I don't own these characters, nore do I want to. The people who made them
did a fantastic job, they just stopped a little too soon for some people's 
taste.



Ryoko and Zero's discussion
By, Clayton Overstreet

  Tenchi had just gotten home from a day at the carrot patch. Ayeaka,
Sasami, and Ryo-oki were in the kitchen, while Mihoshi was asleep on the
couch. He assumed Washu was in her lab and Ryoko was probably out
somewhere flying. He decided to go lay down in his room and take a nap
befor dinner. Setting his tools aside he walked up the stairs and when he 
got
to his room flopped down on the bed. He reached up and opened a window
to let a breeze in.
  "So why do you love him?" He heard Ryoko's voice come down from the
roof. From a different direction he heard another voice, just like her's. "I 
don't
know. I just do alright. I have ever since he came to the cave to play and I
will right until the day I die." Tenchi blushed. Ryoko had obviously split 
into
two to talk to herself and he was an unintentioned eavesdropper. But for
some reason he couldn't bring himself to close the window.
  "Well then why don't you tell him how you feel?" Said Zero. Ryoko growled
in her throat. "I did. I used to do it all the time. In every way I could 
think of.
Then Washu gets me to merge with you and now every time he's around I
blush and can't say anything." Zero looked down. "I'm sorry Ryoko. I can't
help it. I express my feelings. But you realy didn't tell him that you loved 
him."
Ryoko looked up at her, "What do you mean?"
  Zero smiled ruefully. "You said it, but... well I don't know, but you 
sounded
insincere. First you kept trying to make him give you your gems back, and
this was after you attacked him and blew up his school..." Ryoko yelled in 
her
face. "I appologized for that. Maybe Ayeaka's right. Maybe I should just let
her have him. He doesn't love me..." Zero put a hand on Ryoko's shoulder.
"You know that isn't true. He used to play with you at the cave. He rescued
you and me from Dr.Clay. What else does he have to do to convince you?"
  Ryoko snorted, "How about saying it? I have heard him say it to everyone,
even me, but when he does... its like I'm his sister or something." Ryoko
growled again and shot a blast of red light into the lake. A geyser shot up 
and
waves moved in the lake. "And I can't even tell him this because I get so
flustered around him I can't say anything." Zero sighed and laid back on the
roof staring up at the stars. "Did you ever think he might feel the same way
about you and that's why he can't say it? Hell when you used to hug him his
face blushed redder than our's ever did."
  Ryoko grinned in rememberance. "Well... when he thought i got blown up
he did say I was cute." Zero chuckled and shook her head. "So you see? Plus
if he ever did say anything to you can you imagine what Ayeaka would do to
him?" Tenchi who was layign in bed listening to this shuddered at the 
thought.
Ryoko took a deep breath and closed her eyes. "It shouldn't matter. If he
loved me he'd say something." Zero rolled onto her side and looked down at
Ryoko. "In that case why don't you say it to him? Without the hugging, no
attatchments, and no self assured smirks. Just say it!"
  Tears fell from Ryoko's eyes. "Because he might say that he doesn't love 
me.
I can take the pain of not knowing, but if he actually said he didn't love 
me...
And if I let him see how I realy am... he'll think I am weak." Zero frowned
and looked off into the lake. "You mean like me?" Ryoko became quiet.
Tenchi shook his head. He couldn't do this to her any more. Getting up he 
left
the room and disapeared into the hall.
  Ryoko turned to Zero, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean that the way it sounded."
Zero nodded. "I know. But you feel that way and it's alright. I can accept 
it."
They heard the attic window open and saw Tenchi climb out onto the roof.
Zero immediately melded into Ryoko and they became one again. "Um...
Tenchi. Wha...what are you doing here?" Tenchi walked over and sat down
next to her. "I heard what you were saying Ryoko." Ryoko bit her lip and
turned to fly away, when Tenchi caught her hand. "Please, don't go." She
looked at him and nodded. Sinking back down to the roof she sat facing
away from him.
  Tenchi looked at her back, unsure of what to say. Finaly he reached out
and ran his fingers through her hair. "Ryoko, I'm sorry." She looked at him
and for the first time he saw tears in her eyes. Her breath coming in ragged
gasps she buried her face in his chest. Tenchi wrapped his arms around her
and held her to him tightly. "Please don't cry Ryoko." Tenci said. She 
looked
up and saw tears streaming down his own cheeks. Reachign up to wipe them
away she looked into his eyes and saw herself reflected there. Tenchi 
reached
down and wiped her tears away aswell.
  "Tenchi I... You weren't supposed to hear that. Weren't supposed to know
how weak..." He put a finger on her mouth. "You are anything but weak
Ryoko. It took more courage than anyone should have to say that and I am
sorry I made it so hard for you to say it." Ryoko looked away and tried to
move but found that Tenchi was still holding on tightly. "I'm sorry I 
overheard
your conversation Ryoko. I'm sorry if you feel I don't care for you. But 
most
of all I'm sorry I didn't say this sooner."
  Ryoko looked up at him barely daring to hope he was saying what he was.
"Say what Tenchi?" Tenchi took a deep breath and looked at her. "Saying
that I love you Ryoko."


  Author's note
Well this was another short one. I didn't do my usual Mihoshi Kyonei thing.
But still... hey how about this. I challenge any of you reading this to 
write a
ending for this and post it on the site? Come on, what have you got to 
loose?
I'd like to see what you can do.
clayton_n@hotmail.com