Memories Past
Disclaimer: I do not own any characters from the Tenchi Muyo OVA series. They are the property of Pioneer/AIC.
Author's Note: The story is set in the Tenchi Muyo Universe, a few months after the last battle with Kagato.
Enjoy
Part 1:
It was a day like any other at the Masaki Shrine. A bright, beautiful day full of sunlight and life. But it's on days like this, seemingly innocent and light, when things unexpected happen. And the life you're used to is forever changed.
It was a day like this that Tenchi Masaki awoke to. Slowly sitting up in bed Tenchi stretched his arms, and rolled his shoulders, trying to work the kinks out of his back.
Yawning loudly, Tenchi took a quick look around his room trying to spot a certain cyan-haired space pirate. It appeared that his room was space-pirate free for the moment. Yawning again Tenchi swung his legs over the side of the bed and stood up. Looking around once again Tenchi thought, I wonder where Ryoko is. It's unusual for her to not be here when I wake up. Not that I don't enjoy waking up to an empty room. It's just…unusual. Oh well, I guess I'll just get ready. I'm sure that everything is all right.
But even as Tenchi thought this he couldn't shake the feeling that something wasn't quite right. And so he got ready a little quicker than he usually would.
Throughout the rest of the household the other residents of the Masaki Shrine were getting up or in the process of getting ready.
The blue haired, pink-eyed Sasami was in the kitchen getting breakfast ready for the others. Beside her, on the counter, a little creature that looked like a cross between a small cat and a rabbit, sat happily munching on a bright, orange carrot.
In her room upstairs, Princess Ayeka sat in front of her mirror, gently stroking her long, purple hair with a brush. As she brushed out her hair, she softly hummed the tune to a love song that she liked, and fantasized about a life alone with her Tenchi.
Downstairs in a little broom closet (that was actually a huge lab) Washu, The Greatest Scientific Genius in the Universe, was conducting another weird experiment.
In the living room, on the couch, Mihoshi slept. On a small table beside the couch, her Galaxy Police wristwatch (which was so much more) gently illuminated the dark room with a light green glow.
Ryoko was asleep on her favorite rafter, near the ceiling. Her sleep was anything but peaceful. Sweat trickled down her face, and her breathing was labored. Every now and then a small grunt of pain slipped past her lips. Ryoko appeared to be in the middle of a very bad nightmare. As the nightmare seemed to intensify Ryoko released a long moan of pain. Her eyelids began twitching, as if she were trying to wake up. However, she was too deep in sleep and so could only let the nightmare play out.
Please…please…I beg of you…no more…it hurts too much.
But my dear, sweet Ryoko, I have only just begun to teach you the meaning of pain.
But…I…(spitting up blood)…I…don't want to kill them…they don't deserve it.
THEY DON'T DESERVE IT! Anyone lower than me deserves it. I control you Ryoko. So you do as I say.
Please…no…no…please, not the sword…I beg of you. It hurts so much. No, no, please don't…KAGATO!
Ryoko's eyes flew open, and she sat up straight, taking huge gulps of air. Sweat poured down her face like a river, and she was shaking uncontrollably.
What was that, Ryoko thought. I haven't had a dream like that in ages. Why am I having one now? As Ryoko continued to ponder this, she started to get up, and a sharp pain, like a thousand hot needles shot through her side.
"Argh, my side", Ryoko cried out in anguish. Gritting her teeth against the pain, and to keep from crying out again, Ryoko took a look at her side. There didn't seem to be any damage and the pain was already starting to subside. Shaking her head in bewilderment, Ryoko took a deep breath and released it slowly. This is very strange. It was just a dream, right? It was all just a dream. However, the now dull ache in her side suggested otherwise.
What just happened to me? Why did my side hurt like that if it was only a dream? Why do you continue to haunt me, even in my dreams? Knowing that she would not get an answer to her questions, Ryoko closed her eyes and took another deep breath. The pain in her side had all but disappeared so Ryoko decided to get up and go visit Tenchi.
I wasn't there to greet him this morning. I was so tired last night that I fell asleep up here. I hope he didn't miss me TOO much. This said with a slight twinkle in her eye, and a sly smile on her face. She had effectively pushed the dream to the deep recesses of her mind. The pain in her side was completely gone and she was feeling like her old self again. With a little shout of joy Ryoko dematerialized and reappeared in front of Tenchi's bedroom door. Tenchi chose that moment to open his door and came face to face with a smiling Ryoko.
