Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters. They belong to the very creative people at AIC/ Pioneer. I don't make any money off of this so don't sue me. ^_^ Notes: Hi! This is the second chapter of Ryoko's Gems. I have started summer school. ^_^;; I don't plan to have it affect my writing... but if it does send me your e-mail address, and I will send you a copy of the next chapter if I miss an update. Thanks. Still want your comments on the story so send them!! ^_^ E-mail: jennyb4@hotmail.com ******************************************************************************** RYOKO'S GEMS: CHAPTER TWO "Really Tenchi, I am fine," Ryoko reassured Tenchi, as she made her way to the door. Still not fully aware of her loss of power Ryoko, walked into the door. "Ow!" Ryoko stepped back, as she rubbed her bruised head. "Ryoko you really should have Washu look you over," Tenchi said concerned, reaching out to help Ryoko. "I am not some defective experiment that needs a tune up or a new wire," The stains from the loss of her powers were getting to her. "I am not going to see that mad scientist!" Ryoko brushed Tenchi's hand off her shoulder. Tenchi's face was apologetic and surprised. Ryoko could not stand that look of hurt from him. >He can't understand,< Ryoko thought angrily. She harshly slid open his door and stormed out of his room. Tenchi was left standing in his room stunned. "Did I miss something?" Tenchi asked himself in bewilderment. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ryoko came down the stairs; almost loosing her balance again she grabbed the rail for support. Aeka came out of the kitchen hearing the door to Tenchi's room open. She wanted to apologize for her rudeness at dinner. Instead of Tenchi coming down the stairs, she saw Ryoko. >No doubt coming from Tenchi's room.< Aeka thought angrily. "Ryoko what have you been doing to Tenchi," Aeka demanded. "Non of your damn business," Ryoko retorted, regaining her balance and descending the final steps of the stairs to face Aeka. "I want to know what you were doing in Tenchi's room!" Ryoko's emotions were wearing thin. She had been through an emotion roller coaster today and she did not need these childish accusations of Aeka's. It was a fun game when she was not so tired. "Didn't you hear what I said before you insufferable bitch?!" Before Ryoko could take back her commit, she felt herself thrown against the wall. She felt a horrible pain in her chest. Her chest tightened. >I can't breathe,< Ryoko thought horrified. Then she inhaled a breath and felt blood trickle down the back of her throat. Ryoko gagged. Aeka's logs surrounded her, preparing for another attack. "I had it with you, Ryoko. I have tried to be polite and civil. I looked away when you were climbing disgracefully over Tenchi. You never considered anyone's feelings. You only see yours!" Aeka had prepared another attack. Ryoko shook off the pain that burned in her chest. She could barely breathe. Her vision came in and out of blackness as she tried to stand. She steadied herself against the wall. "Aeka listen..." Ryoko's voice was cut off by Aeka. "Enough of your talk, Ryoko. You always like to resolve things with the sword, so now is your chance," Aeka informed her. >I will show her,< Aeka consumed with her own vengeance, did not notice Ryoko's pain and inability to protect herself. "Defend yourself!" "Aeka.." Before Ryoko could finish, pain consumed her body. The pain disappeared as she fell unconscious to the floor. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Tenchi had heard the first blast of the fight. Aeka's and Ryoko's fights had become so natural he disregarded them. He lay on his bed thinking about what happened between him and Ryoko. A sharp pain flared through his body and he thought he heard someone scream his name in agony. The pain only lasted a few seconds, but a second explosion followed it. Then a deadly silence came over the house. Realization struck him. He leaped out of bed. "Ryoko!" Her name came out more in a whisper, as his throat suddenly became dry. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Washu stood over the unconscious Ryoko, typing on her laptop. A frown came across Washu's lips. >You are a very stupid girl, Ryoko.