--Alan -- Tenchi story #2. A follow-up to "Why Bother?" ################################################## Fair Night's Longing A "Tenchi Muyo!" OAV-based fanfic By Alan (John Alan Riggs) ################################################## "Sometimes I ask myself," Ayeka said to the ceiling, "'How can she still fly after all the struggles we've known?' The answer has not come to me yet--but I hope that it will arrive soon." The princess and her sister lay in their mats that night, under the same roof and ceiling. Only Ayeka stayed awake. The view before her eyes was an empty canvas, for nothing had been painted to decorate the room. It was all the better for her, because the image in Ayeka's mind was of Ryoko. She rolled over on her back, yet the vision remained. The pirate's face floated in front of her, wavering and shaking. However, "Ryoko" was not laughing. The woman's eyes were closed, her jaw was shut tight, her chin was tilted toward the ground. Ryoko, enemy to Jurai and decent people all across the galaxy, screamed. "'I can't believe how pathetic our lives are,' she said," whispered Ayeka, "and I wish it wasn't true. The two of us have chased after Tenchi for so long, that we have practically forgotten who he is. I have been so concerned about our war, I don't even remember why I started fighting." The young Juraian paused, and pressed her right palm on the dry, cool floor. "Now what am I to do?" she asked. Her question, stated in a nigh- inaudible voice, bounced off the four walls. The universe did not respond. The room remained still. "Sasami," Ayeka told herself, "Perhaps she can help me out. If I can't put this together... how will I get to sleep?" The young woman lifted the sheet off her body. Though her eyes still saw only a blur, she crawled over toward her sister. Looking down on the younger one's face, Ayeka whispered, "Sasami... are you awake?" All about her, a cold breeze, sent from the window, blew through the room. A moment passed. One eye opened, then two. Sasami turned her head and mumbled, "What is it, Ayeka?" "I need your help... I can't get to sleep," the elder princess said, telling her dilemma phrase by phrase, "What'll I do about Ryoko and Tenchi?" she asked. Caught between sleep and awareness of the question, Sasami told her sister, "I don't know. I've never had an interest in him... just keeping everyone friends is enough. Is that it?" The last statement came as a plea for freedom--the younger princess needed her rest just as much as Ayeka did. "Yes, that will do," Ayeka replied. She rose to her feet, for the ideas were already arriving. Ayeka then walked away from Sasami. Looking toward the floor, she told herself, "My life might be pathetic, but it isn't too late to do something about it. I have only known Tenchi for a few months, while I have lived for hundreds of years." She seated herself by the mat. Minutes later, Ayeka began to feel the concept of sleep invade her brain. Just then, the filmy vision of Ryoko re-appeared. "This time," she told the image, "I will not seek revenge on you. Instead, I will figure out how to end our fights. There must be a way to keep the family together. Their lives must not become as pathetic as ours." *** Ryoko swung a fist at the wall, yet pulled back at the last moment. Glaring at that white barrier, she growled. It was enough that she had to compete with Ayeka--to follow the same time schedule as her rival was... was... the thing that made her want to destroy the wall. The window was a gaping hole to the world, yet no wind came inside. She noticed. "Damn it," she muttered, "what's with the laws of science around here?" A moment passed. Finally, as Ryoko watched it, the breeze arrived. "It's about time," she said. With only a whisper of sound, the wind made a circle about the room. "She said, 'My old passion for Yosho was thus transferred,'" Ryoko told herself, as she turned toward the door, "I, however, know her far too well to believe that. She's been interested in Tenchi since even before I met them at Funaho. By that time, I knew he was already slipping out of my--" She stopped the thought, as something in her brain crashed like a freight train. "I don't know the structure of our relationship after all," she said, as she pounded a fist into an open palm, "If I had followed Ayeka that first time, when she went outside with Ryo-oh-ki, then I'd know what happened between them... Damn that woman!" Once again, the breeze halted. Nothing in the room moved. Ryoko, pressing her jaws together, whispered, "I wish I could literally damn her. Maybe Tenchi could--he holds the master key, after all. But if I destroyed her, what would he think?" The images arrived in her mind instantly: a funeral, the return of Sasami to Jurai, Tenchi moving away... "If he left me... for a simple act like killing her," Ryoko said, "I would have nothing to fight for. I'd have nothing to live for. Before long, I would cease to exist." Outside, the sky remained dark. The moon remained in the heavens. Ryoko, on the other hand, had just sat down. "I can't keep going on this way forever," she said, "I need to win him over in a way that will keep the family together... or else not try at all." With one eye closed, she stared at the ceiling. To the air, she asked, "Now how will I manage that? My passion for Tenchi has not been transferred." -- THOUGHTS IN CLOSING: If you have a chance, contact me about the story at . I'd appreciate it. In the last three weeks, I've continued to procrastinate on doing research of the Tenchi-verse. A couple things might be incorrect here: 1) whether the Masaki family uses mats for sleeping (that is, "tatami") or not. 2) Does OAV Ryoko need sleep? I don't think so... Like I said last time, those used to anime fan fiction might be disappointed by the lack of Japanese words or phrases. Sorry. My writing is even more stilted and awkward when I tryto write in that way. What's next? I'd like to continue writing stories which follow the direction of "Why Bother" and this episode. Not all will be introspective; rather, they will fit the direction which the story arc is going. For a good example of this, look at the works of Sailor Mac. She's written a long string of "Sailor Moon" stories. All have mature content, yet they are not all identical in focus or tone. Find 'em at ... just skip past the other supposedly mature works, except the ones she recommends. -Alan (September 22, 1999) Elfquest site: eq_addiction> "Tenchi Muyo!" and all the things related to it are the copyrights of AIC, Pioneer LDCA, and various others. Feel free to distribute this story over the 'Net, but don't remove my name from it, and don't try to make money off it.