"Oh Tenchi, I'm sorry I wasn't there when you woke up. I, ah…just decided to sleep in". Her smile never faltered, but there was a slight catch in her voice that she hoped Tenchi hadn't noticed.
Tenchi however had noticed and so he asked, "Ryoko, are you feeling alright? You still look a little tired. Are you sure you got enough sleep last night?"
Silently cursing herself for slipping, Ryoko reassured Tenchi that she was feeling all right. "Of course I'm feeling alright Tenchi. Why wouldn't I be?"
"I don't know Ryoko. You just seem kind of…I don't know…out of it."
"Come on Tenchi, you're imagining things. I told you that I'm fine." Ryoko then placed both of her arms around Tenchi's neck, and pulled him forward until he was nose to nose with her.
"Don't you believe me Tenchi?" Ryoko asked in a sultry voice.
Tenchi stood absolutely still, captivated by Ryoko's eyes. Her eyes are such a deep, golden color. Like two pools of thick, rich honey. I wonder why I didn't notice them before.
Snapping back to reality, Tenchi remembered the compromising position that they were in. "Ah Ryoko, you shouldn't hold on to me like this. What if Miss Ayeka were to come out and see us?"
"So, let her come and see. What could she possibly do?"
I can make you hurt like you have never hurt before.
"What?" Ryoko let go of Tenchi and took a step back.
Concerned, Tenchi asked, "Ryoko, what's wrong? What happened?"
But Ryoko was in her own world and did not respond to Tenchi's worried questions.
That was Kagato's voice that I just heard. Why is he haunting me even when I am awake? Will I ever be free of him?
By now Ryoko's continued silence had Tenchi really worried. Ryoko hadn't so much as blinked since she let go of him. She seemed to have gone off into some sort of trance, staring at a spot just above his head.
"Ryoko, come on, snap out of it. Ryoko!" Tenchi had gone up to her and was gently shaking her by the shoulders.
"Wha…What's, going on Tenchi?" Ryoko shook her head, trying to clear it, and her eyes focused on Tenchi's concerned chocolate, brown eyes.
"You tell me Ryoko. You just spaced out on me for a while there. Ryoko, please tell me, what's wrong. What's going on with you today?"
"There's nothing wrong Tenchi. I just didn't get enough sleep last night, that's all. But I…ah…think that I'll go outside for a little bit. A quick walk should wake me up. I'll see you at breakfast Tenchi. See you later."
Ryoko quickly vanished, leaving a very confused and concerned Tenchi behind.
And that is how Ayeka found him a couple minutes later. "Good morning, Lord Tenchi," Ayeka said, smiling brightly. "Oh, hi Miss Ayeka. How are you this morning?" "I'm fine Lord Tenchi, but what are you doing standing out here?"
"Well Ryoko was just…."
"Ryoko! What was she doing to you? I hope for her sake, that she was not bothering you Lord Tenchi."
"Huh. Oh, no, no, it was nothing like that Miss Ayeka. She…ah…just decided to go out and get some fresh air." I better not tell Ayeka everything that happened. She might not take it too well if I tell her that Ryoko had her arms around me. Although it did feel kind of nice to have had them there. Whoa…wait a minute…what am I saying. Did I actually enjoy being held by Ryoko? Hmm…I guess I did. Definitely better not tell her everything.
"Humph. Well, is she feeling alright?" While Ayeka didn't tolerate Ryoko's repeated attempts to try and steal HER Tenchi, she had, over time, come to like the space pirate. She would even consider her a friend. They would both enjoy a good bottle of sake every now and then. And a nice, long soak in the ladies washroom that Miss Washu had set up was always enjoyable. And sometimes when the moon was full, and the stars appeared close enough to touch, they'd lie on the roof and just relax together. They never spoke a word to each other, just laid back and enjoyed the peace and quiet that surrounded them.
"I hope so Miss Ayeka. We'll find out at breakfast how she is feeling okay?" Tenchi was aware of the growing friendship between Ryoko and Ayeka. So it did not surprise him to hear Ayeka asking if Ryoko was all right.
"Alright, Lord Tenchi, let us go help Sasami in the kitchen." And the two of them turned around and started to descend the stairs. As they walked down the steps and into the hall that led into the kitchen, Tenchi thought to himself, I hope that Ryoko is all right.
Ryoko was anything but all right at the moment. She was sitting huddled against a tree, arms wrapped tightly around herself, and slowly rocking back and forth. Tears ran unchecked down her face as Ryoko cried out her anger and frustration at a man who was supposed to be dead, but still managed to find a way to haunt her.
