Cherry Blossom Girl
Chapter Two: Frozen Over
I hope non of you were disappointed with the small amount Washu was able to write. She's going to have another chapter, so don't worry about it. The only reason we agreed to let me write this part and cut off Washu so quickly was because Tenchi and I were the only ones around during these events, nudge nudge wink wink.
Tenchi and I had a fight, the first we'd ever had. He'd asked me to come to the fields with him, and obviously, I agreed. He had to shovel off the snow from the field in a few places, he said, to make sure the pipes that they used for irrigation were okay after the ice. I was feeling incredibly giddy.
He worked for along time, we talked about random things, the family, Sasami's cooking, Mihoshi and Kiyone's latest episode, etcetera. To my delight, Tenchi was actually interested in my pirate days. I told him how lonely I got, having only Ryo-ohki to talk to. I told him how I would feel so desperate, like there was a gaping hole in my heart where good things should be. I told him how I loved the stars, how I didn't like hyperspace tunnels because I couldn't see my little twinkly friends. I told him about the time I robbed the GP of their newest weapon, the three hundred version atom accelerator. He seemed interested, interested like no one ever had been. No one had ever bothered to listen.
When he talked, he told me of his mother, how they would go to a secret field in the middle of a valley, with a little stream running through it. He told me stories of his friends at school, a place I had never had the advantage of going to. He told me about his grandfather, how he'd tell him stories about the old days on earth, and the time he'd accidentally broken Katsuhito's statue of his wife, and didn't tell him about it until he felt so guilty he punished himself by cleaning the whole house, and training for four hours, and then finally telling his grandfather. He was punished all over again, which made me go into hysterics. He didn't think it was funny.
Then he brought up the letter.
"So, who was that letter from, Ryoko?" I could tell he was trying to act casual.
"How would I know?" I'd snapped. Of course, I knew exactly who it was from. There was one person in the universe who wanted my head, and thought I'd never admit it, she terrified me.
"Ryoko…" He began. "I know you know who it is, tell me so I can help you," He said. He'd put his hand on my shoulder, which I was to distracted to feel thrilled about.
"It's no big deal," I said, trying to pass it off like it was a love letter.
"It is a big deal! I don't want you getting hurt, Ryoko!"
"I'm not gonna get hurt!"
"I need to protect you!"
"I don't need protection!" We were shouting by now.
"You're being unreasonable, Ryoko!"
"I'll be what I want to be!"
"Stop being so stubborn!"
"I could say the same thing to you!"
"Ryoko what is your problem! I can see why Ayeka hates you so much!" He shouted. We both froze.
"Ryoko, I'm sorry, I didn't mean-"
"Shut up. Please." I whispered. I was scared if I spoke any louder, I'd break. A razor sharp lump was carving away at my throat, and I tried to swallow it.
"Ryoko, I-"
"Shut up!" I shouted. I could feel the tears in my eyes, so I turned around so he couldn't see me like this. Weak. Exposed… frightened.
He took a step towards me, so I walked away. I walked towards the edge of the field, went out through the little dirt path between the trees, out onto the stone steps, and I walked down towards the house. I didn't look back.
I guess I was over it by the next morning. But I didn't feel like I should be over it. He understands why Ayeka hates me… He's on her side… He shares her feelings… My thoughts tormented me as I slowly remembered why I had tears dried onto my face, and the leftovers of a lump in my throat. I was walking down the stairs as I remembered this, and I bit my lip to try and keep myself from letting my sadness, almost terror, spill over.
Mihoshi was there, scurrying around the kitchen, trying to be of help, the poor dear. Kiyone was up to, following Mihoshi so the girl wouldn't break anything. Washu was seated on the couch. Washu… as sleep left me, I leisurely remembered why my feelings were pissed with her, to. That comment, the teasing. Right.
I walked strait past her, the detectives, and Sasami, strait out into the cold. I didn't feel like talking to anyone at the moment. I could feel Kiyone and Sasami's worried stares press into the back of my head as I balled up on the porch. Washu, I knew, probably glanced at me, but she was too wrapped up in her stupid holotop to worry about anything else. Mihoshi was just too clueless to even guess I was upset. I didn't understand why they cared. No one had, no one should, which made me even more depressed thinking I had no chance with Tenchi. I was putting myself into a funk, I knew it, but I couldn't help myself.
I was dreadfully glad Ayeka wasn't awake yet; she'd be in seventh heaven if she found out what Tenchi said to me.
I grabbed my head in my hands. The pain was unbearable. I almost tried to tell myself Tenchi didn't mean it, but I realized for some reason it made me feel worse. It was probably because once I tried, I realized all the evidence was against me.
I was crying, and I swore at myself mentally. This was idiotic. I'd fallen for some stupid Juraian prince, and now I was crying. I was a space pirate, god damn it, this wasn't me at all. Or was it? Was it the real me?
I fell to my side, utterly confused.
I thought I heard someone chuckle. I sprang up, trying to pretend I wasn't feeling emotional in any way what so ever. But no one sprang forward, no violet haired princess came out to taunt me, to tell me what I already knew; I'd lost.
I curled up again. The jumpy situation had brought me back to the present, and I realized with dismay that I couldn't feel my fingers. I cursed this disgusting backwater planet for its hebetudinous bad weather.
"Shit," I murmured, tapping my fingers against the house, only to realize they were hard as rock. I hadn't realized I'd been out for so long.
I recognized, with a pang, that if my hand could freeze…
I reached up to feel my face. A slick trail of ice ran down the left side of my face, from my eye to my chin.
I hurried inside with my head down, extremely embarrassed with this stupid situation; my hand and my tears were frozen because I was being self centered and idiotic.
