DISCLAIMER: Tenchi Muyo does not belong to me. Tenchi and all of the original characters and story bits belong to both AIC and Pioneer. There- I said it, happy now?!?!?! Oh sure, try to make the poor people pay for no disclaimer. I'll show them! BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAA- (Morwen: Please forgive Evil as it seems that Evil's strayed away from the story and gone into useless babble *sigh*) No Need for the Loves of Heaven and Earth! Chapter 1: To Break one's Promise By: Evileyez Shinosuke backed away from Ayeka's door, biting his lip to hold back tears. He knew what she meant by that statement, she was going to follow Yosho if he didn't come back. (Why did he not return yet- how could he promise Aya to be his bride when it was well known among the training barracks that he didn't want to!?)O0o. thought Shinosuke. Although well liked by the "common" persons of Jurai, the nobility thought him to be little more than a half-breed....o0O(Is that his excuse?! Did he fight Ryoko not only for the sake of Jurai, but for a reason to run away? How could he do this to *her*?!). "Shinosuke, how long will you stand behind my door?" a voice asked. "AHHHHHHH!!!!!!" Shinosuke screamed, "Don't DO that! *serious* Just how long did you know I was standing here?" "About the time I started hearing the thunking sounds on the wall behind my door (Thunking noises?)," explained the amused princess. "I mean, where do you think *those* came from," she said holding up a hand mirror. Sure enough, there were swollen lumps of red on his head. *comically* "Owww...," whined Shinosuke with waves of tears on his face, upon the realization that they were there. "Why were you standing there anyw-" "Ayeka," Shinosuke interrupted, "your promise!" (What?) "You never gave me your promise yet- for the rings! I figured out what I want you promise for me." "Shin," Ayeka groaned tiredly, "I am not in the mood for such childish games and worthless promises." (She thinks of this that way?!?)O0o. thought Shinosuke.o0O(This whole time...) "Aya! What are you saying?! We *are* still children!" Shinosuke shouted, eyes wavering after the blow she had verbally given him. "Still children?!" Ayeka shrieked, "After all that has happened we can *never* be same as we once were! Look at my sister! Sasami tries so hard to act happy for us, but she's not! She should've been up on the ship before she got to see any of the destruction that *Devil* caused upon Jurai, but she wasn't! Did you know she got lost? Who knows what she could've seen during that time!" "Aya...please!" Shinosuke pleaded, his eyes shaking. "Just promise me on my ring that you won't leave Jurai anytime soon, that's all I want..." Ayeka, about to coldly answer that request, looked at him. Seeing his facial expression, however, she softened her reply. "Oh, Shin...you know that is the one promise I could never keep," she whispered, "I'll promise you anything save that one." "Ayeka- this is the one thing I will want from you, please do it. (I'm sorry, Shin, but-) If you refuse... I *will* call into question, how you value our friendship. (...) *sigh* I see. Farewell, Highness," Shinosuke spoke, then walked turned to walk away. "Wait!" He turned. "I-I'll promise you that..." Ayeka sighed, defeated. Walking towards her friend, she took hold of the red ring on his hand and swore, "I swear on the ring I have for you, to not leave Jurai in the near future." Similar to her ring after Shinosuke had promised on it, his flashed a bright red. Now, when one looked carefully at it, it would seem like a red flame was burning within the bauble. But for how long will that flame last? *****4 years afterward***** Shinosuke sighed and slumped onto his bed. It was the Princess's eighteenth birthday. This day always depressed him ever since the year *that* had happened. The eighteenth birthday of Princess Ayeka made him remember the days of innocence and laughter when they were young- just like all those previous birthdays of both his and hers. (We were so close back then...what happened? What made it all change? It was all because of that bitch Ryoko...*she* caused this; changed this. Not to mention my "idol" who's at just as much fault here.)O0o. Were his thoughts. Shinosuke believed it was Ryoko's fault for attacking Jurai and Yosho's for following her. Because of that, he hated them both. When he thought about it, Shin knew how that it was a part of growing up. He eventually made his own friends at the Training Grounds and Ayeka at her Palace. Still, this particular day would make him reminisce of those times. Walking over to his desk, he looked at the mirror. His hair was still short, for some reason, he was told as a child by his now dead parents to keep it shortened. His father and grandfather had kept it short, so respecting their wishes, he did as he was once told .o0O(It's also because *she* liked it that way, right?) and picked up a red ribbon. Because the coming of age for the Crown Princess of Jurai was a national event, the Royal Guard was to perform extremely difficult drills with their weapons- a performance that he was in. He was supposed to wear his rank color, *red (*the rank