"Kagato", Ryoko cried out. "Why won't you leave me alone? Why won't you let me be? Even in death you still have a hold over me." Ryoko continued to sit and rock beside the tree until she heard Sasami calling her to breakfast.
Wiping the tears away with the back of her sleeve, Ryoko slowly got to her feet. I guess I better get inside before I worry Sasami. Ryoko phased out and reappeared by the kitchen door. Taking a deep breath and releasing it slowly, Ryoko opened the door and went inside.
Everyone else had already begun to eat by the time Ryoko sat down at the table. As Ryoko settled in and made herself comfortable, two, concerned, brown eyes silently observed her.
She looks as if she were crying, Tenchi thought. Out loud he asked, "Ryoko, are you feeling okay?"
Ryoko jerked her head up in surprise. She hadn't been paying attention to anything that was being said at the table. So deep into her thoughts she had been, that she had completely missed Tenchi's question.
"I'm sorry Tenchi…I, ah missed that. Could you please repeat the question?"
Tenchi and Ayeka exchanged quick, worried glances. "I had asked if you were feeling okay?"
Ryoko planted a bright smile on her face and responded, "Of course I feel okay Tenchi. Why wouldn't I be?" She picked up her chopsticks, grabbed the fish on her plate, and took a huge bite out of it. She looked back up at Tenchi and gave him another bright smile. "See."
Unconvinced, Tenchi glanced over at Ayeka. Ayeka shrugged helplessly, as if to say, "Well if she doesn't want to talk about it, there is little that we can do."
Ryoko, sure that she had convinced Tenchi that she was all right, continued what she was thinking before Tenchi called to her. Why now? Why after all this time is Kagato resurfacing in my dreams and in my thoughts?
As if in answer to her question, an image came unbidden to her mind. And try as she may to stop herself from seeing the image, all Ryoko could do was sit and watch as a moment from her past replayed itself in her mind's eye.
Punch…Kick…Counter…Kick…Flip…Punch.
Ryoko, bleeding from a cut over her left eye and several gashes on her arms and legs, eyed her opponent warily.
Kagato, his energy sword raised in a defensive position, waited for Ryoko to try and disarm him again.
Ryoko, breathing heavily and sweating profusely, raised her hand and wiped away the blood that was trickling
down the corner of her mouth.
With a loud battle cry, Ryoko charged Kagato.
With every punch and kick she delivered, she received two in return, and several more cuts from Kagato's sword.
When she completed her last attack, her head was spinning, her legs were wobbly, and her vision was fading in and
out.
But she knew how bad the punishment would be if she allowed herself to pass out.
So she shook her head to try and clear it and instantly regretted it, as white-hot pain exploded behind her eyes.
Dropping to her knees, Ryoko grabbed the sides of her head in pain.
"Get up Ryoko. Practice is not over yet," Kagato called out, energy sword held high.
"I can't. It hurts too much," Ryoko cried out.
"Get up NOW, or it will hurt even more."
Ryoko, tears streaming down her face, slowly raised one knee and pushed herself up.
But before she could stand straight up, her knees buckled and she fell down on the ground again.
I don't think I can get up this time, thought Ryoko.
"So be it. I will just have to show you that insolence will not be tolerated."
Kagato's sword seemed to come alive, as a bright, red glow surrounded it. Heat radiated from the sword in waves.
"Ryoko, this is going to hurt me a lot more than it's going to hurt you," laughed Kagato.
As Ryoko watched Kagato approach her with the burning, hot sword, she closed her eyes, silent tears falling from
them, and waited for the inevitable.
When the first strike came, Ryoko's mouth flew wide open in a silent scream.
Then, mercifully, everything went black.
"Ryoko, Ryoko, come on. Please wake up. It's me, Tenchi. Come on Ryoko. Wake up."
"Tenchi…." Ryoko slowly opened her eyes and gazed up into the soft, worried eyes of Tenchi. They were full of concern, anxiety, and something else she couldn't quite place. But before she could examine it closer, it was gone, and all that remained was concern.
Closing her eyes, Ryoko took a deep breath, released it, and opened her eyes to survey the rest of her surroundings. She noticed that she was no longer at the breakfast table, but lying down on the couch in the living room.
Ryoko also noticed that the others were all sitting in the living room with her. Mihoshi was sitting on a small brown stool, just to the right of her feet. Ayeka was sitting in one of three, plush chairs that adorned the room. Sasami, and Ryo-ohki sat together on another one of the chairs, the one closest to the entryway. Tenchi was sitting on the couch itself, near Ryoko's stomach. All of them had varying degrees of concern on their faces.