< She shook her head and continued typing away in the silence of her laboratory. Ryoko lay in a glass tube. Her chest rouse and fell in the soft rhythm of her breathing. Her clothes were removed and a bandage was wrapped around her mid section. The blood had seeped through the white bandage. Her arms rested at her side and her face was turned away from Washu. Washu stretched her arms and cracked her fingers. "You`re lucky, Aeka didn't kill you," Washu muttered. Her greatest creation lay before her wounded. This should not have happened to Ryoko. She was built to be the most powerful warrior. She had been able to defeat the superior Jurai army single-handed. People bowed in fear of her and now she lay helpless like a meek child. Washu hit her computer in anger causing to disappear on impact. "Why did you do this to me?!" Washu angrily yelled at her unconscious daughter. Ryoko was the last thing she had of a family, and the thought of loosing her was incomprehensible. >I lost one child before. I watched him disappeared before my eyes. I won't allow you to do that to me, too.< Washu's hands rested on the top of the glass chamber that held her daughter. She curled her hands into a fist and pushed herself away. Her computer formed before her and she resumed typing. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Aeka sat crying at the foot of the dock. Tenchi sat next to her. Both did not say a word to each other. Aeka sniffled and wiped her tears on her sleeve. She glanced up at Tenchi's stern face. He stared blankly on the lake. His thoughts were somewhere else, but his face let none of his emotions through. Aeka had expected Tenchi to yell at her, like he did when Ryoko did something foolish, but after he brought Ryoko to Washu's lab, he sot her out and said nothing to her. He sat down next to her like it was another beautiful day. Aeka did not know what to say. "Sorry" seemed not to be enough. >I would have never attacked her, if I knew she had none of her powers,< Aeka sighed. She bowed her head and looked at her hands. She had never killed anyone. She was the Princess of Jurai, one of the most powerful kingdoms in the galaxy. She should not be worrying over the health of the person, who took her away from her brother and got her stuck on this planet. She tried to believe what she told herself but couldn't. She did not know why she prayed to have this annoying demon okay. Deep inside her she knew the answer, but she would not let herself believe it. She would never be a friend with Ryoko, she told herself. Tenchi did not know what to feel. It was because of him that Ryoko was hurt. If it were not for Aeka's and Ryoko's constant fighting over him, Ryoko would not be bleeding in Washu's lab. He squeezed his fists tighter in his lap. He could not feel his nails breaking into his skin. Ryoko gave her gem to him because she feared she would hurt him. Now she was the one who was hurt. >Ryoko why did you put yourself in danger for me? It hurts me more to watch you helpless and there is nothing I can do.< Tenchi broke his gaze from the lake. He noticed Aeka's sobbing had subsided. She quietly gazed at the birds flying over the lake. Tear silently flowed down her cheeks. "Aeka," Tenchi softly said, putting his arm around her, "You did not know that Ryoko has lost her power." Aeka lay her head on his chest. >He is not angry at me,< She rested there for a few moments. "Tenchi I am the princess of Jurai, I should have known better." Aeka looked up into his soft brown eyes. "Ryoko has her own natural way of upsetting the most proper and trained of us all." Tenchi smiled at his statement. Ryoko could get under anyone's skin to the point you did not know if you should strangle the demoness or hold her. "That is so true," Aeka responded. "Will she be alright?" "I think so." Tenchi held Aeka as the sun slid behind the hills. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sasami stayed at the door of Washu's lab with Ryo-Ohki. Sasami had refused to leave until Washu told her Ryoko would be all right. Sasami stroked Ryo-Ohki's fur. She stained to keep her eyes open. Her head bobbed up and down trying to refuse sleep. Finally she could not keep her eyes open any longer. She slipped into a deep slumber. Ryo-Ohki curled up in the little girl's lap. A sad "Miya" came from Ryo-ohki. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The house had turned dark. The moon never came out, and only a few stars gleamed in the black sky. A starship came out of the blackness towing another starship behind it. