Just a side note: *~*~*~*~* denotes past memories
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Part II: The Morning After
Chapter 6: Ryoko's Past
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Ryoko's eyes flickered open. She shied turned away from the bright sunlight shining through her window and looked at the time. It was still early, only nine o'clock. Ryoko liked to sleep in, especially now since she didn't have work in the morning but still she got up and walked to the bathroom. Her place was small; she only had a living room, bathroom and a kitchen. It wasn't that she couldn't afford a bigger place, but there was no need. She was living by herself, having a bigger place would feel too lonely.
It's been a week since she came back from the cruise, and she's been working since, not as a masseuse but a bartender. Being a masseuse gave her too much problems. Men always expected more "service" that she wasn't about to give. Being a bartender wasn't bad. What she didn't get in wages she got in tips. And she didn't have to work until late at night. That gave her time to do her own things.
She cooked breakfast and took out a map of Tokyo. It was all scribbled on, marking the routes she traveled already. Everyday since she came back Ryoko walked all over Tokyo. She wanted to find a clue about her past. She had amnesia so she couldn't remember anything before going to the orphanage, but she did know she was from Tokyo.
Ryoko knew it was a very long shot. So far she had almost walked half of the city and still no hope. She looked down at her map. The only places left were rich neighborhoods and she doubted she was from there. Everyone from the orphanage always dreamed that they were from a rich family, given up because they were born out of wedlock. Ryoko never had that thought, but. she looked at the map again, she didn't want to give up without being sure. She packed her bag with water and food and walked out of her apartment.
She took a taxi. When she got off she felt like she entered another world. There was no noise; there was no one on the streets. The eerie quietness sent chills through Ryoko. Instead of tall buildings she saw a lot of nature, trees and gardens, but there were no birds. It was almost as if they knew not to disturb this place. There were a lot of walls and gates surrounding, she supposed, each person's property. She peered into each home; but the only feeling going through her was astonishment, not recognition. So many people dreamed of growing up in a mansion and being rich, but she never did. Just by being here and looking around, she could already feel the coldness. How could anyone wish to grow up in a place where there were only walls and gates? This place didn't foster love.
Ryoko continued walking until she saw a school. She looked at the plate on the wall that said Eitoku High School. So this is the school Tsukushi goes to. Because it was a Sunday there was nobody there. She continued walking alongside the school walls. It took her more than an hour to walk to the other end of the school boundary. At first she thought it was all high school then she saw playgrounds and realized Eitoku probably encompassed preschool through college. Rich people liked to stay together. They were most likely afraid of being 'contaminated' by commoners.
She was about to leave when she saw an image of herself when she was a kid running across the playground. The little child crawled through the bushes. Ryoko tried to follow and soon reached a dead end. But she could've sworn the child went here. She looked around and saw a hole on the brick wall. She walked closer and saw a symbol of two katanas (samurai swords) crisscrossed and a dove on top inscribed in the hole. Her eyes widened in recognition. It was the same symbol as her pendant. She had the necklace before she came to the orphanage.
She took off her necklace and placed the pendant in the hole. It was a perfect fit. The wall parted down the middle. Ryoko squinted at the bright sunlight. She raised her left hand to shield her eyes. She walked through the opening. Her eyes widened at the beautiful garden before her. There were flowers of different variety with different colors. On her right side was a tall sakura tree in full bloom. Hanging from one of the branches was a swing. She walked to the swing and touched the rope.
She was instantly overwhelmed with memories.
*~*~*~*~*
"Push me up higher," little Ryoko said.
"You're going to fall."
"No I won't. Higher!" She giggled. She wanted to soar.
*~*~*~*~*
The memories slowly faded away leaving Ryoko yearning for the life she had never known. She was overjoyed. She had finally found something related to her past. She got up and continued walking along the checkered path, hoping to remember more.
She stopped when she reached a zen garden. It should've looked out of place in a floral garden but its simplicity added a nice balance. She touched the sand but was careful not to mess up the pattern.
*~*~*~*~*
"Ryo-chan! Don't mess up the design, your father just finished it."
A man in the background laughed softly. "It's alright. Ryoko will just help me fix it." He picked up little Ryoko and held her in his arms so that they were eye to eye.
Ryoko nodded. "Let's make a really pretty design." Ryoko was placed back down on the floor. She knelt and used a twig to draw the crisscrossed swords and added a dove on top.
"The two katanas represent our family crest but why the dove?"
"Well my teacher taught us that swords were used to kill people so I added the dove because that symbolizes peace."
"That's perfect. It should be our new family crest."
"Really?"
Ryoko's dad nodded. "Our crest should symbolize the future not just the past."
*~*~*~*~*
As Ryoko came back to the present she realized she had subconsciously drawn the symbol on her pendant, on the same place she drew when she was a kid. She was about to erase it but she paused and smiled. Maybe a little something was okay.
They were here parents. Although she couldn't see their faces she felt the love they had for her. Tears started coming out, shocking Ryoko. Her heart yearned for what she had been robbed off. She stayed on the floor crying it all out.
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Yay I did another chapter. Sorry if some of you thought the chapter was boring. I had to talk about her, just her. I promise it'll get more interesting. When I get 10 reviews for this chapter I'll post the next one up within 2 days. So review!
