Chapter 1: Wind chime
"Miss Ryoko!"
Ryoko slowly opened one eye to peek at the woman yelling at her.
"Ryoko! Get off of that beam and help with the chores! It's your day to dust eh house, you lazy demon," announced the wine–haired princess, Ayeka. Ayeka was the first crowned princess of Jurai and felt as though she still had a right to order people around even though she was now living on Earth. She was getting better about it but after hundreds of years of lessons on "Becoming Queen and Ruling a Planet" some habits are hard to break.
"Ryoko! I demand that, get up this instance and dust the house!" Ayeka shifted so she stood slightly sideways with one hand near her mouth; her face with a cocky expression on it. "I would hate to hear what Tenchi thinks about your laziness. While, I, on the hand, will prove that Tenchi desires a princess, not some space demon."
"Mmmm…" 'I'm not in the mood for the princess right now.' She thought to herself.
Giving the princess one last glance, Ryoko teleported off her rafter and out of the house, onto the roof.
It was a beautiful late August morning. Though usually hot out, there had been a small shower earlier that morning, so it was cooler than most mornings.
The sky held a deeper blue that day with whiter-than-snow clouds. The clouds were just the right type of cotton to envision all the secret shapes they held. In the far off distance she noticed some slightly dark clouds appearing to head east.
'Could be a storm coming but if it stays on it's present course, I think it'll miss us.'
Ryoko continued to observe the magnificent sky. A flock of sparrows in formation flew off in the distance to her left.
Her ears picked up the sound of a helicopter several miles away.
A soft, cool breeze enveloped her in its currents before continuing its journey. It paused momentarily to ripple through the both metal wind chimes. The breeze first danced with the bass wind chime on the back porch.
It was a heavier set wind chime, with its deep, rich notes. It was a bit fancier than the other chime in that it had six large chime cylinders, each with an elaborate designs engraved into them. The toper, which the cylinders hung from, was a replica of Tenchi's home. The end pieces—the one used to strike the cylinders—had a picture of Tenchi's mother, father, and grandfather engraved in. This chime was a wedding gift to Achika and Nobuyuki.
Ryoko was always amazed at how even the gentlest wind could make even the softest notes emit from "Grandfather Wind Chime", as she nicknamed it.
She continued to listen as the breeze swept around the house to hit the other wind chime. This one located at Ryoko's window. She remember when she got this chime of hers:
~Flashback~She had fallen in love with "Grandfather Wind Chime" and had longed for one herself.
Her desire was so strong that the link with her mother, Washu, was being filled with this strong emotion.
[What is it, Little Ryoko?], inquired Washu.
[Don't call me that! Any ways, I don't know what you're talking about.]
[You can't lie to your mother.]
[What mother?] Ryoko's comment held some venom in that last comment.
Sigh Washu was hurt by her daughter's words but she pressed on. [Now, my little Ryoko, I can help you, if you let me. I am the Greatest Scientific Genus in the Universe!]
[If it'll get you to back off.], groaned Ryoko through their mind link. [I want…
[Tenchi?! But I know that! Why…]
[Washu! No…I mean yes…I mean…Arggggg! What I was Going to say was that I would like a wind chime of my own. I love the sounds it makes. Can the 'Great Scientific Genus' handle that?]
[Well, that's easy! Come down to my lab.]
Silence
[It's okay, Ryoko.], reassured Washu.
[You promise you won't try anything? No experiments? This isn't a trick, is it?] A while ago, Ryoko had been part of an experiment of Washu's. She was trapped for hours in the dark, alone…Ryoko tried to avoid Washu's lab as much as possible from then on.
[I promise this isn't a trick, little Ryoko.]
[O…okay, Washu. I'm coming.]
[Okay.] And the link closed down.
Ryoko teleported in front of the broom closet door because Washu had erected a force field that disabled her teleportation; meaning she had to walk in like everybody else. Upon arriving and living in the Masaki house, Washu had changed the closet into a lab suspended in subspace of a different dimension. An easy feat for the Greatest Scientific Genus in the Universe!
Ryoko opened the door to the lab…
~Present Time~
'She called me in and eventually led me to an older section of the lab. She lead me into what looked like a bedroom, saying it was my old one.'
~Flashback~
The room was painted in a soft rose with hints of lilac in the mixture. There was a daybed with evergreen bars and a flowery bedspread. There was a matching oak chest of drawers, vanity mirror, and dresser. Under a window that sunlight poured out of—one of Washu's tricks—was a small bookcase filled with children's books, such as "The Secret Garden" and "The Little Princess".
"It was you room when you were little," a not of sadness emerged from behind Washu's words.
~Present Time~
'I remember she led me over to a corner. Hanging form a corner-shelf was a small wind chime. She let me take it out so I could hang it in the room Tenchi designated as mine.'
Ryoko's wind chime was heart shaped with four chimes hanging down in a straight line as opposed to the usual circle. The chimes were shorter and smaller causing their tones and pitches to be higher and almost happier in Ryoko's mind. Compared to 'Grandfather Wind Chime' it was quite ordinary but she loved it any ways.
'The Heartstrings', as she called it, emitted both serenity with a hint of playfulness and a soothing bursting energy.
Two different wind chimes—'Grandfather Wind Chime' vs. 'The Heartstrings'—opposites in so many ways but alike in some many others.
Both chiming tones were giving Ryoko a sense of hope for the future.
End of Chapter 1A/N: Well, I know there wasn't a lot of action or anything in this one but I thought it was a new approach to things. There's a hint about Tenchi/Ryoko's relationship in there! As I said, later on I'm going to approach those memories and some others in more details and I'm thinking a 'Reunion' with 3rd man from the Prologue might be a good idea…hmmmm…any ways! I need reviews to continue! Send any thing from "It's good/It works" to "It sucks" to "Get a day job" and even "Huh?". Don't care…if you have some ideas or questions, I take those too! That's it for now. OH! If you read Hangman's Hideout, there should be an update coming sometime soon…may be broken up into more chapters though…so be on the lookout for that one. Bye for now! (Remember to r/r…you can send flames if you must…whatever…)