Chapter Seventeen


"Ryoko? Ryoko! Oh, where are you, confounded girl! Ryoko!"

Ryoko perched high on the roof-beam of the palace chamber, gripping tightly to the wood as she watched the woman below hunting for her, calling her name with ever more impatience. "Ryoko! Where have you got to this time! Ryoko! Are you even here? Answer me, you stupid child! Answer me!"

Eliciting no response, the woman left the big chamber, the door sliding shut behind her and Ryoko let out a breath of air, leaning back against the beam as she did so. She disliked the woman, with her nagging, high-pitched voice and her quick temper. If she didn't work hard enough or quickly enough, she was liable to get a beating and she had no mind to be attending to the back-breaking chores of the palace staff today. The sun was too bright in the sky, and she had no interest in being the royal family's slave.

"But they haven't thought to look up to find me, yet." She said softly to herself, a mischievous smile touching her lips. "I can spend all of the day up here if I like and nobody will ever find me!"

"I'm really not sure what else we can do about her."

The voices drifted down the passageway, and despite herself, Ryoko froze, pressing back against the beam as she heard the familiar voices of the Crown Prince Azusa and his brother, Lord Haru. The door opened once more to admit the two princes, sliding shut with a soft whirr behind them, and Azusa let out a sigh, making his way through the middle of the rows of seats and taking one for himself. He nodded his head, a look of defeat on his face.

"Father is not going to budge on the subject." Haru added. "And I agree with him, Azusa. We've tried. We've all tried. But every chance we've given her has turned out to go the wrong way. Some of the staff are beginning to whisper things, too. I've heard so many complaints about her unruly, rebellious behaviour and even more about strange happenings - even from my own young daughter Ayeka. Azusa, you know that we can't continue to keep her here. You know and I know that she does not belong on Jurai."

"I understand what you are saying, Haru, but you must realise that it's hard for me to turn anyone away when they need help." Azusa said frankly. "After what happened to her mother...what else could we do but take her with us?"

"We don't even know who her mother was. Not really." Haru said softly. "Nor do we know the true circumstances of her death. The child has magic, that's sure enough. Strange, dark magic that's alien to Jurai. Some have even claimed to see her fly. What if they're right? What if she is dangerous? What if she was the one who killed her mother?"

"A small child?" Azusa reacted incredulously, bringing his hand down with a thump on the arm of his chair and making his brother jump. "Haru, see some sense! She was no older than your Sasami when we found her. If that, even! I defy you to tell me how such a young one could even imagine hurting her own mother that way!"

"And how did she get out into the middle of the street by herself, when minutes earlier she had been nowhere around?" Haru demanded. "I know you think it's idle superstition, Azusa, but I take threats to our family very seriously. It's more than possible that her mother was some kind of a demon or dark agent sent to raise her in black magic. And you've seen how the girl behaves. Sometimes she's like an animal, even though more than one person has tried to tame her and bring her in line. There is something savage about her. Something violent and unnatural. I don't like it at all."

Ryoko bit her lip, knowing all too well by now that they were talking about her.

Azusa sighed.

"Ryoko is a waif and stray - a ward of Jurai and that's all." He said slowly. "I know that she's a handful sometimes - she can be wild and she doesn't take well to training or orders. But we promised to take care of her, and then Father decided to exile her to the house staff's custody, as if she was somehow tainting the palace by being with our children. No wonder she's resentful. She's been pushed about for the last ten solar cycles and I can imagine she's pretty upset about it. She lost her mother, Haru, and she has noone else. Jurai isn't a planet who turns away people in need. Ryoko has need, and I believe we can tame her and even use her to our advantage. If she does have magic deep within her, and it is powerful, then we can only benefit by securing her allegiance to Jurai. One day she may fight with your daughter's name on her lips, Haru. Did you think of that?"

Haru was silent for a moment, and when he spoke, Ryoko had to strain to hear every word.

"I will not have her influence around, upsetting Ayeka and Sasami." He said softly. "It's not your family she's affecting. Yosho is grown. He's training and growing and learning what one day he will have to know to be Emperor after you and after Father. He is not here to witness all of this and I'm glad of it, too. I can only imagine what he would say if he knew how soft you'd become over one lost child. I almost wonder if you know more about her birth than you've told me, Azusa. If your interest in this maid is more than just a passing whim."

"Haru! What are you suggesting?" Azusa's tones were enraged. "Do you think I would dishonour my lady wife in such a way?"

"Then why are you so keen to help this girl?"

