I make no claim on the characters and am not making any money off of this. Just a sence of 
personal satisfaction at writing a story that I like. 


Ryoko's Birthday
by, Clayton Overstreet


  It was the begining of spring break, the first one Tenchi had had snce he released Ryoko from
her cave. Walking home from school Tenchi stopped and looked around him. In about five
minutes he'd be home and receiving his daily hugs from the most feared space pirate in the 
galaxy. He thought for a while about what he was going to do. He knew his normal reaction to
her attentions was to run, but lately he had begun to enjoy it. He thought about everything that 
had happened since he'd met her. Grinning he started up the stairs.
  "Tenchi! You're home!" Ryoko flew at him and gave him a huge bear hug. She was about to
kiss him when Tenchi thought of something, "Ryoko, when is your birthday?" Ryoko stopped 
and stared at him or a second. "Um... March 15th. It's not exactly something I like to celebrate
Tenchi." A tear trickled down her cheek. Tenchi saw it and looked at her concerned, "Why not?
What's wrong Ryoko?" Ryoko looked up at him, "Because that's the day Kagato took control
of me." Tenchi looked appauled, "You mean right from birth? You had no freedom?" Ryoko 
let him go and floated away.
  Tenchi stared at the tear stain on his shirt. Almost nothing could make Ryoko cry. This was a 
very serious problem and Tenchi felt he had to do something to cheer her up. "Ryoko?"
  She appeared next to him smiling, "Yes my Tenchi?" He looked at her, "Would you like to 
have a party?" She looekd at him strangely, "Why? I told you to forget my birthday." He smiled
and looked at her, "No...not for that. This weekend is the anniversary of when I let you out of 
the cave." Ryoko's face broke into a smile, "You remembered? I kinda thought that you'd want 
to forget that day. I mean I did blow up your school."
  Tenchi grinned. He remembered all too well. "I know Ryoko. Why did you attack me that day
anyway? Were you realy going to kill me?" Ryoko looked down at her feet as if remembering
something sad, "No Tenchi. I wasn't going to kill you. I was just... Oh never mind. It's not realy
important. Sure, lets have a party." She turned and walked back to the house, deep in thought.
Tenchi watched her go. Why was she so sad? At every other party they had she had managed
to be civil to everyone else. She even managed to be nice to Ayeaka on her birthday. But for 
some reason she didn't seem that excited about a party in her honour. Tenchi shrugged and 
walked into the house after her. 

  Ryoko sat on the couch thinking. Why did Tenchi have to insist on celebrating things that 
related to her? Why did he think she deserved it? After all she had done nothing but cause 
trouble since she'd been born. Killing for Kagato for over a thousand years. Then complicating
his life since the day she had been set free. 
 When she had been in the cave was the only time she'd been good. Since then she had been
doing things to get into trouble. Hell the first thing she'd done was scare Tenchi, the one person
in her life that had ever looked at her with kindness. Yet somehow since meeting him, she had
made friends with two galaxy police officers, the man who had trapped her in the cave, two
princess's and an ordinary human. Why did they all care so much? It didn't make any sence. 
And what she was having the hardest time understanding was, why did she care about them?

