Summer and Dreams


A/N: As much as I wish I had been the lucky one to come up with the origins
of Tenchi Muyo, I must say that I do not own them. Damn the bad luck! AIC
and Pioneer were the smart and lucky ones...so please don't SUE!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

STAGE: In the disturbing Chapter 4, we find Ryoko to be under close
observation and arrest. Put before a one man court, Ryoko finds herself
sentenced to execution by hanging. Just when Ryoko accepts her fate, she
gets the help she least expected from a guard of the government bent on
killing her. Being rescued and given instructions for her escape, Ryoko soon
befriends the young pilot, Sato, of the ship she escaped on. Upsetting news
comes to Ryoko as she discovers Sato is Nagi's son and that Nagi is dead.
But more upsetting and surprising, is when she finds out that the owner of
the ship, is indeed, Hiroki, the lost love she has been searching for, for
the past month......and now she's told to get lost. Ryoko is determined to
make Hiroki see that his ways are wrong, but trouble ensues and Ryoko and
Hiroki find themselves on the receiving end of an inevitable battle for
life......

* * *

'....Where am I...?'

There was a cloak of blackness all around her as she struggled to see her
surroundings.

'What....happened?'

Forcing her eyes to open, she cried out into the still abyss.

'HIROKI?! Where....are you? Answer me, please....'

Fighting to return to her time and place, she calls out for the one she
lost.

'Hiroki! You.....promised that you would never....leave me alone....again!'

* * *

Ryoko felt a loving warmth surround her as she stopped fighting for her
survival. Maybe...this was the way it was suppose to be. Ryoko wasn't sure,
but she wasn't going to refuse the offer to have a peaceful life. This was
something she had wanted since the day Kagato entered her life.

She remembered feeling hatred and insecurity from the day he stepped into
her mother's lab. She had tried many things to get him fired or at least
hated by her mother, but every plan she had backfired and little by little,
she ran out of options.

And little by little, she lost her mother's trust....

It wasn't until it was too late, that Washu realized her mistake and false
sense of safety within her own home and lab. Kagato had demolished what
little of the lab he could access and of course, the damage done to their
house after Ryoko had escaped the first time.

Ryoko remembered that she had feigned sick that day because she was wary of
leaving her mother alone with that lying bastard. Her mother had just
finished with a report due for the Academy when Ryoko suggested watching a
movie. Her mother agreed and Ryoko happily went to choose a movie.

Returning to the living room with her selected choice of 'Young
Frankenstein', a couple of cokes, a bowl of popcorn and a bag of gummyworms
wedged tightly between her teeth, Ryoko spotted a scene she never wanted to
remember.

There stood Kagato, a sword in his hand. Ryoko dropped her wares and ignited
her own sword. She had practiced with Kagato many times, but the two-faced
bastard was unaware of the practices between Ryoko and her mother. Practices
that contained moves Kagato knew nothing of.

"Where's my mother?!" Ryoko demanded as she circled the man dangerously.

Kagato smirked. "Mother? What mother?"

"DAMN YOU! WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO HER?!"

Kagato snapped his fingers. A pale green object dropped to the ground in a
heap. Ryoko gasped.

Washu was curled up, her eyes screwed shut in pain as the pale green force
field encircled her.

"MOTHER!"

Washu lifted her head against the force to see Ryoko staring Kagato down.
"Ka...kaga..Kagato...NO! Leave her be.....please!" Washu's ragged breath
pleaded the man through the force field.

Kagato waved a hand as small volts of electricity washed through the field
causing Washu to scream in pain. Ryoko grimaced as her mother laid on the
floor suffering.

"KAGATO!" Ryoko shouted as she charged the man.

Kagato barely had enough time to block Ryoko's sword as she rushed him.
Dodging her attacks, Kagato managed to circle her as he pulled a small
device from his pocket. Ryoko came to a dead stop.

Her eyes widened as she quickly tried retreating from the room. "You stay
AWAY from ME with THAT!" She warned as she spun on her heels only to hit the
floor. Ryoko's chin hit the floor with a loud crack as her teeth slammed
together.

Ryoko let out an ear piercing scream as she sat up, a hand covering her
mouth as blood began to trickle through her fingers.

"Ohhh, did Little Ryoko hurt herself? Let Daddy Kagato make it all better,
hmmm?" Kagato soothed as he knelt beside her.

Kagato pulled Ryoko's hand from her mouth. Ryoko whimpered and tried pulling
away from him as Washu shouted, "Kagato...YOU BASTARD! What are YOU doing to
HER?!" The scientist had a clear view of her daughter and gasped in horror
at the sight that greeted her.

