Ryoko's Sacrifice-- Part 3
By: MagikOpal (MagikOpal@hotmail.com)

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Tenchi Muyo characters.  This fan fic
comes entirely from my imagination.  The real show is property of AIC and
Pioneer, so please, no one sue me... ok?

Author's Note:  When you see an ~_____~, that means that it's a thought
quote, ok, now on to the story!!!

The next few days seemed to drag on, yet no one seemed to notice.  Wasyu
stayed in her lab, running tests on Ryouko.  Aeka and Sasami busied
themselves with the housework, trying to keep there mind off things.  Tenchi
refused to go to school, or work in the shrine, he spent most of his time
with Ryouko or walking in the woods, thinking about her.  Five days later,
Tenchi was sitting in Ryouko's tree, staring out into the lake, when he
heard a blood-curling scream coming from the house.  He jumped to the ground
and sprinted back, and into Wasyu's lab door, which was oddly ajar.
        "Ryouko!  Ryouko!  Please!  Stop it Ryouko!  It's me, Wasyu!"
        Ryouko was still laying down, but she refused to stop screaming as
she
writhed and strained against Wasyu's and Aeka's hands, who were
unsuccessfully trying to keep her down.
        "Lord Tenchi!  Thank god, please help us, there is something wrong
with
Ryouko!"
        Tenchi ran over and forcefully placed his hands on Ryouko's
shoulders,
looking at her eyes, which were tightly shut as she screamed.
        "RYOUKO!  Please, it's me, Tenchi!  Ryouko's it's Tenchi, please
stop
screaming... look at me!!!"
        Her eyes opened and filled with tears as her screams turned into
whimpers.
        "GO AWAY! Please, don't look at me, DON'T LOOK AT ME!"  She
pleaded..  She
pushed Aeka's hands away from her and curled into a ball, sobbing into her
chest.
        Abiding to her wishes, Tenchi turned his eyes away from Ryouko and
looked
at Ayeka, who looked shaken up.
        "Miss Aeka, are you alright?"
        Her eyes snapped up and filled with tears.  "Of course I am not
alright!
How could I be?  Don't you understand?  Look at her!  I.... I wouldn't have
been able to do that for you!  I wouldn't have been able to take the pain...
and I would have let Kagato torture you instead.  I... I would have been
responsible."
        "Aeka, don't be rediculous.  I would never ask you to... give
yourself to
Kagato... just for me."
        "Oh Lord Tenchi, you just don't understand.  I... I love you, as
does Miss
Ryouko, the only difference is... she loves you more.  She must!  And,
what's worse, is that you love her as well."
        "Miss Aeka, I would hardely--"
        "You may not realize it yet, but it's true, and it is time I admit
it.
Please, Lord Tenchi, I have seen it in your eyes, it is time you see it
yourself."  And with that, she left, leaving Tenchi shocked.  He turned
around only to find Wasyu gone, leaving him alone with a sobbing Ryouko.
        He looked around and found a blanket on one of the chairs nearby.
He
brought it back and let it fall over her body, so that he couldn't see
anything below her chin.  He watched the blanket frise and fall as she took
ragged breaths, and remembered her before; laughing, picking fights, even
her attempts at seducing him.  He wondered how this could be that same
person, the same brave person he had always known, now curled up in a ball
crying.
        "Ryouko, please, stop crying.  I can't bare to see you this way."
        Ryouko looked up and saw the anguish in his face.  "I'm... I'm sorry
Tenchi."
        "Oh, don't be sorry.  I'm sorry, you shouldn't have had to go
through
that."
        "Tenchi, I should have told you, but, I haven't told anyone, not
even
Wasyu.  I've spent hundreds of years... just trying to forget it."
        "Trying to forget what?  Oh my god, Ryouko... has he done this,
before?"
        The bowing of her head was the only answer that Tenchi needed.
        "Oh, oh my god.  Ryouko..."  Tenchi sat down at the head of the
table, and
motioned Ryouko to lay her head on his lap.  At first she was confused, but
finally she layed down, as Tenchi ran his hands through her hair.  After a
few minutes, Ryouko turned her head to look in his eyes.
        "Tenchi... you have to promise... PROMISE me, that you will not tell
them.
Please promise me.  I, I wouldn't be able to stand it.  Maybe one day I'll
tell them., maybe..."
        "I promise you, I'll never tell them."

        Ryouko layed her head back on Tenchi, and gave a light sigh before
closing
her eyes.  Tenchi resumed gently running his fingers through her hair.  Once
he was sure that she was sleeping, he bent down and kissed her forehead.
~Good night, my Ryouko~

Okay everybody, tell me what you think!!! THANKS ~~~ MagikOpal