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- "Ohhh," Mihoshi whined, "I can't see a thing." She turned her cube again and again. The cube popped out clothes, toys, food, secret documents, but Mihoshi could not find the manual for her starship. "I can't turn on the lights, if I don't have the manual." The figure behind her sighed in disgust at the frazzled galaxy police officer. "Why don't you hit the button that has the picture of a light?" the man suggested. Mihoshi looked up from the pile of junk that surrounded her. "Oh I knew that." I light bulb seemed to pop on in the black void of Mihoshi's head. She reached forward and hit the button that looked like a light. "No, not that one!" the man yelled in shock, as Mihoshi pushed the button for the cannons. An explosion erupted from the forest below. "Oops." The man ran forward to take over the controls for the ship. He flipped on the lights. The inside of the shipped illuminated in light. He landed the ships next to the Masaki house. "I wish they did not give me a different ship," Mihoshi bald. Tears streamed down her face. "I miss my old ship!" The young man looked powerless at Mihoshi. >How did this crybaby become a galaxy police officer?< He pushed his hand through his thick black hair. His blue eyes scanned the room for somewhere to escape from the endless crying. >I am going to need this bubblehead's help if I am to retrieve Washu,< He walked up to Mihoshi. His broad shoulder and height cast a shadow on her. Mihoshi sniffled as she recognized how close he stood to her. She blushed a deep red. "Are you going to help me fix my ship?" he asked her. "I can't help you fix your ship, but I bet Washu will help you." >I am surprised anyone would let her pilot a ship, let alone fix one,< he thought. "Thank you." He smiled. Mihoshi blushed again. "Come on you will have to meet everyone. I bet Tenchi will let you stay until your ship is fixed. He is so nice," Mihoshi rambled on, but Gyhard did not listen. His mind contemplated his meeting and the capture of Washu. He was jolted out of his thoughts, as Mihoshi grabbed his arm and dragged him out of her ship. Everyone gathered around the two starships, except for Ryoko. Mihoshi came out of her new ship, dragging a handsome man behind her. "I should have guessed," Washu said referring to the explosion that had taken place. Sasami tugged at her sister's skirt. "Isn't he handsome?" Sasami whispered to Aeka. "Sasami!" "What did you do now?" Washu said to Mihoshi in an accusing tone, as Washu nodded to the young man and the broken starship. "Washu!! Please can you help fix this man's ship?" Mihoshi had her hands clasped together pleading. >So this is Washu,< Gyhard thought, >She sure does not look like she has any power. She looks like a child but she sure does not act like one.< He watched as Washu hit Mihoshi over the head with the manual for her spacecraft. "I am sorry I did not mean to hit his space ship. I couldn't find the manual for the controls. I told him that your were a genius when it comes to fixing space ships." "Well if you put it that way, I guess I have no choice but to help him." Washu turned her attention to Gyhard. He stared back at Washu. She looked tried, though; her perky voice did not show it. "So Mihoshi, are you going to introduce me to this young man whom you decided to hit?" A sweat dropped formed on her head. "I forgot to ask his name." Everyone hung heads. Washu looked at Mihoshi, as if she had never seen her before. "Mihoshi you can't mean that you were riding with this man all the time and never bothered to ask him his name?!" Washu said. "Yep," she answered cheerfully. Washu groaned. "Since the ditz here has not inquired about your name, I will," Washu said. "I am the Super Genius Washu, but I expect you to call me Little Washu." Washu extended her hand to him with a smile spread across her face. "Hello, Little Washu. I am Gyhard," he said taking Washu's hand in his. "I will be glad to fix your ship only if you..." She let her voice wonder. "If I what?" "Let me experiment on you!" Gyhard was taken aback by Washu's request. "Umm." She smiled at his frazzled look. "I will let you think about it. I will fixed the damage this ditz has inflicted on your ship, but it will have to wait 'til I finish my other project." With the last sentence Gyhard thought her voice become suddenly sad and tired. "Your welcome to stay at my house until your ship is prepared," Tenchi said as he approached Gyhard. "I am Masaki Tenchi." Gyhard accepted Tenchi's offer. Tenchi watched as Aeka and Sasami greeted Gyhard. >I don't like him< the thought came out of nowhere and shocked him. He never judged anyone until he knew more about him, but there was something about this man that unnerved him. "Don't worry, you are not going to loose the girls affection for you to him," Washu said in response to the face Tenchi had made. Tenchi looked shocked. "No it is no that," Tenchi said calmly, "There is something else about him that bothers