"Because she lost her mother young, just like you and I did, Haru." Azusa's tones were filled with regret. "You don't remember...you and our sister Aiko no more than young babies. But I still remember her and I remember the day she died. Ryoko lost her mother too and whether she speaks about it or not, she must remember some of the pain of that parting. If I can do anything to help her survive that then I will."

"Then you will have to find an alternative solution." Haru sighed heavily. "Even her presence here disturbs so many people, and you know it as well as I. Father's mind is made up and I doubt very much that you'll change it. Ryoko must leave the palace. Send her to a colony, if you're so keen to keep her within Jurai territories. Somewhere where they will train her and discipline her and teach her to be the kind of person that makes our planet proud. But don't keep her here, where her strange magics frighten the younger palace staff and her wild behaviour distresses my family."

Azusa frowned, shaking his head.

"All right." He said unwillingly. "Tonight, after dinner, I will send for her and I will make those arrangements. But it pains me to do it, Haru. So much can be altered in a child when they are so young. Ryoko is barely more than twelve or thereabouts. Imagine if it it was your Ayeka who we were stranding on a strange and lonely planet. How would you feel then?"

"Ayeka is a Princess of Jurai." Haru said stiffly. "There is no comparison."

Ryoko had heard enough. Flickering out of the protective network of beams and re-materialising in the corridor, she ran helter-skelter through the palace towards the safety of her small chamber, tears blurring her sight as she ran.

"How can they talk about me like that?" She muttered. "Like I'm some kind of a tool to be used or sharpened when they need me! I'm not their servant or their tool! If they don't want me, well, I'm not going to stay here, either!"

She reached her destination, flinging open the door and beginning to dig through her meagre belongings, grabbing this thing or that as her mind began to put together her next plan of action. Finally she sat backwards, taking a silken hair ribbon from her dresser and tying the belongings together in one neat, tight pile. She scooped it up, testing it for weight, then she nodded.

"I'll show them that Ryoko isn't a tool!" She exclaimed. "And that damn Ayeka too! I'm not a monster and I'm not someone's property, to throw around like I don't matter. If they want me to leave the palace well, I'll be gone long before dinner time! Then let them be sorry when they can't find me!"

"Ryoko?"

Ryoko opened her eyes as she felt the touch at her wrist, for a moment not sure where she was. The room was in darkness and, imbued with the vivid nature of her memory she let out a cry, pulling her arm back from the other person's grasp. There was a moment of hesitation, then she felt a gentle touch on her cheek.

"It's all right, Ryoko. It's only me. Tenchi." The words made slow sense in her sluggish brain and she fought to regain full clarity, blinking and bringing the room into focus. Tenchi's anxious face stared down at her, and as she drew breath into her lungs, she realised that she was back aboard Yagami, in one of the ship's bunk rooms. She sighed, relaxing on her pillows.

"Was I dreaming?" She asked faintly. Tenchi smiled.

"If you were, you've been dreaming for a long time, Ryoko." He said frankly. "You've been out for almost three days...I was starting to worry about you. I thought the gems might have damaged your mind...that you might never wake up."

"Three days?" Ryoko struggled to bring herself upright, realising as she did so that every muscle in her body ached and groaned against any kind of movement. She fell back against her pillows with a grimace.

"Something hurts?" Tenchi was immediately alert, and Ryoko nodded gingerly.

"Only everything." She muttered wryly. "Don't worry about me, Tenchi. I'm just great, really."

Tenchi's expression broke into a warm grin and he took her hand in his again, squeezing it reassuringly.

"Washu said she thought you would wake up." He admitted. "But I didn't know...you didn't seem to hear any of us when we tried to talk to you. It was like you were delerious, but you didn't have any fever. You'd say things but we couldn't make them out. I was worried, Ryoko. We all were. I'm glad you're okay."

He paused, then,

"Do you remember what happened aboard Karasu?"

Ryoko struggled to drag the pieces of splintered memory together, pushing the more vivid childhood recollections out of her mind as she turned her memory back to the conflict with Haki. Slowly she nodded.

"Bits of it." She acknowledged. "Not everything. Did we...?"

"We did." Tenchi nodded his head. "Haki is confined in a sub-dimension Washu located, and he and Karasu won't be getting out to terrorise anyone any time soon. You were very brave, Ryoko. Very brave indeed."

"Was I?" Ryoko frowned. "I don't really remember. The last thing I recall is you telling me you were going to help me and then...that's it, really."

She shrugged her shoulders, wincing as she jarred her aching muscles. "I feel mangled. What in hell did he do to me?"

"He almost killed you." Washu's voice interrupted them at that moment, and Ryoko caught sight of the scientist out of the corner of her eye. "Don't complain, Ryoko. If you can feel pain it means you're alive and that's enough for the time being."