Kagato forced Ryoko's mouth open to have blood dribble down her chin in a
river. Ryoko tried to protest but found she couldn't talk through the
searing pain coursing through her mouth and to her head.

Washu cringed as she saw that the fall Ryoko had taken had caused her teeth
to make a detour through her tongue. The left side of Ryoko's tongue had
been severed from the rest of it and she had busted her bottom gum due to
the fact that Ryoko, had been born with an over bite.

Kagato snorted and shook his head. "Is this all? You bite your tongue and
you're out for the count? Amazing..." He turned to Washu and commented,
"Quite a piece of work you have here, professor. But as you can see, she is
broken....so I'm sure that you won't mind if I take her off your hands."

"Don't you dare..." Washu seethed. "You get your grubby paws off of her."

Kagato chuckled as he stood Ryoko on her feet. The young teenager gave her
mother a sincere look.

Washu frowned. Ryoko wanted to be comforted. To be told that everything
would be alright and that the pain would go away....but Washu knew that she
wouldn't be able to give her daughter those things....yet.

Concentrating, Washu felt herself slipping from the force field. As she
thought that she'd have it beat, she heard the muffled offer of her
daughter.

"Kaw...g..to....ouh...ave...e! Lit....my....o...thar...gow." Ryoko slurred
through her half punctured tongue.

Kagato turned around and rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Hmmm, let Washu go
in turn for you? Quiet tempting, Little Ryoko....I must say that I didn't
expect you to give your life for some creator. Especially a creator who
cares nothing for you."

"Cut the crap, Kagato!" Ryoko spit out harshly.

The man looked at her. She was still injured, but her anger had given her
the ability to defend herself verbally.

"Let....her....go." Ryoko stuttered.

"Ryoko...NO! Don't do this! Run!" Washu pleaded with her from the floor.

Ryoko shook her head no. "I...refuse to....give up....on...you.
I....won't....let him....take...you."

Washu's eyes turned glassy as Kagato agreed to her daughter's request. But,
Ryoko should have seen through it and realized that it was a lie. A trap, a
trick....a deception by a deceiver.

Kagato placed Ryoko in a holding field as he turned to Washu. The force
field disappeared and Washu quickly rose to her feet as she ran towards
Kagato ready to slap into yesterday. She had only managed to take three
steps before Kagato snapped his fingers again.

Ryoko stared in horror as a Stasis Field formed around her mother trapping
her inside. The crystal completely engulfed Washu as the woman suddenly
regressed back into her child form. She had lost yet another child and the
pain of it had made her subconsciously transform.

Ryoko was crying and screaming "Kagato you promised me! You promised!"

Kagato laughed. "Didn't your mother ever teach you to never look a gift
horse in the mouth?" He laughed again as Washu disappeared along with Ryoko
and himself.

* * *

"Ryoko? What's wrong?"

A young Ryoko looked up to see a young boy holding an umbrella in his hands.
She looked away from him hurriedly as he sat down.

"Ryoko....?"

"Please, Hiroki....Just go away. Go home." Ryoko muttered as small raindrops
began to pelt her.

Hiroki opened the umbrella over them and gazed at her. "....Look, I'm sorry
about last week, okay? But, a few of the guys dared me to play a joke on a
girl. You were the only I could think of that would shrug it off."

Ryoko glared at him. "Yeah, well you thought wrong." She rose to her feet
and stalked off into the night as the rain began to fall harder.

Hiroki ran after her and grabbed her arm. Turning her around he asked
curtly, "What's with you? Here lately you've been a total bitch. You roll
your eyes or ignore me whenever I come around. Why?"

"Oh THIS is rich!" Ryoko replied as she jerked free from his grasp. "Me?
being the bitch...? I think I have a right, Hiroki! Take a look at yourself.
Ever since you started hanging out with Tetsuya you've been the bastard!
What's happened to you, Hiroki? You've changed." She told him dryly.

Hiroki snorted. "How?"

"Don't you SEE?! The way you treat me and Keiko...it's as if someone has
taken over your body or something. You used to be kind, sweet and caring.
Now you're mean, spiteful and cruel. Don't you get it? Here lately, I'm
nothing but a bucket of bolts or a toy to you...." Ryoko whispered.

Hiroki seemed taken aback by her words. "...Ryoko....I'm sorry. I
completely...wasn't paying attention to the things I was saying or doing.
I'm so sorry...please believe me."

"Why...should I believe someone who calls me a selfish machine and a slut?"

Hiroki paled. "Gods, Ryoko....I didn't mean those things. I was so wrapped
up in being accepted as one of the guys, that I totally hurt the one I love.
I actually came out here tonight, to tell you. For the longest time...I've
loved you. I was always just to worried that you'd reject me."