akin to "private"- but since he is in the Royal Guard, it's still pretty up there) on his head. About to put in on, he spotted another red one, darker and made out of better quality material. ***** "So you are going to begin *real* training to become a Guard?" asked Ayeka, smiling. "Yeah! It's so cool! We get new uniforms and everything!" answered a clearly excited Shinosuke, "I wonder when I'll get to fight?" "When you do, I'll have to challenge you to a match! Anyway, this is for you," Ayeka said while handing him a small rectangular box. "Really?!" (Uh-huh ^_^, its so you can think of me when you are doing training.) "Thanks a lot, Aya!" *sounds of laughter* ***** Staring at it for awhile, Shinosuke set aside the common one issued by his Leader and placed it on the desktop, tying the one Ayeka had given him instead. (I wonder if she'll even notice me)O0o. he thought bitterly. Shinosuke, belonging to House Seiryuu, had a rank among the nobility of Jurai but was considerably lower than others of his House. Certainly low enough to not be considered proper audience for their beautiful Princess. (Hmmph...why is all this caste crap so important to the nobility?)O0o. Shinosuke always felt "different" from the others of his rank. It was the subtle things, that caught his attention. One such thing was the way the servants referred to him as "Shin". "Shin" was his nickname, the name for only people who are close to him call him by. Yet no one else had thought this odd; Shinosuke was certain, however, that if they had called one of his cousins by that "rude" way of speaking, they would have been severely punished. In fa- BRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIINNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNGGGGGGGG! "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRGHHHHHHHHH!" screamed Shinosuke in surprise, not prepared to hear such a loud alarm. "Ugh..." he muttered a moment later, "Maybe I shouldn't have set it so loud." *<_< >_>* .o0O(Hope no one heard *that* one...) *****Ayeka's Dressing Room***** "Little Darling! You look beautiful!" squealed Misaki, who then tried reaching down for the ki- "Sister, before you even THINK of hugging Ayeka, please remember the hours of dressing and makeup...," trailed the voice of Funaho, "But you are right, our little Ayeka looks quite fair." "Thank you-" Ayeka said before she felt a tugging on her dress. "Big sister looks pretty!" said little Sasami. Ayeka smiled and patted her little sister's water blue hair. Standing before the viewing mirror, she looked at her reflection. Her face was a bit thinner and eyes smaller, but the biggest change was her hair. It had been cut with great ceremony the previous day. The Priest had cut out a top layer in her hair- much shorter than the rest of her hair, to signify the ending of a childhood into adulthood, and then burned it .o0O(Much to the distaste of the others in the room. Burnt hair smell *shudder*) thought the princess. Her robes of ceremony were quite beautiful, and had taken years to find the right colors of the silks for Ayeka, and then another year to make all of her many layers. [Think of the Japanese court ladies that wear *many* layers of silk] (Shinosuke shall attend as well...right? He was-...no, *is* my friend...does he still consider himself a such?) Ayeka questioned. (No, he does not. Yet who could blame him? For it was *me* who drove him away, wasn't it?)O0o. she thought bitterly. ***** Ayeka walked down the hall to her room. Moonbeams shone on her body, casting a white glow upon her- like a beautiful spirit. (Ahhh...I'm so tired! Trying to fly your ship by mere mental ability makes one's head hurt quite a bit!)O0o. were her thoughts. As she neared her quarters, the girl heard the hurried whispers of the maidservants preparing her bed. "Of course I heard! Who hasn't?" said the first maid. "The poor girl..." said the second, a matronly looking woman. "Well, *I* think that if she TRULY loved him, she would've followed him!" spoke a third. "But didn't you see her when he left? She was heartbroken!" the second one protested. "Well, I have a bit of info that you might be interested in girls," the third said. ("What?" the two others asked) "Let's just say that she and her little ...*mockingly* "friend" are-" "She wouldn't!" the first said, astonished, "One of her status associating with one of *that* kind of legacy?" ***** "The boy isn't pure Jurain..." ***** "Then please explain why they should both share a *Lovers Ring with that boy? (*when people are given rings on Jurai, it's a symbol of forbidden love; hence "Lovers Rings"- it is bracelets that are given for weddings and such)" At this point Ayeka stopped listening. (How DARE they speak of us in such a manner! Is this what they think we are? Lovers?! We *are* just friends, nothing more! Or...am-... am I wrong? Do our actions speak differently?) Looking at her ring, Ayeka pulled it off and walked over to of the windows .o0O(They *are* right in a way...I have waited too long. When I can properly handle my ship...I-...I'll leave Jurai!) and threw her ring out-... onto the floor. "No...but I cannot throw this away...not now!" she cried