And Washu sat in the last chair in the room, her eyes closed. Suddenly, she opened her eyes and looked straight into Ryoko's.
Ryoko knew instantly that Washu knew what had just happened to her. Through the mind link that they both shared, Washu must have seen what Ryoko what had experienced. But neither of them gave voice to what they both knew.
Tenchi watched this silent exchange between mother and daughter quietly. When Ryoko turned back to him, he offered her, what he hoped was a reassuring smile. She gave him a slight smile in return and reached out to try and sit up. Tenchi put his arms around her waist to help steady her. When she was seated comfortably, Tenchi removed one arm, but kept the other firmly fastened around her waist. He told himself it was just to give her support and nothing else.
"Okay, Ryoko. Tell us what's going on. One minute your sitting at the breakfast table, the next you're passed out cold on the floor. And don't tell me your fine, because you clearly aren't. Now please, Ryoko, tell us what's wrong. You know that we all love you. We're family, and we help each other. Please tell us Ryoko, so that we can help you."
Ryoko looked at all the concerned faces around her, her family, and decided to tell them everything that had happened to her since going to bed last night.
"Okay, I'll tell you." She settle back further into the couch, Tenchi's arm never leaving her waist. Ryoko took a deep breath and proceeded to tell the others everything that had been going on with her for the last six hours.
"It all started last night, when I had a terrible nightmare about my time with Kagato. It felt so real. I felt as if I was really there. And when I awoke there was an awful pain in my side from where Kagato…when he…well, let's just say that it wasn't pleasant." Ryoko shifted back further into the couch, uncomfortable talking about her memories to everyone like this. Tenchi, sensing her discomfort, gave her a light squeeze. Ryoko smiled gratefully back at him. She then reached out and took a sip from a glass of water that Sasami had brought from the kitchen and rested on a small, table beside her.
She smiled gratefully at Sasami and then resumed her story. "And this morning when Tenchi and I were…ah…when Tenchi and I were just talking." Here Ryoko paused and looked over at Ayeka to see if she had bought what she had just said. Ayeka had a suspicious look on her face, but said nothing.
"Okay," said Ryoko. "As I was saying. When Tenchi and I were talking, I heard Kagato's voice in my head, which I have not experienced in a long time. It rattled me a bit and I told Tenchi that I needed to go for a little walk. And then at breakfast I experienced the worst episode yet. It was from one of my darker memories. Kagato was having one of his "practices", which were just excuses for him to try and beat me senseless. I couldn't stop him he was just too powerful. I reached the point where I couldn't fight anymore, and Kagato got mad. He decided to use his energy sword, which was red hot, to punish me for not fighting back. He…ah…he…it…it was very painful, and I'm sorry, I can't go into it." At this point Ryoko dropped her eyes to her hands, which were resting in her lap. She felt ashamed for showing weakness in front of these people, who knew her for her strength.
She felt someone take her hands and squeeze them, and she looked up into the caring eyes of the boy she had come to love with all of her heart. Tenchi offered her small smile of support and squeezed her hand once more before releasing them.
Ryoko looked to all the smiling faces around her, and saw the love and support being offered, without reproach. Seeing how much they cared about her, weaknesses or not, gave Ryoko the strength to finish her story.
"So after Kagato struck me the first time with the sword, I guess I passed out. When I passed out in the memory, I must have passed out in the kitchen. And then I heard your voice Tenchi. That was what brought me back from the black void that I was floating in. And I awoke here on the couch, and the rest, as they say, is history."
As Ryoko finished her tale she looked around at the others to get their reactions. Mihoshi was crying buckets of tears, wailing "You poor thing, you poor thing."
Sasami and Ryo-ohki, were both wiping at their eyes and sniffling, but when they saw Ryoko glance over at them, put brave smiles on their faces, and wiped the rest of the tears away.
Ayeka wasn't crying per say, but her eyes were red, and puffy, and she kept dabbing at them with a little, white handkerchief that she had.
Washu once again had her eyes closed, but Ryoko was surprised to see tears slipping from under the closed lids. Slowly Washu opened her eyes and looked straight into Ryoko's. Ryoko was surprised to see the amount of pain that was present in Washu's gaze. Then Ryoko heard her mother's voice in her head.
Ryoko. Ryoko…
Yes Washu.
Please Ryoko…don't shut me out. Just listen to me for a minute.
Okay, go ahead, I'm listening.
Thank you. Ryoko…I am so, so sorry for not being able to help you when you needed me the most.
Yeah…you and me both.