Ryoko stared at him. "I get it! This is just another of your damn jokes that
your buddies dared you to do, right? Well, you tell your toadies that I'm
not falling for their childish pranks anymore. Got it?! I want noth....."

Ryoko was cut off as Hiroki kissed her. Ryoko was stunned at first but
gradually allowed herself to relax. She suddenly realized what was happening
and brought her hand up delivering a strong slap to his face. Hiroki pulled
back, a red mark welling up on his cheeks.

"I deserved that..." He commented.

"Like hell you did....if that was some way of getting me to fall at your
feet, then forget it! It won't work..." Ryoko threatened.

Hiroki began to sweat. "Ryoko....listen to ME!" He grabbed her face in his
hands gently and exclaimed, "I LOVE YOU! I don't care what those other guys
say about you....I love you. I've loved you since that night you asked me if
I thought you were beautiful. I've loved you before that."

Ryoko felt tears come to her eyes. "How can I trust you? How do I know that
this isn't another trick?"

Hiroki stared her in the eyes. "Because...I never meant to make you cry.
Trust me Ryoko when I say...I promise to never make you cry again. To see
you cry....is like feeling my life slipping through my fingers.
Please...forgive me."

Ryoko's tears mixed with the raindrops as she felt Hiroki's lips on hers
again and instead of fighting him, Ryoko returned the passion filled kiss
with intensity. Her heart was singing with joy at her first kiss.

But what made her even happier was the fact that her first was with Hiroki,
the guy she had loved for as long as she could remember. And the fact that
Hiroki had said that he loved her....she had always wanted him to say those
words to her and now he had....she had what she had wished for.

Hiroki. He was hers and she was his.

And Ryoko knew that everything would be alright....as long as Hiroki was
with her, nothing could go wrong....

* * *

"RYOKO! HOW MANY TIMES HAVE I TOLD YOU NOT TO WATCH ME LIKE THAT?!?"

Ryoko frowned. "Aww, come on Tenchi! Being able to watch you is my security
blanket. I just want to make sure that you're alright."

"But you don't have to constantly stand vigil over me with your every waking
hour. Get some sleep, would ya! You're starting to look terrible. And
that.." Tenchi pointed at her and then to a mirror, "Scares me."

Ryoko looked at her reflection and sighed. "Gee, you really know how to woo
a woman Tenchi, don't you?"

Tenchi scratched his head as Ryoko disappeared.

* * *

"Hey! Ayeka! Guess what Tenchi just scored?!" Ryoko's voice taunted the
princess as Ayeka huffed up the stairs.

"RYOKO! You demon whore! You better not have defiled Lord Tenchi in his
sleep or else I'll....I'll...."

"You'll what princess....stutter me to death?" Ryoko asked as she fell over
laughing.

Ayeka grew red and then purple. She landed a swift kick to Ryoko's shin and
then without a word, she fled down the steps and outside.

* * *

"Dinner's READY!" Sasami announced to the household.

Everyone rushed to the table and took their seats. "Oh, I am starving!"
Washu exclaimed as she rubbed her hands together.

"Yes, I am quite famished as well." Ayeka added politely.

"Eww, look at all the pretty food. Can we eat now?" Mihoshi bubbled
excitedly.

"This sure does look delicious Sasami....it's a shame dad can't join us."
Tenchi commented.

Sasami looked around. "Has anyone seen Ryoko?"

"I saw her this morning." Tenchi pointed out.

Ayeka snorted. "Yes....in the wrong position! Lord Tenchi, that demon
monster didn't....do anything....inappropriate, did she?"

"AYEKA!" Everyone cried in unison.

"You worry too much, princess. My daughter may seem like the eager type, but
I can guarantee you that she won't spread those legs until Tenchi says that
he loves her." Washu wheedled in.

Tenchi turned crimson. "Little Washu!"

Washu looked at him. "What?! It's the truth...heck Ayeka, I'd be worried
about Tenchi trying to get some while all of you are sleeping!"

Sasami shook her head and left the kitchen and the dispute to find Ryoko
standing on the front porch with the door wide open.

"Ryoko?"

Ryoko spun around. "Oh, hey Sasami. I was um, actually just coming, to
uh,.."

"It's okay, Ryoko. I understand. I know how you feel. About being
assimilated with Zero, that is. Have you forgotten that I'm assimilated with
Tsunami?" The little princess questioned soothingly.

Ryoko smiled. "No...I haven't forgotten. But, now I know who I can turn to
if I need to talk...thanks Sasami."