She cast Tenchi a look.

"You've been here long enough." She added. "She's a patient and she's not reached full fitness yet. You'll wear her out telling her about things that she'll remember in her own time soon enough. Go on with you. Out."

Tenchi's eyes danced with amusement at her tone, but he got to his feet and Ryoko was aware of him releasing her hand.

"All right, Washu-chan." He agreed. "I'll come back later, when she's more rested. Take care, Ryoko. Feel better."

There was the sound of the cabin door opening and closing, and then he was gone. Ryoko grimaced.

"Why did you do that?"

"Because you are not ready to have lots of people visiting you just yet." Washu said pragmatically. "I don't think you realise how close you came to losing everything aboard Karasu, Ryoko. Now you be a good girl and keep quiet, all right? We're almost at Jurai, and you know how much stock they put in good manners over there."

"Jurai?" Ryoko sat bolt upright at this, letting out a yelp of pain as she did so. "Oww...I should not have done that. But Washu, are you crazy? They hate me there! They'll box me up and send me back to Galaxy Police HQ the second I touch their soil and...ooh, my head."

She reached up to rub her temples as the world swam, and Washu pushed her back down onto her pillows, drawing the covers up over her with a stern frown.

"What do I have to do to make you rest around here?" She demanded, an edge to her tone. "Be quiet, Ryoko, and listen to me. We wouldn't take you to Jurai if there was any risk of you being carted back to prison. Remember, Mihoshi and Kiyone are also under investigation for your release and subsequent charges of treason against the Galaxy Police Force. If you'll just listen, you'll understand why it's the best place for us to be heading."

"All right." A rebellious expression entered Ryoko's gaze. "I'm listening, but this had better be good."

"Ayeka made contact with her father and her uncle late last night." Washu said slowly. "Her uncle, the Emperor of Jurai."

"I'm not impressed...just get to the point."

"Of course, they're ecstatic to know that Ayeka and Sasami are safe."

"No accounting for taste. Go on."

"So ecstatic that they're willing to look into the possibility of a pardon for all existing crimes. For Kiyone, for Mihoshi...and for you." Washu shot her a meaningful look. "Jurai don't control the Galaxy Police but they do have a lot of influence there, particularly at the moment with the Force so depleted. With Jurai on our side, it's the safest place to be while they do their best to lobby officials at HQ. After all, few police patrols would charge their way into Jurai territory the way they charged down to Earth to find you."

"Why would the Emperor of Jurai want to help me?" Ryoko's eyes narrowed to slits as she considered this. "And more, why would Ayeka sanction it? It doesn't make sense. Ayeka hates me."

"Ayeka is a lady of honour." Washu said simply. "You bartered your freedom and possibly your life for hers when you rescued her from Haki's custody. By giving you your freedom and your life, she's repaying the debt owed. She is already thinking like an Empress, that's all...and a good thing too, since once she's married to Lord Takeru she will be more and more involved in the politics of Jurai."

Ryoko was silent for a moment, digesting all of this.

"Well, well." She said thoughtfully. "I would never have thought it of her."

"Perhaps we all surprise people sometimes." Washu agreed cryptically. "Now you shut up and get some rest. When we reach Jurai, I have little doubt that the Emperor and Lord Haru will want to speak to you themselves, and in the state you're in right now they'll think you've spent the night drinking sake and sleeping under a table somewhere. That's not exactly the impression we want to give them, now is it?"

"You're not my mother, you know." Ryoko muttered. "Maybe I want to see Tenchi...what's to stop me teleporting out of this room right now?"

"I wouldn't try it, unless you want an even bigger headache." Washu said briskly. "I put a shield on this room to prevent you from using your powers. I know you, Ryoko. You'll get up and start flying around even before you're ready or strong enough to do so. You've taken a beating and I advise you to think on that for a moment before you try and worry everyone with more of your crazy suicidal antics. All right? Because I do have other things to do than play nursemaid to a bad-tempered patient, you know."

"Fine." Ryoko sighed. "I'm too tired to argue with you. I give. I'll stay here. But you better let Tenchi come back later, Washu, or else I'll be out of here, forcefield or no."

"We'll see about that." Washu eyed her companion contemplatively. "Now shut your yap and let me get back to some important work, okay? I didn't ask to play doctor on this little voyage of yours and I'm just as fed up about it as you are!"

Ryoko did not answer, merely closing her eyes. In the background somewhere she heard the sound of footsteps as Washu left the chamber, and then the door sliding shut behind her. Then she was lost in sleep once more, as the vivid dreams returned.

