Author: RyokoOAV Date: 9/25/98 As you very well know no one in the Tenchi universe is mine. Although Yano is a character of my own creation. This is my frist Tenchi fanfic, but it isn't my first fanfic. I also wrote a Buffy the Vampire Slayer fanfic entitled. Life after Death. This is the first part of a story that at this time I don't know how long it will be. I am already well into the second part, and depending on the feedback I get on this part it will be posted soon. So please tell me what you think ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- A Dark Day Tenchi Masaki awoke that morning with a strange feeling of dread. He wasn't sure what caused it, but it struck him to the core. Deep down he knew this was going to be a bad day. And he didn't mean the usual day where Ayeka, and Ryoko fought each other. Something was about to happen. With great reluctance Tenchi got out of bed. He slowly got dressed then went downstairs to find Sasami already awake, and in the process of making breakfast. He spotted Mihoshi on the couch watching some early morning cartoon show. " Good morning Tenchi," Sasami called when she spotted him. "Good morning Sasami," he answered back shaking off the feeling of dread he felt waking up. "Breakfast smells great." Her eyes sparkled at the compliment. "Would you please call the others in, Breakfast is nearly done." "Alright Sasami," He turned, and nearly collided with Ayeka "Oh, excuse me lord Tenchi," she said in her shy little voice. She blushed and looked towards the floor. "Don't worry about it Miss Ayeka. It was my fault." He assured her. She looked up into his eyes, and smiled. "Good morning all!" Mihoshi called from behind them, the sudden greeting startling them both. They turned to see the bubble headed blonde standing close by them. "Good morning Mihoshi, breakfast is ready. " Tenchi told her. "Oh goody! Breakfast! " She cheered, then skipped towards the table. Ayeka turned back to Tenchi and sighed. "I guess I better help Sasami set the table." The then headed into the kitchen to help her sister. Tenchi went to the living room, and stopped below the roof beam that Ryoko used for a bed. "Ryoko, breakfast!" he called up. Suddenly he felt hands encircle his waist, and felt a head lay against his shoulder. "How sweet for the first thing I hear when I wake is your voice Tenchi," She said in her low husky voice. "It's almost as if we were married." "Ryoko stop it," he said as he tried to remove her arms from around his waist. "Miss Ryoko, you will take your hands off lord Tenchi this instant!" Ayeka yelled. Ryoko only responded by tightening her grip. "Good morning Princess. As you can see me and Tenchi are in the middle of something, and will join you for breakfast in a little while." Ayeka turned an unnatural shade of red at that. She walked up to Ryoko, and took her by the ear. "Ow, would you let go of me," cried Ryoko as Ayeka non-to kindly led her to the table. "You will not force yourself on lord Tenchi, " She snapped. Tenchi just shook his head in exasperation, and went to get Washu. * * * * * Breakfast went without any fights for once, and Tenchi began to think that maybe he had been wrong. Today was starting out to be just a regular day. But when Tenchi begun his chores for the day the feeling returned full force. Meanwhile Ryoko was casually walking …ER… floating around the trees around the Masaki home. She was totally unaware of the intruder watching her. "Oh she is perfect." It whispered to it's self. "She is so powerful, and beautiful. She is truly worthy of myself." With that he let his presence be known to Ryoko. "Who the hell are you?" Ryoko cried as she saw a shadowy figure step ahead of her on the path. "I am Yano," he answered. He pulled back his hood to reveal a very handsome, but cold face. He had long sandy colored hair that was pulled back in a ponytail that went halfway down his back. His ice blue eyes sent shivers down her spine, "What do you want?" she asked. She already prepared herself to fight if she needed to. "I have been watching you for a while, and the others who live here. You will be pleased to know that out of all of them, the one who most impressed me was you." "Well good for you," she snapped. "What do you want?" "You of course," he replied. "I want you to come with me." "What if I don't want to go?" she challenged. "I am afraid you do not have much of a choice in the matter." Ryoko attacked then. Sending an energy charge at his head. He stood calmly then slowly lifted his hand. Suddenly the energy charge disappeared. But Ryoko, although suprised he blocked her attack, made another advance. This time using her energy sword. She swiped at the intruder, but he evaded her attack once again. This time thought he revealed a long cain. Pointing it up in the air he began chanting in a language Ryoko didn't recognize. As he continued chanting a pressure began to make an appearance in Ryoko's head. Soon it became unbearable, and she could no longer concentrate. The energy sword disappeared, and she fell to the ground clutching her head. "Hey what's going on here?" a familiar voice broke through the blackness that began to overtake Ryoko. "Tenchi," she whispered. A sudden spasm of pain hit her, and she finally passed out. "Ryoko?" What did you do to her?" he yelled angrily at the stranger. "I am Yano, and she is no longer any of your concern." Yano replied calmly. "I am taking her with me." "I don't thing so," Tenchi growled. Before he knew it, he brought out his sword. The blue blade sparked to life. "Ah the young prince thinks he can challenge me?" Yano chuckled. "You will soon learn your place Boy!" He raised his cain in the air, and began chanting once again. Tenchi just stared at him in confusion. "Tenchi!" Someone called from down the path. Yano cursed under his breath. Then he disappeared, leaving behind a bewildered Tenchi. Washu then came into view. She spied Tenchi standing there with his sword ignighted, and Ryoko lying inert on the ground. "What happened here?" she asked as she ran to her daughter's side. "I don't know. Some guy tried to take Ryoko away." Tenchi told her. He knelt beside Washu as she checked Ryoko for injuries. "Is she going to be okay?" he asked. "I don't know. Let's get her to my lab," Tenchi noticed that Washu actually looked unsure of what to do, and that sent a cold chill down his spine. He gently lifted