"Don't mention it, Ryoko. Just...don't forget that you're not alone." Sasami
told her in a mature voice.

Ryoko nodded. "I won't....promise."

Sasami grinned and took Ryoko's hand. "Good...now let's go eat! I'm dying of
starvation...." Sasami whined as she drug Ryoko back to the family.

* * *

"Oh, excuse me....oh, it's just you Ryoko. I thought I stepped on someone
else." Mihoshi's bubbled apology drifted to Ryoko's ears.

Ryoko stood on one foot hopping around as she held her other foot in her
hand from where Mihoshi had stepped on her bare toes with her heavy boots.

"Hey! That looks like fun! Can I try?" The blonde asked as she grabbed her
foot and mimicked Ryoko by hopping around on one foot in the kitchen. From
the living room door, an audience of four watched them.

"Cool....is this some kind of new dance?" Mihoshi quizzed happily as she did
a few turns and spins. "Wheee! This is so much Fuuuuun! Great dance, Ryoko.
What do you call it?!"

Ryoko snapped her golden eyes at the blonde ditz. "You little TWERP! This
isn't a dance. If you'd watch your damn feet and where you're walking, then
we wouldn't have this problem!"

Mihoshi was confused. "So....this isn't some kind of new dance?"

Ryoko screamed. "UGH! Stupid little TWERP! Get some brains, would ya!" Ryoko
stormed from the kitchen as Mihoshi tilted her head to the others and sang,
"Oh...I love it...I love it! Twerp....it's such a cute name....!"

Then in a cheery voice she asked, "What's a twerp? Some kind of dance?"

* * *

Ryoko felt a different kind of pain sweep through her as she woke up to
darkness. There was no light, no warmth, no familiarity to it at all.

There was nothing but darkness, isolation, cold and emptiness.

Ryoko shuddered as she looked around nervously. '...Now, where am I?'

There was no reply to her question as she felt the silence engulf her.

'Hiroki?....Mother?.....Ryo-Ohki?......Tenchi?' Ryoko called out in a
hopeful tone but still she received no answer in return. Feeling her heart
shrink and her tears fall, Ryoko allowed her emotions to flow freely as she
hovered in a dark and dank void.

She didn't know which way was up or down or if the void even had an up and
down or sides. She felt weightless and dizzy as she bobbed in the quiet dark
of the silence.

If she didn't find her way out soon or get a reply over her link, Ryoko felt
sure that she'd go insane from the quiet black that kept her company.

Trying to find a direction she could move in, Ryoko felt all her hope slip
away as she realized that she was getting nowhere fast. Burying her face in
her hands, she began to sob.

All her frustrations, sadness and anger vented themselves in the forms of
tears as she felt the blackness swallow her whole.

Just as she thought that she'd never see the end of this or hear an answer,
she heard the faintest whisper come to her ears....."Ryoko."

"Ryoko....."

* * *

~"Ryoko....yes! Those things I wrote were true. In the past two months that
you've been desolate...I've come to realize just how much you mean to me.
I'm sorry about earlier, I was just so shocked to hear you ask me instead of
tackling me, that....I...I froze. But, yes.....they are all true. It's how I
feel."~

Ryoko gawked at Tenchi as he openly admitted his feelings for her and in
front of the princess no less. "I want you to be happy." He commented.

~"You make me happy, Tenchi." Ryoko replied tenderly. A sudden frown crept
to her lips as her eyes narrowed sadly. "But, don't I give you the
impression of being a worthless demon or a lazy monster? Or even a....a um,
a....whore?" Ryoko asked weakly.~

He had looked like he was dying when she asked him that. He was literally
white and Ryoko felt her sadness resurface.

~"No. I don't see any of those things in you Ryoko. All I see is a kind,
caring woman who is begging for a chance at life. All you want is peace,
happiness and love. You're not some evil person, despite your past or
Ayeka's insults, you are who you are. You're Ryoko."~

Ryoko nodded at his assurance. "I'm Ryoko Hakubi....and if the world doesn't
like Ryoko Hakubi...then it can go to hell, right Tenchi?"

Ryoko opened her eyes to see that the blackness was still with her but this
time was different. She didn't feel so alone.

Hiroki had left her. But why?

Her mother wasn't answering her mental pleas. Why not?

And Ryo-Ohki seemed distracted by something else. But what?

All Ryoko knew was that she had heard Tenchi's voice reach out to her as the
past memories with him returned. The memories of when he was a baby, as he
grew up, when he cried and came to her, when he forgot about her.... and
when he set her free.

