsides
Passion chokes the flower until she cries no more
Possessing all the beauty hungry still for more
Heaven holds a sense of wonder
And I wanted to believe that I'd get caught up
When the rage in me subsides
In this white wave
I am sinking
In this silence
In this white wave ... in this silence ...
I believe I can't help this longing ...
comfort me I can't hold it all in ...
if you won't let me ...
Heaven holds a sense of wonder
And I wanted to believe that I'd get caught up
When the rage in me subsides
In this white wave
I am sinking
In this silence
In this white wave ...
in this silence I believe I have seen you ...
in this white wave you are silent
You are breathing in this white wave ...
I am free
*****
Disclaimer: I still don't own Tenchi Muyo. And I don't own Sade, Delerium, and Sarah McLachlan. The only things that I own in the story are the story line itself, and the characters not mentioned in the anime or manga. If there is anything written that is about the same as someone else wrote, I will assure you that its completely incidental. If I had forgotten to include anything in this disclaimer, please be polite about letting me know and don't sue me. It wouldn't do much good if you did. I don't have anything except maybe two quarters and a piece of gum. Thank you.
I've decided to keep the disclaimer and things down here at the bottom, so you can read the fic without scrolling down through some meaningless rambling. This may be a shorter chapter than the rest, but I thought maybe it was best that I stop there. This is going to be my first multi-chapter fanfic that I'm going to try to complete. I might try to write some other stuff, and I might start working on The Journal Entries sequel. Everything is still uncertain, mainly because I just moved and may be moving again, but I'm trying.
What do you think about the fanfic so far? So far it's slow in getting to the good part, I know, but keep reading and it may get better. So please email me at julieanne14_98@yahoo.com. All comments are welcome, just be sure to be polite in the criticism. Thank you for taking your time to read this.