Ryoko, and carried her towards the house. * * * * * Tenchi, Ayeka, Sasami, Mihoshi, and Ryo-Ohki all waited for Washu to come out of her lab, and tell them weather or not Ryoko was going to be all right. Both Tenchi's father and grandfather were also waiting to hear the condition of the space pirate. They had all been waiting for an hour now. The more time that passed, the more Tenchi worried. He was suprised how much he cared for this woman. The first time they meet she tried to kill him. But as he looked back on that incident now, he realized that she never had any intention of even hurting him. Being locked in that cave for seven hundred years left her with the need to work out some of her aggressions. Suddenly Tenchi was pulled out oh his deep though by the sound of Washu coming out of her lab. Everyone stood in anticipation to hear the news. "How is she Washu?" Tenchi asked. "She will be fine." Washu answered. The whole room let out a sigh of relief, even Ayeka. "I just had to give her a simple injection to lesson the pressure inside her brain. All too simple for a genius such as myself! All's she need now is a good night rest, and she will be back to her old self." "May I see her?" Tenchi asked. Washu stared at him for a minute, as if she were about to say no, but then she simply nodded her head. "But only for a few minutes. She needs her rest." Tenchi began to walk into the lab when Washu put a hand on his arm. "After you are through I want to ask you a few questions about the man who tried to take Ryoko. He failed to take her this time, but he will be back." "Alright little Washu." Tenchi then stepped into the other dimension that served for Washu's lab, and living space. He spied another door just to the left of him. Opening it he found what looked like a hospital room. One bed was in the middle of the room. There was a soft white blanket rumpled up at the foot of the bed, but what caught Tenchi's attention was Ryoko standing up, but leaning heavily on the railing surrounding the bed. "Ryoko! What do you think you are doing?" Tenchi asked as he quickly stepped up to her, and partially lifted her so that she leaned on him. "I can't stay in here Tenchi. I don't like it in here," She said, her voice barley above a whisper. "It's okay Ryoko. Washu said that after a good night rest you will be back to normal. It's just for tonight," he tried to sooth her. "No!" she yelled in only a slightly stronger voice. "I can't stay in here! I won't!" she tried to teleport out of the room, but Tenchi could see her face twist in pain, and she suddenly collapsed fully against him. "Ryoko!" he yelled concerned. "Oh Tenchi don't leave me alone," She said. Then she finally lost the battle to stay conscious, and feel asleep in his arms. Tenchi gently lifted her, placed her back on the bed, and just as gently pulled the soft blanket over her. He stayed there for just a moment staring down at her face. She looked so innocent in sleep. It was hard to imagine, watching her now, that she could be so troublesome when she was awake. She truly was beautiful though. It was getting harder and harder to be around either her or Ayeka. He loved them both dearly, but he also didn't want to hurt either of them. He knew though that the time to choose one of them was rapidly approaching. He gave her hand a light squeeze then left the room. Washu was waiting for him as he came out of the lab. "She's asleep," he told her. "Good, now tell me all you know about what happened today." Her eyes were blazing with something Tenchi could not quite identify. Then again this was her daughter they were talking about. He then told her in detail what happened between him, and the strange man. "Do you know this Yano, Washu?" he asked. "He left as soon as he heard your voice." "I've never heard of him," Washu said perplexed. "We best be on our guard. As I said before he will be back." "What does he want? Why would he take Ryoko?" Tenchi voice was full of fear, and worry. "I don't know. We will have to ask Ryoko when she is more up to it." Washu sighed, and ran a hand through her hair. " We will have to keep an extra eye on Ryoko. This man must be really powerful if he defeated Ryoko so easily." Tenchi nodded in agreement. He vowed to himself that this man would not get Ryoko, no matter what. * * * * * In the morning Ryoko was almost back to her usual self. She was a bit slow, and unfocused, but other wise didn't seem to have any after effects from the attack. Ryoko, and Ayeka were watching TV when Washu came out of her lab. "Ryoko can I ask you a few questions?" she asked as she came up behind her. Ryoko gave her an unsure look, before she reluctantly nodded. Washu gave Ayeka a silent glance. Ayeka took the hint, and left the room leaving mother and daughter alone to talk. "Ryoko, how much do you remember about yesterday?" she asked before Ryoko had a chance to change her mind. "Not much. I just remember a strange man, and then pain." Her voice drifted away as she talked, and her eyes became unfocused. Then she became quite. It was a few seconds before she spoke again. "There was such pain.," she whispered. "You don't remember what he wanted?" Washu asked gently. "No," came the quite response. "It's okay Ryoko," Washu reassured her. "I'm sure we will figure it all out, and this creep will get what's coming to him." Ryoko turned to look at Washu. Yellow eyes meet green. Ryoko saw something in those eyes that she had rarely seen before. It was a look of love, a look of a mother's love for a child. The last time she had seen it was when she was a prisoner on Dr. Clay's ship. Although even then it wasn't as intense as it was now. "Thank you Mom," She said sincerely. Washu felt her heart swell at being called Mom, and knowing that she meant it. She didn't know why, but ever since she saw Ryoko lying inert on the ground it had awaken something inside her. * * * * * Yano watched the interaction between mother and daughter. He frowned at what he saw. He had not expected Washu to care so much for her. He had hoped to just take her without confronting the scientist. Now it didn't seem that would happen. He thought about Ryoko. Kagato was wrong to try, and destroy her. At least before he had know of the possibilities. She had power in her that not even Washu knew about. That power would soon be his. He swore he would not leave until he got what he wanted. To be continued