Ryoko remembered them all.....and Hiroki was....just a dream among the many
Ryoko harvested in her soul, one of the many dreams she had shared with the
stars at night hoping that they'd come true.

Hiroki had been with her a short while and then left.

But, Tenchi had always been with her and even after she left him like she
did, he was still with her. Telling her that he loved her more than life
itself.

'Tenchi.....?' She called out fearfully. 'Someone answer me, please.'

There was a moment of silence as she gathered her thoughts. 'Where has
Hiroki gone? Why isn't Washu answering me? What happened to Hiroki and I out
in space? Am I still alive?'

'.....Why hasn't Tenchi left me?....'

Ryoko didn't have any answers to those questions, but the one answer she
knew was exactly who it was, that she belonged with.

'.....Tenchi....'

"Ryoko....."

Ryoko's eyes quickly darted back and forth across the blackness. Someone was
calling her, but who? She knew the voice and it's soft gentle tone. But, she
couldn't see the person....why not?

Looking around eagerly she heard it again. "Ryoko.....come home...."

Ryoko nodded and closed her eyes as she felt a light wash over her, her mind
and soul no longer trapped inside the darkness of the abyss.

* * *

"Ryoko?"

"Ryoko...?"

"...Ryoko....? Can you hear me..?"

There was a warm touch on Ryoko's flesh as she felt a bright light penetrate
through her closed eyelids.

"Ryoko.....please wake up...."

Something traced Ryoko's face softly as something wet and warm dripped onto
her cheeks. There was a warm touch on her forehead as someone whispered,
"Ryoko....I know you can hear me. Open your eyes....Ryoko."

Ryoko struggled to comply with the request as she felt someone gripping her
hand tightly.

"Come on, sweetie.....fight it....don't give in, you're stronger than that.
Please, baby....fight it....."

Ryoko felt her lungs rising and falling as she fought to open her eyes. An
excruciating pain lanced through her back, chest and head. She couldn't feel
her legs or her arms, and that worried her but her main worry right now was
waking up....

Gathering all the strength she could, Ryoko's eyes fluttered open....

"God..." Someone whispered happily. "Ryoko....honey, can you hear me?"

Ryoko closed her eyes but opened them again before she lost the will to keep
them open at all. Blinking a few times, she saw a deep green above her
surrounded by vibrant pink.

Ryoko smiled weakly.....she had done it. She had made it home...

Opening her mouth she whispered, "....I.....hurt...." It was all she could
say before she felt tired and weak.

"I know, sweetheart. I know..." A soothing voice comforted as a hand ran
through her hair. "But, the pain will be over soon....I promise."

Ryoko did her best to nod her approval. "....'kay...."

A small kiss was planted on her cheek as the soft voice assured her. "Sleep
now, baby....I'll see you...." There was a small pause and Ryoko felt the
wetness on her face once again.

'Tears.' She pondered tiredly. The person was crying as they picked up where
they had left off.

"....when you wake up.....sweet dreams.....Ryoko....."

* * *

Washu walked the hallways silently. It had been two days since Ryoko's last
awakening. Things had been quiet since then.

There were hushed whispers as Washu walked the corridors of the Jurain
Palace. People talked....it was just a way of life. There were the
occasional strands of gossip and the rumors.

But Washu ignored them all. She knew that they weren't true, and if they
weren't true, then she would refuse to acknowledge their existence.

Standing on the balcony of the open hallway, Washu swept her emerald green
eyes over the city as she felt tears threatening to spill over.

A light breeze caressed her pale face as she tilted her head up to soak up
the rays of the afternoon sun. It was summer...and quite hot, Washu noted as
she enjoyed the welcomed breeze of Jurai's wind current.

Reaching up and pulling her long pink hair into a ponytail, Washu felt her
presence change. Though she came equipped in her adult body, she couldn't
help but feel silly at the stares she received at her form.

As the wind shifted, so did her attire. As she bent to straighten her
clothes she heard a gentle voice behind her say, "Washu. It's time..."

Washu turned to see Prince Yosho standing there watching her. She nodded
slowly and followed the young man down the halls. There were a few whispers
from the servants as Washu and Yosho strode past them quietly.

Yosho finally took Washu's arm and led her ahead of himself and into a room.
There was a window on the far wall, and the lace drapes swayed in the breeze
that filtered through the little room.

Underneath the window was a simple bed covered in starch white sheets and an
ivory blanket. Washu sighed as she took a seat beside the bed her hand
finding it's way to another's cold and clammy fingers.

"Hey...." Someone whispered from under the sheets.

Washu smiled. "How are you feeling?"

"Do you really want to know or do you want me to make something up?"

