Disclaimer: I don't own Tenchi...I'm just a teenage girl writing crappie fanfic. that includes him and his buddies.
The Look In Her Beautiful Eyes
By: Spookukitty
A/N: This chapter will show you the "new" Ryoko. Three weeks away from the Masaki house has taken its toll on her. Thanks to a registration problem with this web site, I actually started to write this chapter before I even got to post my first. Oh well. I just hope I can finish writing this chapter even though I don't know what people think of it yet.
Chapter two: We Don't Have To Be Friends...
It was now the day after Ryoko had returned and Tenchi sat motionless in his seat. He was neither tired nor hungry. The memory of the evening before had caused him to focus only on the woman he was next to. He soon found himself spilling his feelings to her unconscious body. This was the most he had been able to relax in three weeks and his mind had had enough.
"Washu gave you the best treatment on the planet, Ryoko. You should feel much better when you wake up." Tenchi smiled as he looked at her. "We missed you, but I think I missed you more than anyone. Your a part of our family and we...I never want you to leave...ever again." He closed his eyes. After several seconds, he soon heard a familiar voice.
"I don't intend to, Tenchi." Her voice was weak, but it was enough to make Tenchi's spirits lift.
"Ryoko, your finally awake." he beamed. He looked into her deep, yellow eyes. He could see her happiness to see him in them, but they were still clouded with pain. Without thinking he stood up and very carefully hugged her. His voice went low as he did so. "I really thought you were never going to come back this time. I was so scared."
She managed to get one of her arms around him. She struggled to talk through the tears she was holding back.
"So was I."
They stayed in their embrace for a few minutes until Ryoko started to cough.
"Oh no! I'll get you some water." Tenchi turned to go to the kitchen. Ryoko grabbed his arm.
"Please don't leave me!" she managed to gasp.
"I'll be right back. I'm just going to get you some water." He stroked her hand to reassure her. She released his arm and watched him leave. He smiled at her as he closed the door behind him.
After filling a glass full of cold water, Tenchi started back towards the lab. He was stopped halfway by Ayeka.
"Good morning, Lord Tenchi." She gave him a huge smile. "Where have you been hiding? I've been looking all over for since you never showed up at breakfast."
Tenchi could tell right away that Ayeka didn't know Ryoko was back. He lowered his voice in anger.
"Ryoko came back yesterday. She's in Washu's lab right now...and I was sitting with her."
Ayeka's eyes filled with shock for a moment. She quickly put on a fake smile and replied.
"Oh, that's wonderful! I knew she would come back after she cooled off for a while."
"She came back because she was seriously injured, Ayeka." He rushed passed Ayeka and went back into the lab. Ayeka stood in total shock. Did she hear Tenchi right? Ryoko was actually back...and hurt?
Ayeka was having mixed emotions. She felt stupid that she didn't even know that Ryoko had come back, and that she sounded like she didn't even care in front of Tenchi. She felt bad that Ryoko was hurt so badly, but also figured it was Ryoko's own fault she got hurt. Her old feelings of being mad and jealous of Ryoko getting Tenchi's attention were starting to resurface.
Several days later
Ryoko had recovered enough that she was able to leave Washu's lab. Her cuts were healed and she looked a lot better. Her right leg was broken and in a cast, but it would heal in a few more weeks. She could phased and fly to anywhere she needed to go anyway.
Everyone (minus Ayeka) was completely thrilled to have her back. They made sure she was always as comfortable as possible. Washu even stayed out of her lab most of the day to keep her company. Ryoko was happy to be back, but she always seemed so different to everyone else. She was often just sitting quietly in the corner looking off into the abyss. She wasn't her normal loud self when she talked, in fact, she mostly just listening to conversations without talking at all. Tenchi noticed all of this, but figured it was because she was still in pain. Although, he couldn't figure out why she was so polite all of a sudden. She never use to be so charming to be around.
After lunch that day, Tenchi was sitting in the kitchen helping Sasami fix a plate that Mihoshi had accidentally dropped. There was a lot of noise coming from upstairs and just as he was getting up to see what it was, Ryoko floated down from her room in her nightdress. Tenchi stopped in the kitchen doorway and watched as she floated outside with her arms piled high with clothes.
"What is she up to?" asked Kiyone. Everyone shook their heads. Tenchi decided to follow.
Ryoko flew to a sandy area near the old cave. With a sad look in her eyes, she dropped all of the clothes into a pile on the sandy ground. Tenchi was watching from about ten feet away, and could now see that it was all of Ryoko's space pirate clothes and revealing, sexy kimonos.
Ryoko lifted her hands over the pile and shot a beam of yellow light into the center of it. Flames rose up and the clothes started to slowly burn away. Tenchi walked over and stood next to Ryoko.
"Ryoko...what are you doing?"
There was silent for a while.
"They say your clothes tell a lot about who you are." She turned and looked straight into Tenchi's gaze. Her eyes were set in a very serious stare. "I don't what to be that person anymore Tenchi." She pointed to the pile of flaming cloth.
Tenchi didn't know what to say. Why would Ryoko, the woman who prided herself in who she was, suddenly what to change? After a few minutes, he asked a question that was burning inside him for over three weeks.
"Ryoko...why do you hate the rain? He took her hands in his. Her eyes filled with tears, but she held them back.
