Ryoko's Choice: Aftermath /Shhhhh-Thunk/ Till the soil. Till the soil. /Shhhhh-Thunk/ Rain would be good soon. The carrots could use a bit more water. Washu might be able to do something about that. A good idea-- must remember to ask her, later. /Shhhhh-Thunk/ Tenchi. Someone's voice, not a thought. Ryoko was there, hovering a few feet in the air. "Tenchi," she repeated. Look up at her, see her face. Strange, Ryoko, but not. Different feel to her now. Not as fierce, perhaps. Determined, yes, just as determined as ever-- moreso, even. Different intensity-- a stillness, a solitude, a completeness. "I need to tell everyone something," she said, voice as quiet and strong as her face. Nod. Walk back to the house, hoe over the shoulder. Ryoko shimmers and disappears, most likely reappearing in the house somewhere. The house is the usual chaos-- is there any wonder why the fields are so inviting? Everyone is gathered by the time the jacket is off and the face is washed. A light lime-green muscle shirt was under the jacket, and it remains on. "What is this about?" Ayeka asked, shrill, as she often was when she suspected Ryoko was up to something. Ryoko, who had been looking negligently into a corner, facing away from everyone else, now turned her head to respond to Ayeka in one fluid, careless, easy gesture. Everyone stepped back. Her face was inscrutable, more alien than whatever blood coursed within her veins. A strange calm and acceptance or resignation or contentment unknown and foreign to this house occupied her face. "I'm leaving," Ryoko replied simply. Strange, the profound effect a few words could have on so many. Confusion warred with disbelief on the other faces present-- they were not in the fields, did not see her face there-- how could they not be surprised? "Are you serious?" asked Washu, while Sasami asked, "Why are you leaving?" she was truly going to miss Ryoko and Ryo-oh-ki, of course. "Then finally lord Tenchi and I will be free of you!" Ayeka announced at the same time as her sister and Washu spoke, almost gloating. That was what Ayeka said, what she meant was: why are you leaving me, friend? So easy to see, but Ayeka, like many, like Ryoko herself, could not admit this friendship to anyone. "I've never been more sure of myself in my life, mother," Ryoko invested the word 'mother' with only a slightly sarcastic tone-- much less than what she usually used whenever referring to Washu that way. Hard to blame her for that, though. She turned to Ayeka. "Perhaps," she said, enigmatically. "I don't know when I'll be back, or even if I'll be back. It's something I need to do for myself." Ryoko turned to Sasami and continued, "We might come back sometime, Sasami, to visit or to stay. I don't know. I need to do this." Ryoko looked towards Tenchi. "I want something back Tenchi, something which was mine a long time ago. My... birthright, I suppose," Ryoko quirked a smile. "Do you have the sword with you, Tenchi?" A dumb nod. This was suspected, and prepared for. Bring the sword out, base pointed towards Ryoko. Obvious what she will ask for, now. Ryoko held out her arms, wrists up. "I want my gems back, Tenchi," she said simply. Not a demand, not a request, just a statement. "Give me my gems back," she continued in the same tone. A look to grandfather Yosho, who was somewhat perturbed by this request-- he nods. "But--" Tenchi began. "They are mine, Tenchi, not yours. They were taken from me and I want them back," Ryoko explained, as if to a child. "They are the rightful property of Jurai now!" Ayeka protested, using this as perhaps an excuse to keep Ryoko here. "They are the spoils of war!" Ryoko shook her head. "And what of what I did to Jurai back then, over seven hundred years ago under Kagato's control? Your mother seemed to think that I should pay for that, as well. Wouldn't the loss of my gems cover that? More than cover that, in fact? No, you will give me back what belongs to me." "What if we don't?" Ayeka challenged. "Do you know," Ryoko said with wonderment, "that I never even considered that possibility?" Walk up to Ryoko, his head at the same height as her collarbone and ask her a question. "Why?" "Because, I might need them, and they are my right." That's not what was being asked, however. Shake head to indicate this. "Oh," she understands, now. "Because I was Kagato's slave, and then I was trapped in the cave. Then, after you rescued me, there was a time where there was nothing I would not do for you, did you know that?" Ryoko whispered. "And now I need to go and be myself. More than that, I need to go and find out _how_ to be myself, who I really am. I need to know what freedom really means. Can you understand that I need to do this?" What else was there to be said? nothing. No need to nod to indicate acceptance, only to accept and demonstrate. Just hold the sword _just so_ and concentrate, thinking _just so_ and it would happen. Ryoko gained her other two gems, on her other wrist and in her neck. A small symbol appeared on her forehead, three small dots similar to the two which adorned Sasami's face. Ryoko burst out laughing, all joy and mirth and wonderment afterwards, feeling the changes, and she smiled, with just as much feeling and depth as was in her laugh. "I feel, I feel--," she said, happy and already somewhat distant from us. A small frown of concentration and just how distant from us would be answered. Light Hawk Wings, ten of them. Gasps could be heard all around, except for Washu, who merely nodded absently, as if this were something she half-suspected. Who knows? it probably was. "Come, Ryo-oh-ki. The universe is vast and wonderful, and now we'll see it with our own eyes," she said, speaking to her pet, her spaceship, her friend. Sasami summed it up best, when she merely waved and said: "We'll miss you. Come back soon." Ryoko nodded and then she was off on her journey. As for the rest of us? We stood in shock, or something akin to it, not sure what to do next. Get my work jacket again, and begin to put it on. "I'm going back to the fields now." "What?" Ayeka asked, perplexed by such an action. "You're just going to go back to work, just like that?" A shrug. "What else is there for me to do?" /Shhhhh-Thunk/ Till the soil. Till the soil. /Shhhh-Thunk/ Without the gems in the sword, grandfather will get old now. I've known about his illusion for a little bit. /Shhh-Thunk/ I could extend my power a bit, to keep Funaho and him alive. I can do that, now, though it's best not to let Washu know that. /Shh-Thunk/ Ten Light Hawk Wings, as much as Tsunami. I have three, which I can use when I want; best not let Washu know. /Sh-Thunk/ I wonder how many I'll have when I finish growing? Maybe I'll join Ryoko that day. /Thunk/ Only one thing to do until then, though. Till the soil. Matthew "Maybeso" Lewis is: InDefinitelyso on IRC Sojiro_Seta on Kawaiimuck maybeso@ican.net prone to exaggeration, 150% of the time