Washu cocked her head. "Make something up."

The person chuckled lightly. "Okay....I feel like I was run over by a two
ton Ayeka....what happened?"

Washu hung her head. "You....were in an accident. Some idiots opened fire on
Ryo-Ohki and because you refused to defend yourself, Ryo-Ohki was badly
damaged and you were hurt." Washu paused.

"How bad...?"

Washu looked up. "Not bad, anymore. It was serious....you completely lost
your vision, and I know that you despised me doing it, but I went in a
reconstructed your eyes. If I hadn't then you wouldn't be able to see
anything right now."

"Well...then I thank you." The person stated softly. "What else?"

Shifting nervously, Washu added, "You...were in a coma for two months. You
had a compound fracture in your left arm, a dislocated disk in your back, a
collapsed lung, some broken and bruised ribs and a torn ligament in your
right leg. Need I add more...?"

"No. That's good, thanks." The person was silent for a little bit before
saying, "And what about Hiroki? Is....he okay?"

Washu closed her eyes and gripped the person's hand. "....I'm afraid that
Hiroki.....never...." Washu trailed off.

"Mom....what? Did he not make it? Please, tell me!"

Washu looked at her. "....Ryoko...Hiroki's.....dead."

Ryoko's face fell as she sat up in the bed. "What?! But, how could I survive
and he not? And....we weren't even on Ryo-Ohki! We were on Sirius!"

Washu wrinkled her nose. "I know that you're going to hate me for this, but
I checked your memory while you were out...." She paused. "Ryoko, it was all
just a dream. There was no Hiroki, no Sirius, no....nothing." She replied
sadly.

"It can't be! I saw Hikage, Amara and their children. And I found
Sato...he's Nagi' son. I found Hiroki, mom! He became a bounty hunter...."

Washu cut her off. "Ryoko...stop it! Listen to yourself..." Washu adverted
her gaze. "The goose egg on your head put you out of the loop. All of that
was just something you dreamt up in your coma. How you wished it to be,
honey, please believe me."

Ryoko shook her head. "I can't. It was so....real."

"I know. But...none of it existed. You were three days from Jurai when you
were attacked. Ryo-Ohki made a quick get-away to Jurai where those bastards
fired at you until Misaki realized that it was Ryo-Ohki out there. She tried
hailing you, but instead she got Ryo-Ohki who was in distress."

Washu stopped then and placed something on Ryoko's lap. Tears glazed Ryoko's
golden eyes as she held an egg close to her. Ryo-Ohki didn't make it. "She
risked her life for mine?" Ryoko asked sadly.

"Yes. You never made it home, Ryoko. To our home, you know why? Because
Aldebaron no longer exists. Kagato destroyed it after he captured us. When
you went back, remember? He destroyed it after that. Everyone
died....Hikage, Amara, Ashitaka. All of them. I'm sorry..." Washu stated.

Ryoko let her tears come. "And what about....Hiroki?"

There silence before Washu answered her.

"I...did some research...Ryoko...I'm afraid that, Hiroki is...dead. There's
stories saying that Mari snapped. She...pretty much tried duplicating the
cloning process on Hiroki with some Masu cells she stole from me. Her plan
backfired on her....Hiroki....didn't take too kindly to her actions."

Ryoko stared at her. "What do you mean?"

"Ryoko, Hiroki's body didn't accept the Masu and his brain pretty much fried
itself trying to achieve assimilation. He...lost control and killed his
mother. Rumor has it that he...killed Keiko as well and then took his own
life. I'm so sorry...." Washu apologized lovingly.

Ryoko was crying. "I can't believe it. It was so real..he and I, together
that night...and it was all just an illusion."

Washu hugged her daughter tightly. "Things will look better once we're home,
Ryoko you'll see. We leave tonight...if you're up to par."

Ryoko nodded. "I want off this godforsaken planet, mom. I just....want to go
home...to live my life in peace."

Washu stroked her back and answered, "That's what we all want, sweetie.
We'll be home soon enough....you should rest now so that you won't feel to
tired for the trip, okay?"

Ryoko reluctantly laid back, her hand gripping her mother's fearfully.
"Mother...?"

Washu gazed at her. "Yes?"

"Please......don't leave me alone...."

Washu closed her eyes and squeezed her daughter's hand. "Never, Ryoko. I'll
never leave you alone....never..."

* * *

Tenchi sat hunched over on the porch steps. A glass of iced tea rested in
his hand as he stared out at something in the distance. His eyes followed a
figure that had emerged from the woods rather slowly with another figure at
its side. Smiling, Tenchi continued to observe the two people.