Just know that if I had been there, I would never have allowed him to lay a finger on you
Yeah, well, you weren't, and he did, and there wasn't a thing I could do to stop him.
I'm sorry Ryoko. I really am just so sorry. I can't change the past, even though I want to. There is just too great a chance that I would alter our reality now, and that our time here on earth with Tenchi would never happen.
I know, I know, and I understand. I wouldn't want you messing with time either. You would probably make yourself Queen of the Universe, or something.
Queen of the Universe eh? Who needs to be Queen when you're the Greatest Scientist Genius in the Universe!
Ha, right, I almost forgot.
But seriously Ryoko, I want you to know that while I couldn't be there for you then…I am here for you now.
I know that…and…thank you…mom.
Oh Ryoko…
Ryoko and Washu both looked at each other and smiled. Then turning her eyes away from her mother, Ryoko took a look around at everyone else. They all appeared to have calmed down. Even Mihoshi, whose wails were now reduced to slight hiccups.
Clearing her throat slightly, Ryoko smiled brightly at everyone, a real smile this time, and said, "Come on guys. No more frowns or tears. It's a beautiful, sunny day, and we should go out and enjoy it. Not let distant memories of a time long past ruin it.
"I agree with everything that Ryoko just said," responded Tenchi. "Everything except for one part…Ryoko, you should stay here and get some rest."
"WHAAAT! Oh come on Tenchi. You can't be serious. I feel fine."
"Now, now, Miss Ryoko. Normally I would frown upon you lying around the house, not doing much of anything, but I feel that in this instance, Lord Tenchi is correct. You should stay home and get some rest."
"No way. You just want me out of the way so that you can try and steal MY Tenchi."
"Why Miss Ryoko. I never even thought of such a thing."
"Yeah right. And don't give me that high and mighty princess attitude. You know you were trying to…" As Ryoko and Ayeka continued to argue away, Tenchi and Washu exchanged amused glances. Leaning towards each other, Tenchi said, "Well, it appears as if everything is back to normal again."
"Yes, it does appear as if things are getting back to normal. Ah…would you excuse me for just one moment Tenchi?"
Pulling out a huge whistle, Washu took a deep breath and blew as hard as she could. Everyone (everyone who wasn't fighting that is) covered his or her ears. Ryoko, who had jumped off of the couch and was preparing a huge energy ball, stopped dead in her tracks, and the huge, crackling, ball of energy went 'phutzz', and fizzled out of existence.
Ayeka, surrounded by dozens of little logs also stopped what she was doing, dropped her arms, and the logs disappeared.
"Okay, listen up everybody, because this is what we are going to do. Ryoko, you are going to stay right there on that couch and get some rest."
"But…but…"
"No buts, young lady. You get some rest or I know a certain someone who will see a certain videotape." Here Washu looks pointedly at Tenchi.
"Humph. Fine. I'll stay and try and get some sleep."
"That's my girl. I knew that video would come in handy some day. Hahahaha.
Washu continued, "everyone else, out."
"All right. Bye Ryoko. See you later." Sasami and Mihoshi both yelled as they walked out, and Ryo-ohki waved goodbye from atop Sasami's head.
Ayeka linked her arm through Tenchi's and proceeded to drag him out.
"Huh. Whoa, whoa there Miss Ayeka. Not so fast." But Ayeka did not slow down, so Tenchi just gave Ryoko a little wave goodbye, and shouted over his shoulder, before he was yanked out of the room, "I'll see you later Ryoko."
Washu followed close behind them and said before she turned the corner, "Remember to get lots of rest, now Ryoko."
"Yeah, yeah. I heard you the first time. Now go."
"Bye, bye." And with that Washu was gone and Ryoko was left alone with her thoughts. Sighing loudly, Ryoko leaned back and lay down on the couch.
What she hadn't told anyone was that the reason she didn't want to stay and rest, was that she was terrified of going to sleep, and having the nightmares return.
Closing her eyes, and snuggling down into the couch trying to get comfortable, Ryoko thought, It was just a dream. Kagato can't hurt me anymore, and neither can the memories of what he did to me.
But as she began to drift off, and her body relaxed into sleep, one last thought pushed its way to the surface, Dreams can't really hurt you…can they?
And then Ryoko knew no more.
To be continued…
The videotape mentioned is a tape that Washu made of Ryoko, at the end of one of the videos set in the OVA series. In the videotape, Ryoko is tied up by one of Washu's machines, and left alone in the lab for the night. Ryoko cries not to be left alone, and cries out for her mother. Washu gets it all on tape.