"You were awake when I said that? ...I don't want to talk about it just yet." She put her head on his shoulder. He put his arms gently around her, minding her wounds. He changed the subject after looking at the pile of ashes that were now in front of them.
"We should get you some different clothes. You can't wear your pajamas all day now, can you?" He pointed at her nightdress. They both smiled.
"I guess I didn't think of getting any new ones before I torched mine."
Tenchi's eyes suddenly lit up. He took her hand and she levitated a few inches off the ground to follow him. He led her back into the house and up the stairs. They went to the end of the hall and he slid open the last door on the left. (A/N: I made this room up.)
It was the only room in the house that was never occupied. It was a very traditional looking room with tatami mats on the floor and old paintings hanging all over the walls. Tenchi walked over to a huge closet that covered the whole left wall, and slid the door open.
"You are welcome to use these if you wish." he said as he flipped on the light inside.
The closet was filled from end to end with the most beautiful kimonos Ryoko had ever seen. She was sure that most of them could even put Ayeka's fanciest kimonos to shame. Kimonos in beautiful patterns in every color imaginable.
"They were...my mothers'. They are old, but they're still in pretty good shape. She wasn't very big, so they should fit you just fine." He smiled and handed her a sky blue kimono with little purple and pink flowers on it.
"Are you sure it's okay that I can wear these?" She delicately traced a pink flower on the kimono. She had never felt such fine silk in her life.
"Yes." He handed her a pink obi (sash that is tied around the waist in a big bow in the back) "My mother is dead, she can't wear them anymore...but someone should. I'll leave you to change. I'll be downstairs when your done."(A/N: For those of you who don't know, kimonos can take a LONG time to put on correctly. In fact, tying an obi in an extravagant bow can take hours. Simpler ways of wrapping and tying them don't take quit as long, so for this story, Ryoko ties them very simple, like how Ayeka ties hers.)
"Thank you Tenchi." she smiled as he left the room.
Downstairs, all of the other girls were watching a very boring soap opera, so he sat at the table with his dad and grandfather. They were going through the days' mail
"Why was Ryoko setting part of the yard on fire earlier?" asked his dad.
"...She was burning her clothes. She said she wants to be a different person now."
His dad and grandfather gave him a weird look, but then figured out what Tenchi meant.
"That girls' been through a lot. I don't blame her for wanting to put her past behind her." said his grandfather as he started reading the daily paper.
"I'm letting Ryoko wear mom's old clothes, you know, since she doesn't have any. Uh, is that okay dad?"
"Yea..." his dad was too busy ogling something by the stairs to really answer.
Tenchi turned towards the stairway, sure enough, Ryoko was there. Tenchi's mouth fell open. Ryoko looked absolutely stunning. The pretty kimono enhanced all of her curves and beauty. It was as if it was made just for her. She looked like a totally different girl. The others noticed her too.
"Wow! Ryoko you look so pretty!" Sasami ran up to look closer. Ryo-ohki let out an enthusiastic meow.
No one had ever seen Ryoko so dressed up before, so it was a real shock. Even Ayeka was amazed. She practically gave herself whiplash as she turned her head to look. Her amazement soon faded away and was replaced by a smirk.
"I guess even a dirty space bum like you can look civilized if they try, Ryoko." Ayeka fumed.
Everyone was bracing themselves for a fight between princess and space pirate after Ayeka's little outburst. Tenchi tensed at the thought of someone leaving again, the yelling and the hate echoed in his mind. No punches were thrown, to his surprise. Ryoko calmly walked up to Ayeka and looked her straight in the eyes.
"You told me to leave. I left. I went back to were I came from and for weeks I had to put up with far worse things then your insults, and it changed me. I've made a change for the better because you told meI was a bad person! I'm not the same as I was before, Ayeka. I'm not the loud, annoying bitch you once saw me as, and I don't want anymore fights. You win. We don't have to be friends...but we can at least tolerate each other." she put out her hand as a symbol of truce.
Ayeka stood still for a long time. Finally, she cupped her hands around Ryoko's hand. Ryoko's speech actually touched Ayeka's cold, jealous heart. The princesses sweet nature started to emerge.
"I'm...sorry. I just...I don't know what comes over me sometimes. I guess I haven't been very sympathetic towards you since you came back. It was my fault you left, after all." She stood up and gently gave Ryoko an honest hug. "I don't mean to be so mean all the time. It's just that, well, seeing you with Lord Tenchi so much...I get jealous."
"Yea, I know what you mean. I feel the same way whenever you are with Tenchi." The two women smiled.
Tenchi was at a loss of what to do. He was so happy. The two biggest enemies under the same roof, were becoming friends!
"You look really lovely in that kimono Ryoko. I'm happy you are feeling better, and happier with yourself." said Ayeka.
Smiles came from everyone in the room. Life in the Masaki house could finally go on.
End of chapter two
A/N: Wow! I got two reviews! (Dances around the room) That's two more than I thought I would get. Thank you again, guys! Not many people appreciate a sweet "waffy" story anymore. Everything is usually sex, blood, and cursing now a days. I try to keep my stories sweet and simple by focusing on emotion rather than action. Well, another chapter down, probably only one more to go. Can you see the change in Ryoko? I tried to show it in this chapter...but not as much as I thought I would. The next chapter will tell about Ryoko's weeks of being away. Please R&R!