out, falling on the floor in a heap and picked it up.... Ripping out a strand of her thick hair, Ayeka put it through the ring loop many, many times, slipped it over her head- onto her neck, and hid underneath her robes. "Not now..." ***** (It was after that incident that I truly began to avoid him...wasn't it? That was when I realized that people were getting the wrong idea from us-...my governess disapproved of us altogether as well...was it because...because he isn't like the rest of us...?)O0o. Ayeka pondered, putting her hand to her neck line. "Come Daughter," called Funaho, "your ceremony awaits you." *sharp glance at Masaki* .o0O(Don't you dare...) *nervous smile from Misaki* "Eheheheh..." *sweatdrop* (Good girl...)O0o. *giggle* thought the First Empress. *****after the ceremony***** "Oh come, *on* Shin!" joked a fellow Royal Guard, "Don't tell me that you were naïve enough to actually believe the Crown Princess would talk to you personally; because of what? That pretty face of yours?" *HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAA* Shin had been lying down on his bed, thinking over the days events. The drunken man's voice slowly faded away from the mind of Shinosuke. He should have been happier, like the rest of the Royal Guards trained well enough with their weapons, to show off their skills to the Royal Family; as well as exchange a few pleasantries with the Princess herself! ***** Crown Princess Ayeka had just finished her speech. Her audience gazed at her beauty with awe. The air around her emanated an aura of dignity and royal upbringing. Although in actuality, she had been quite nervous and only the feeling of the ring where she clutched both her hands made her calm. Looking up at Ayeka, Shinosuke gasped with surprise. The Ayeka he had played with as children had now grown up- ***** "Shin, are you even *listening* to me?" his roommate asked, interrupting Shinosuke's thoughts, "Goddesses! You act like such a baby Shin- stop pouting!" "Hmmph" muttered Shin, "and I am *not* pouting. That's bunch of bull." (This guy is *getting* to me...)O0o. Digging his face into his pillow, his thoughts on the Princess once more resurfacing.o0O(Couldn't she at least have *acted* like she knew me? Ayeka had been so distant and formal...damn it! Does she really not remember me?! At least she looked hot.... Shinosuke whapped himself on the head .o0O(Dammit! Not right now! You're *supposed* to be wallowing in self-pity! And you have right to as well, besides weren't you "over" her? Wait a sec, you never were really *with* her to begin with- AARGH!) He began to scream with frustration into the pillow. Shinosuke's "friend" looked over at him with a bemused expression, "Heh. What a freak-" and got hit in the face with a pillow. "Shut up and go to bed." *****Ayeka's Bedchamber***** Ayeka was happy. Her speech went on without a flaw, and the audience loved her! Yet there was something else on her mind...something no one else was to know... *****Nighttime****** The Empresses Funaho and Misaki quietly entered the bedchambers of Ayeka, unnoticed by anyone and left as silently as they came- with a third in their party now. That night, the Crown Princess Ayeka left Jurai accompanied by her younger sister Sasami. They were to find out the status of the Crown Prince Yosho and return him to Jurai as soon as possible- though in reality, Misaki and Funaho had done it in order to prevent the possible suitors that Ayeka would have due to the absence of her fiancé. Ayeka stepped into the hollow trunk in the bridge. The opening in the wood closed and created darkness inside. As she inhaled the sleeping gas- she felt a terrible burning sensation just as her Ryu-oh took off. "Wha- what is this pain I feel on my heart?" End Chapter One It is a dark room, with two figures standing in two spotlights that are two shades of blue which are the exact same two that they prefer. And in these two lights, the two figures talk about the first two parts of Evil's story. [You had to stop sometime...] .o0O(Oh just go bark up another tree) [Oh, I was planning on doing that when she was older- however, if you insist-] .o0O(You will NOT do ANYTHING to that little girl! That poor girl has been through so many bad lemons *shudder*) [*evil smile*] .o0O(*sweatbeads*) Astrophe: You know Evil, this story is getting to be kind of- Evil: Interesting? Astrophe: Sappy- no offense...but is this going to be something like an Anne- Book? Evil: *indignantly* I will NOT write a lemon fanfic! And it is not sappy! Astrophe: If that's the way you are going to be- how about cheesy? Evil: Man, it's only like that cuz I'm still building the snowball! Astrophe: *raises eyebrows* "Building the snowball"? Is that innuendo? Evil: *vainly tries to raise one- fails and brings up finger to do it instead* Astrophe: *bemused expression* So I see. Evil: *twitch* Dude! Don't go there, that's just so... Astrophe: So me? Evil: So like "Mal". Astrophe: That's understandable. Mal: I heard that! Fearing wrath from the "Mal", Astro and Evil flee the room leaving to sets of tracks from their two spotlights that happen to be the two shades of blue that those two- Ah, forget it...