"...If this is pain...I'd hate to have to suffer through child birth." A
strained voice quipped as they hobbled to the porch.

There was a chuckle and then, "Have no worries, Ryoko...should you ever
decide to have children, then you won't have to suffer unless you choose to.
They give you morphine for the pain, trust me."

Ryoko cut her eyes to the person on her right side. Smiling she replied, "I
should, huh? I mean, out of all the women in this house, you're the only one
with experience in that neighborhood."

The woman nodded sadly. "I...guess so."

Ryoko frowned. "Was it really that bad?" She asked as she stared into deep
green eyes. "You know....the labor?"

The woman smirked. "When the doctors tell you that the only way your child
will be born is by having a C-section, it's bad. It literally scares the
shit out of you, or so I've been told.....but, no. Not even during the
surgery was the pain that bad, because in the end, it was all worth it."

Ryoko gave the woman a smile. "Was I? Was all this....worth it?"

The other woman stopped walking. Ryoko shifted her weight in the woman's
arms as she came to a stop as well. Tilting her head to the ground, the
woman whispered, "You were always worth it. And don't think for another
moment that you weren't, because....you still are."

Ryoko closed her eyes. "I'm so sure....as much hell as I put you through,
yeah right. Admit it...you'd could go for a few centuries of vacations?"

"But I wouldn't. I wouldn't want to leave you....."

Ryoko quirked an eyebrow. "Well, that's thoughtful of you....mom! But, I'd
want...you to...go. How 'bout it?"

Ryoko got a look that could kill. "...No...."

Shrugging, Ryoko started for the house alone. When she reached the porch,
Tenchi held his hand out to her and helped her sit down. Looking out in the
yard, he offered his seat to the other woman.

"No thank you, Tenchi....I'm...going inside. Call me if you need anything."
The woman explained as she walked up the steps.

Ryoko grabbed the woman's leg making her stop. Without looking up, she said,
"....I think....it was all worth it too. I'm glad that we are where we are
now....and that we're together..."

The woman sighed and laid a hand on Ryoko's head. "I am too, Little Ryoko. I
am too..." With that, she left the young couple sitting on the porch.

Tenchi handed Ryoko his glass of tea and sat back. Ryoko swished the glass
around causing ice cubes to clank against each other as well as the glass.
She finally took a sip and leaned against the post supporting the awning.

"Sure is nice out, today huh?" Tenchi asked warily.

Ryoko nodded. "Yeah. Everyday has been a nice day so far."

"So...you glad to be home?"

Cutting her gold eyes over, she looked at him. "Do dogs pee on brick walls?"

Tenchi smirked. "I'll take that as a yes. Well, it's good to have you home,
Ryoko. We all missed you. Some of us...more than others."

"I bet."

Tenchi quirked an eyebrow. "Really?"

"Mmm-hmm? Why wouldn't I?" Ryoko asked curiously.

Leaning back Tenchi sighed, "Ohh, I don't know...just thought that you'd, be
happier in space." He grinned. "You know Ayeka wanted to go after you?"

"I'd believe it." Ryoko replied with a bemused tone.

"She did, Ryoko. Really. She was...worried about you." He paused. "We all
were."

Ryoko closed her eyes. "It's so good to be back, Tenchi...honestly. But...it
is so hard to think that, it was all just a dream. A figment of my
imagination, you know? He was so real...the pain was so unbearable, the
arguments so....hurtful.....it felt like reality....not some dream."

Tenchi squeezed her hand. "I know. Sometimes, I think that my mother is
still alive and with me. And it feels so real...but then, I wake up."

"Do you....do you think that Hiroki is proud of what I've become?" Ryoko
asked uneasily.

Tenchi tilted his head back and watched the clouds. "I'm sure he is...but
even if he's not, as long as you don't feel regret and guilt about who you
are now, then whatever he or anyone else thinks doesn’t....matter."

Ryoko wrinkled her nose. "What about you?" She sighed. "Do you like who I've
become?"

Tenchi pondered this for a moment. "Ryoko....whether I like who you are now,
is not important. It's whether you like who you've become...so, do you?"

Ryoko frowned. "I used to think I did...at least until....I couldn't decide
on what I wanted in life. Does that make sense to you, Tenchi?"

"Perfectly. And to answer your question...." He held her hand tightly. "I
love who you've become. I don't care if you felt that you couldn't make me
happy because of your past...I'm happy being here with you now, as yourself.
You won't ever have to change, Ryoko. You're perfect...just the way you
are."

Ryoko felt Tenchi scoot a little closer and wrap an arm around her
shoulders. Ryoko laid her head against his chest and watched the sunset.