me." Washu looked from Tenchi to Gyhard, who was still talking to the girls, then back to Tenchi. >Maybe I can get Gyhard to agree on a little experiment< she thought. "Is Ryoko doing all right?" Tenchi asked, as the group moved into the house. "Do you want to see her?" "Would it be all right?" Washu looked up to him as if he was joking. The seriousness of his face told her otherwise. "Yes it will be fine. Ryoko is still unconscious, but I think she would be happy to have you with her." Tenchi kept quite as he followed Washu to her lab. Washu stopped at the door. "Tenchi. Why did Ryoko give you her gem?" Washu asked quietly. "She said she did not want to harm me," Tenchi replied sadly. Ryoko got hurt because of him. Washu kept silent as she entered her lab followed by Tenchi. The lab that contained all her machines and experiments, was empty except for a glass tube that held Ryoko. Tenchi walked up to the glass chamber. He watched Ryoko. He kept his eyes focused on her sleeping face, away from the bloody bandage. A light sheet covered the exposed part of her body. "She loves you Tenchi. She would do anything for you," Washu said from behind him, "Don't blame yourself for what happened." "How could I not? When did I deserve this devotion of hers?" "The day you smiled at her without cowering away in fear." -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The three girls had pushed Gyhard in the house. He sat on the couch with Mihoshi and Aeka besides him sipping tea. Sasami handed him another cup of tea. It amazed him, this little girl did the chores that these two older women should do. They chattered away asking him question after question. His mind was only half focused on them. He searched the house with his eyes to see where that boy and Washu had gone. They were nowhere to be seen. >Damn!< "Do you like the tea?" Sasami asked. Gyhard looked at the little girl standing before him. "It is wonderful. I am surprised someone so young can make such great tea," he replied honestly. Sasami blushed at the praise. "Where is Ryoko?" Mihoshi asked sipping some of her tea. A hush silence came over Aeka and Sasami. Sasami looked to Aeka to answer Mihoshi's question. Tears started to form in Sasami's eyes. She quickly bowed and left the room. >Ryoko? Why does that name sound familiar?< Gyhard thought, >Did I read it on the print out of this place?< A soft sob from the kitchen broke his train of thoughts. He looked up to see Aeka turning her head toward the crying. She sighed. Mihoshi started to look worried. "Ryoko has been hurt," Aeka said quietly. "Is she ok?!" Mihoshi jumped out of her seat spilling her tea. "Oh no!!" she shrieked as the tea came down on her uniform. She brushed off the tea as much she could. "What happened to Ryoko?" Mihoshi asked, as she took a napkin to soak up the tea that stained her uniform. Aeka hung her head, avoiding Mihoshi's eye contact. Sasami appeared at the entrance to the kitchen. Her eyes where puffy. "Aeka and Ryoko had a fight and Ryoko got hurt," Sasami said. "Why can't you two ever be nice to each other?!" Mihoshi asked. "Who knows?" Aeka responded sadly, as she stood up from the couch. "Sasami can you show Gyhard to the extra room? Good night." Aeka bowed and removed herself from the room. The back door could be heard opening and closing. "You must be tired. I will show you to your room," Sasami said to Gyhard. "Thank you, but I have to do some work on my ship. I will probably end up spending the night there." "Good night," Sasami said, as Gyhard walked out the door. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- >I need to find out who Ryoko is and if she will cause any problems. The princesses of Jurai should not be any problem. That boy Tenchi is a weakling. Mihoshi is more a danger to herself than anyone else. I am surprised Dr.Clay had problems abducting Washu.< Gyhard thought as he walked out to his ship. >D3 said the boy contained great power.< Gyhard opened the bulkhead to his ship. The lights started to come on as he walked to the bridge. He sat down in his chair and called up the computer screen. >Underestimating these people is the greatest folly I can make. There is a reason that the most powerful beings in the galaxy are living under the same roof.< Gyhard leaned back in his chair as the screen before him started to glow. Ryoko's profile came up on the screen. "The legendary demon that attacked Jurai," Gyhard leaned back in his chair surprised. ******************************************************************************** So how do you like it so far? ^_^ E-mail: jennyb4@hotmail.com