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Part II: The Morning After
Chapter 6: Ryoko's Past
************************************************************************
Ryoko's eyes flickered open. She shied turned away from the bright sunlight shining through her window and looked at the time. It was still early, only nine o'clock. Ryoko liked to sleep in, especially now since she didn't have work in the morning but still she got up and walked to the bathroom. Her place was small; she only had a living room, bathroom and a kitchen. It wasn't that she couldn't afford a bigger place, but there was no need. She was living by herself, having a bigger place would feel too lonely.
It's been a week since she came back from the cruise, and she's been working since, not as a masseuse but a bartender. Being a masseuse gave her too much problems. Men always expected more "service" that she wasn't about to give. Being a bartender wasn't bad. What she didn't get in wages she got in tips. And she didn't have to work until late at night. That gave her time to do her own things.
She cooked breakfast and took out a map of Tokyo. It was all scribbled on, marking the routes she traveled already. Everyday since she came back Ryoko walked all over Tokyo. She wanted to find a clue about her past. She had amnesia so she couldn't remember anything before going to the orphanage, but she did know she was from Tokyo.
Ryoko knew it was a very long shot. So far she had almost walked half of the city and still no hope. She looked down at her map. The only places left were rich neighborhoods and she doubted she was from there. Everyone from the orphanage always dreamed that they were from a rich family, given up because they were born out of wedlock. Ryoko never had that thought, but. she looked at the map again, she didn't want to give up without being sure. She packed her bag with water and food and walked out of her apartment.
She took a taxi. When she got off she felt like she entered another world. There was no noise; there was no one on the streets. The eerie quietness sent chills through Ryoko. Instead of tall buildings she saw a lot of nature, trees and gardens, but there were no birds. It was almost as if they knew not to disturb this place. There were a lot of walls and gates surrounding, she supposed, each person's property. She peered into each home; but the only feeling going through her was astonishment, not recognition. So many people dreamed of growing up in a mansion and being rich, but she never did. Just by being here and looking around, she could already feel the coldness. How could anyone wish to grow up in a place where there were only walls and gates? This place didn't foster love.
Ryoko continued walking until she saw a school. She looked at the plate on the wall that said Eitoku High School. So this is the school Tsukushi goes to. Because it was a Sunday there was nobody there. She continued walking alongside the school walls. It took her more than an hour to walk to the other end of the school boundary. At first she thought it was all high school then she saw playgrounds and realized Eitoku probably encompassed preschool through college. Rich people liked to stay together. They were most likely afraid of being 'contaminated' by commoners.
She was about to leave when she saw an image of herself when she was a kid running across the playground. The little child crawled through the bushes. Ryoko tried to follow and soon reached a dead end. But she could've sworn the child went here. She looked around and saw a hole on the brick wall. She walked closer and saw a symbol of two katanas (samurai swords) crisscrossed and a dove on top inscribed in the hole. Her eyes widened in recognition. It was the same symbol as her pendant. She had the necklace before she came to the orphanage.
She took off her necklace and placed the pendant in the hole. It was a perfect fit. The wall parted down the middle. Ryoko squinted at the bright sunlight. She raised her left hand to shield her eyes. She walked through the opening. Her eyes widened at the beautiful garden before her. There were flowers of different variety with different colors. On her right side was a tall sakura tree in full bloom. Hanging from one of the branches was a swing. She walked to the swing and touched the rope.
She was instantly overwhelmed with memories.
*~*~*~*~*
"Push me up higher," little Ryoko said.
"You're going to fall."
"No I won't. Higher!" She giggled. She wanted to soar.
*~*~*~*~*
The memories slowly faded away leaving Ryoko yearning for the life she had never known. She was overjoyed. She had finally found something related to her past. She got up and continued walking along the checkered path, hoping to remember more.
She stopped when she reached a zen garden. It should've looked out of place in a floral garden but its simplicity added a nice balance. She touched the sand but was careful not to mess up the pattern.
*~*~*~*~*
"Ryo-chan! Don't mess up the design, your father just finished it."
A man in the background laughed softly. "It's alright. Ryoko will just help me fix it." He picked up little Ryoko and held her in his arms so that they were eye to eye.
Ryoko nodded. "Let's make a really pretty design." Ryoko was placed back down on the floor. She knelt and used a twig to draw the crisscrossed swords and added a dove on top.
"The two katanas represent our family crest but why the dove?"
"Well my teacher taught us that swords were used to kill people so I added the dove because that symbolizes peace."
"That's perfect. It should be our new family crest."
"Really?"
Ryoko's dad nodded. "Our crest should symbolize the future not just the past."
*~*~*~*~*
As Ryoko came back to the present she realized she had subconsciously drawn the symbol on her pendant, on the same place she drew when she was a kid. She was about to erase it but she paused and smiled. Maybe a little something was okay.
They were here parents. Although she couldn't see their faces she felt the love they had for her. Tears started coming out, shocking Ryoko. Her heart yearned for what she had been robbed off. She stayed on the floor crying it all out.
************************************************************************
Yay I did another chapter. Sorry if some of you thought the chapter was boring. I had to talk about her, just her. I promise it'll get more interesting. When I get 10 reviews for this chapter I'll post the next one up within 2 days. So review!