"Tenchi.....?" Ryoko asked softly. "Do...you think I'm beautiful?"

* * *

Ryoko sat lounged out in a lawn chair by the lake. Beside her, someone sat
down on the dock and hung their feet in the water. "Nice rays, huh?" They
asked the sunbathing Ryoko.

"Yeah....I suppose so." Ryoko answered grimly as she pulled her shades down
and eased herself into a sitting position.

"Still hurting?"

Ryoko looked down at the person and sighed. "A little. I doubt it'll ever go
away."

"It will one day, Ryoko. Just be patient."

Ryoko cocked her head as she skimmed a few lines of the book she had been
reading. Closing her eyes, she thought of the events from the past few
months.

'Three months...' She told herself silently. It had been three months since
Ryoko had returned and she was still sore from her accident. Her ribs had
healed, along with her leg and her arm. Her broken arm had taken some work
to repair, but it had been done.

Now she still had to suffer with the twinges in her back from her dislocated
disk. Something that would have to wait to be repaired until the swelling in
her back had gone away and the tube in her lung didn't make things any
better.

Every now and then, Ryoko could feel the tube brushing against her lung and
sternum and though it was painful, she never once complained unless it was a
silent cry to her mother through their link. And Washu was there to comfort
her through it all.

All in all and with time, Ryoko had the hope that she'd be as good as new,
hopefully. She had her family, her friends, her home and the love she had
always wanted. As long as she was home, she was happy.

Ryoko slid from the chair and onto the dock beside the person who had joined
her. Slipping her feet into the warm water, she sat back on her hands.
Silence hung in the air between the two women as they sat there watching the
sun cast mirages across the lake’s surface.

Sighing deeply, Ryoko got the nerve to break the silence. "So, uh....you
know, Sasami and I...are going to the movies tomorrow night. Do you, want to
tag along?"

The other woman remained quiet. "I'd love too. Thanks."

Ryoko nodded. She still found it hard to believe everything that had
happened had been a dream. She and Hiroki had found the love they had left
behind in their past and they were able to start where it had ended all
those years ago. Even the night they had been together felt real.

Ryoko shuddered at the thought. She had dreamt up all those things, and then
they had left her like her reality had done. Ryoko wasn't sure if she'd ever
find happiness, but eventually, it had found her. She was with people who
loved her and whom she loved in return...that was all she ever wanted.

She shifted her face up to feel the warm rays of the sun bathe her
completely. Keeping her eyes closed she asked, "So...where do we go from
here?"

There still was no answer from the other figure.

Adverting her gaze, Ryoko frowned. Looking at the person, she smiled. They
were so enthralled with the view of the lake and the sun, that they were
oblivious to the fact that Ryoko had asked them a question.

Chuckling to herself, Ryoko leaned over and rested her head on the woman's
shoulder as she wrapped her arms around their waist. The woman blinked and
then looked down at Ryoko, a smile covering her features. Freeing her right
arm, she draped it over Ryoko's back and held her close.

"It feels nice to be held like this again..." Ryoko stated as she nestled
her head into the woman's chest.

"Yeah..." The woman whispered back as she stroked Ryoko's hair. "So, how are
you and Tenchi doing?"

Ryoko cracked an eye open. "Good. Surprisingly good."

The woman nodded. "That's great news, I hope."

"Naturally....he's the love of my life, why wouldn't it be great news?"
Ryoko asked back incredulously.

Chuckling the woman shrugged. "Just....you never know. As long as you're
happy...."

"I am. I am very happy. I have...Tenchi, Sasami, Ayeka and Mihoshi. I'd even
consider claiming Katsuhito....but, I don't know. And I definitely refuse
any and all strings attached to Nobuyuki." Ryoko paused, a grin on her lips.
"And of course you. But then again....I'll always have you, huh?"

"If you want." She answered. "But, Ryoko....there will come day that I may
not be here with you..."

Ryoko cut her off by saying, "Mom...you're over 20,000 years old! If you've
lived that long, then you'll defiantly be around when I start looking like
the old man...or worse...when I start looking like Ayeka! But....you're
Washu, the Goddess of Chaos...friend to all...and mother to me....you'll be
here."

Washu chuckled again as she pulled something from her pocket. "Then in that
case....mind explaining this picture to me?"

Ryoko took one look at the picture, blushed and then fell over backwards.

Washu looked at her warily. "Hey...you can't pass out! You still haven't
explained what the hell you're doing in this photo! Ryoko...? Wake up. I'm
talking to you, young lady. I'll give you to the count of three to sit up
and explain this to me and if you don't.....are you listening to
me?!....RYOKO?"
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