"Washu-chan, will she be all right?"

As Washu left the cabin, Sasami was waiting anxiously for her, hopping from one foot to the other. "Tenchi said she woke up - is it true?"

"She woke up and I made her go right back to sleep again." Washu said briefly. "I've better things to do than talk to a grumbly invalid who won't listen to a word anyone tells her."

"She is all right!" Hope flared in Sasami's eyes. "Then Tsunami did help her! Oh good!"

"I think you helped her as much as Tsunami did." Washu looked at the young girl speculatively. "Does Ayeka know about all of this yet? How much Tsunami has been speaking to you recently?"

"Not really." Sasami looked awkward. "I don't know how to explain it to her. I'm not even sure quite what happened to me myself, you see. I don't know why Tsunami has chosen me for anything, if you're even right and that is what she's done. It's difficult because I don't understand. So all I told Ayeka was that Tsunami helped me to heal Ryoko. That's all. I didn't tell her about the dreams or anything else."

"I'm glad you didn't tell her about the dreams, Sasami." Washu said quietly. "Considering you gave me your word."

"I would never tell anyone your secret, Washu-san." Sasami assured her earnestly. "But there have been other dreams too, you know. Maybe they all mean something, but I don't know yet. It's all so confusing."

"Not really." Washu shook her head. "When Karasu's cannon fired at Tsunami, you were connected with her. You were driving that ship through space, weren't you, Sasami? You had communicated with her already."

"She seemed to understand what I wanted of her." Sasami nodded her head. "But Ryu Oh does that...I mean did that for Ayeka all the time. And all Jurai ships respond when they are called by a member of the Royal Family. Right?"

"Wrong." Washu shook her head. "Tsunami isn't like other trees. She is the Tree of Life, you know that. The centre and mother of all of Jurai's royal forest of trees. Every ship - even Ryu Oh - is connected to Tsunami, but no one human ever has been. But when Karasu hit the ship, Sasami, you should have been killed. Azaka and Kamadake both said that the cannon blast headed right for you. And yet you weren't even hurt...did you think then that that was strange?"

"Not really. I was worried about Ayeka." Sasami's brow furrowed. "You mean Tsunami protected me then?"

"She did." Washu nodded. "Tsunami chose you then, Sasami. I don't know why yet and nor do you, but one day she'll explain it to you. Either way, you shouldn't take it lightly."

"I see." Sasami sighed. "I was hoping I'd go back to Jurai and everything would be back to normal, but it won't be, will it Washu?"

"Not exactly, but few things in life ever are that way." Washu said thoughtfully. "Don't hide from it, Sasami. Embrace it. When the time comes, you'll know what it means and you'll understand why you were chosen. For now, don't think on it more than you must. That you have a tree of your own now means you're no longer in your sister's shadow. You're no longer a small child but a young woman, ready to greet the universe on her own terms. This is your coming of age, Sasami. Think of it like that, if it helps."

"Perhaps a little." Sasami owned. "I do get fed up with being treated like a child sometimes."

"Well, there you go, then."

"Are you going to tell Ryoko the truth, Washu-chan?"

"What truth?" Washu shook her head. "There's nothing that I need to say to Ryoko, Sasami. If you think about it, you'll know that's the truth."

"Maybe." Sasami pursed her lips. "It just seems sad. That's all. That you can't tell her."

"Well, don't think of it that way." Washu told her. "I don't feel sad, so you certainly shouldn't be. Ryoko is a big girl and she has enough ghosts already in her life to handle. She doesn't need another one clouding her judgement. After all, she has to face your father and the Emperor in a few days time. The last thing she needs is something else to addle her thoughts."

"Father will be so glad to have Ayeka back he'll do anything we ask." Sasami's eyes sparkled with mischief. "Even issue a pardon to Ryoko, if that's what we want. And Ayeka does want it, Washu. She kept on at him about it until he agreed to review the case."

"That makes you happy, Sasami?"

"Well, I like Ryoko." Sasami nodded her head. "And besides, she's part of my family too, Washu."

"Yes, she is." Washu nodded her head. "And I'm glad you feel that way."

She glanced at her watch, frowning.

"And I am already very behind on my project, thanks to all of this nonsense." She added. "Stop distracting me, Sasami...you have other things to do and I'm sure I do, too."

"All right, Washu-chan." Sasami nodded her head, offering her a grin. "I'll see you later."

Washu watched the young girl hurry off down the corridor of the ship, then made her way slowly towards the little room she had turned into her travelling laboratory.

"Tsunami-sama." She murmured, as she pushed open the door. "Whoever would have thought it."