Ayeka had come down from her room, all glowing and happy. My first thought was Tenchi must have told her.
I tried to scurry by her, but she caught me.
"Ryoko, why were you outside?" She was concerned? The tears had melted off my face by now, and I wiped them away hastily, hoping she hadn't seen.
"What's it to you?" I said, brushing past her.
I bumped into Tenchi. He'd come down the stairs while I'd had my head down. He took me by the shoulders, trying to steer me to the back room. I ripped out of his hold, spinning on my toes.
"Washu," I said, looking up. She was still on the couch, type type typing away.
"mm?" She said, not looking up.
"Can I talk to you?"
Washu'd led me into her lab, sitting me down on a table.
"What's the problem, dearie?" She said, her hands on her hips as she turned to face me.
"My hand," I grumbled, raising it so she could see. It was purplish and hurt like hell.
"Ahh, a bit of frost bite, huh?" Washu said. She opened a dimension pocket, stuck her hand in and rummaged around for a while. When she pulled her tiny hand out of the compartment, it brought with it a yellow metal box. At fist, I thought that was all it was. But looking closer, I saw a small slot in the side. I had a very bad feeling about this.
"Now just put your hand in here…" Washu said, setting the box on the table.
I glared at her. "You want me to put my hand inside some contraption that you've just pulled out of a dimension pocket?"
"Yes!" She said, obviously not noting my unease; either that or enjoying it.
"NO way. I am not putting my hand into somewhere where I can't see it, if it involves your machines," I said stubbornly.
"You're such a baby!" Washu said, rolling her eyes. Before I could protest, or even before I could take another breath, she'd shoved my hand into the slot. I pulled. It didn't budge.
"Just hang on a second…" Washu'd pressed a button on the side of it, opening up a whole new compartment with an elaborate array of buttons. She pressed the biggest one before I could stop her.
I waited for the pain, the explosion, the malfunction of some sort that would leave me worse off then before.
Then, a charming warm feeling spread from my finger tips to my wrist. To my surprise, the thing was working. Usually Washu's machines did something incredibly the opposite of working. I had learned not to trust her with these important things when she was dealing with one of her messed up trinkets.
A metal clamp released my hand, and I pulled it out to gaze at it with wonder. It was completely healed.
"Gee, thanks Washu. I thought for sure it was going to blow up on me," I said, grinning at her.
"Hardy har har," Washu said dryly. "Now get out of my lab before I make you!" She yelled suddenly.
I jumped, and teleported immediately. I could've sworn I heard her chuckle as I left.
I teleported up to my place at the table. Breakfast was almost over, and I was starving.
I was feeling better, mentally forgiving Washu for her sadistic comments the night before. I'd hoped she'd taken my thanks as an 'it's okay'.
"Oh, hi Ryoko, I'm glad you made it for breakfast!" Sasami said brightly, smiling ear to ear in my direction.
I love that kid. "Yeah, thanks Sasami," I said. I almost started eating when the sick terror soared in my stomach again. I cursed myself for looking up, for when I did, Tenchi had been staring at me with whimpering eyes.
I didn't want to forgive him. Why should I? He'd gently poked at my heart, until suddenly he leaned forward and jabbed a gaping hole in it with a screw driver.
I didn't feel hungry anymore. "I'm not hungry, today, Sasami," I said. My voice came out a lot less reassuring then I'd wanted it to.
I slid through the floor into the cellar before she could ask me anything that would make me break down.
I don't know how long I was there. I don't know if I missed lunch, because the sick feeling was bloating my stomach. I felt I wanted to curl up and die.
He came down later, trying to be quiet. It didn't work. Tenchi wasn't a very graceful person.
He sat down beside me, putting his strong arm around my shoulder.
"Ryoko, I'm sorry," He whispered. I didn't answer. That wasn't going to work on me, not this time. "I'm an idiot. I don't know why I said that… Please, I was just frustrated," My silence was making him uneasy. Good. That makes two of us.
"Ryoko… I'm desperate. Please, I didn't mean it, any of it. Except maybe the stubborn part."
I couldn't help smiling. My game was over. I leaned against him, pressing my face into his chest.
I felt his body mellow beneath me, his muscles unwind. "Another thing Ryoko," He said. My ear was against his chest, I could hear his heart, going a million miles per hour.
"Tenchi?" I looked up, worried. Tenchi was staring at me. He put his finger under my chin, leaned forward…
Time seemed to freeze. It seemed it couldn't be moving if I had all that thinking time. He was kissing me? That couldn't be right. I almost laughed out loud. But what ever he was doing, he missed his target, because our lips met. He didn't move, except pressing forward a bit at one point.
I wasn't thinking anymore, nothing was rushing through my head. It was serenely empty, just pictures floating through my head. The sick feeling was gone, absorbed by sudden an extreme hunger. I distantly remembered not eating anything that morning.
Tenchi's tongue flitted across my teeth. I wasn't even surprised, it seemed so natural. I opened my mouth, letting his tongue gently brush mine. It was scary almost, the electricity.
When he pulled away, he brought me to his chest. His lips brushed my ear as he whispered, "I love you, Ryoko,"
I was stunned. Sure, he kissed me, but he was a guy. He had hormones, didn't he?
But he said it. He said what I dreamed of watching come out of his mouth, and I couldn't respond. Tenchi had locked my voice away in my heart (along with my common sense), which he'd held in the palm of his hand since the second he met me. I begged him to give me the key, but I ended up prying it open myself. I realized I'd been quiet for too long, but he didn't seem to mind.
"I love you, Tenchi," I whispered. I could feel tears rolling down my cheeks. This time I didn't hurry to hide them.