  A week later Tenchi sat down on the couch exauhsted. He had spent the entire vacation 
working on Ryoko's party. Trying to find just the right cake, the perfect decorations, and most
important, the perfect present. In the end he had made it all himself. Ryoko had spent most of
the time asking him not to make such a fuss. For that matter so had Ayeaka, who felt the pirate
didn't deserve to have any special treatment. It was the only thing Ryoko and Ayeaka had 
agreed upon since they had met. Sasami, Mihoshi, and Kyonei had been all to happy to help 
with the party. Sasami had made a great dinner. The GP officers had made banners and some
other decorations. Washu had also said she had something planned, but refused to tell them 
what it was.
  Ryoko had said she would help but Tenchi wouldn't hear of it. He told her to just sit back 
while they did all the work. Ayeaka made a remark about her not lifting a finger around here 
anyway, but had stopped whn Tenchi repremanded her. Ryoko just couldn't understand why
he was doing all of this. Not only was he throwing a party for her, but he was favoring her over
Ayeaka. He'd never done that before. 
  The party was schedualed for 2:15 p.m. and Ryoko was nervouse. Tenchi noticed her pacing 
and asked her what was wrong. "Tenchi, i'm just not used to this kind of thing." He looked at
her confused, "What do you mean? Every time we have a party your always the one who gets
everyone the best presents, do your best to make them happy. You deserve the best in return."
 Ryoko shook her head in denial but Tenchi continued, "Remember when we had Ayeaka's 
birthday party? You refused to fight with her all day AND you borrowed Washu's lab to make 
her that watch." Ryoko nodded and he went on, "How about Mihoshi's doll? Or Sasami's 
swing, Kyonei's handcuffs, or my..." She put a finger on his lips. "I know Tenchi, but you guys
deserved it. I don't. I've done so many awfull, things..." Tears trickled down her face. Tenchi 
leaned forward and gave her a hug, "It wasn't your fault Ryoko. It was Kagato's." She shook 
her head, her face buried against his chest. "What about when I attacked you after you freed 
me? The only reason I did that was because you ran away from me when you saw me. I was
so sad when you ran off. I had wanted to talk to you for so long. And you hurt me with the 
sword and..." Her sobs stopped her from crying as she cied into him.
  Tenchi looked down at her suprised, "That was you? At the cave all those years?" Ryoko 
nodded but refused to look up. Tenchi held her tightly and rubbed her hair. He remembered
when he was a child and had played out by that cave. He always felt at peace there. Even when
his mother had died he had gone to the cave... To Ryoko. He now realized.why she had been
so upset with him. She was trying to play. He smiled remembering how she had recited his 
grandfather's tails about the evil demon, almost word for word, just before she attacked. 
  Ryoko looked up and saw him smiling down at her, "You aren't gonna laugh at me like Ayeaka
did when I told her about this, are you?" He shook his head and hugged her again. "No Ryoko,
I have no intention of lughing at you. I was just remembering how we used to play together 
when I was little." Her eyes widdend in shock, "You... you remember?" He nodded.
  Suddenly the alarm went off in the kitchen and everyone walked out carrying a big cake. When
they saw Tenchi hugging Ryoko they all smiled and cheered, even Ayeaka, who had seen this 
coming for quite some time. Tenchi and Ryoko blushed. It was yosho who saved the day when 
he said, "Let's start the party!" Ryoko smiled and sat down. They had cake and icecream, 
followed by gift giving. Ayeaka stepped forward first, "Ryoko, I can't stand you and you know 
it. But if it weren't for you we wouldn't be here together, and or that I owe you my thanks. You 
have been a true friend and a worthy rival." Ayeaka bowed and handed her a small box.
  Ryoko opened it. Inside was a picture of the entire family, surrounded by a beutiful frame. 
Ryoko stared at Ayeaka in shock for a moment, then hugged her whisering in her ear, "Thank
you Ayeaka. But this doesn't mean I wont tell you when you start acting like a snob." Ayeaka
smiled and nodded, "Understood." Ayeaka sat back down in her chair. Next Mihoshi stepped
up. She handed Ryoko a huge box. "This is from Kyonei and me." Ryoko tore open the top of
it. Inside was a kerioki machine, "Thanks Mihoshi and Kyonei." They smiled and Kyonei turned
to her and said, "Well Ryoko, you are the best singer we've ever met so we kinda felt it was 
appropriate. Besides, you deserved it." Ryoko smiles and hugged them both. Sasami had made
dinner for them so that was her gift to Ryoko. She got a hug anyway. Nobiyuki gave Ryoko a
photo album full of pictures of her and her friends since she had been released. 
  Ryo-oki stepped forward and gave her a big carrot. Yosho came up to her with his gift
next, "Ryoko, with Tsunami's help I was able to transplant my tree so it is no longer required 
for your gems to remain in the master key for me to remain alive, which means Tenchi can give
you his gift now." Yosho stepped aside and Tenchi came forward holding the sword. Ryoko's 
mouth dropped open as the gems disapeard from the hilt and reapeared on her wrist and neck.
Once more tears fell from Ryoko's eyes. She knew what this meant to everyone. They trusted 
her totaly. They felt that she would stay now, despite that nothing actually held her where she
was.
  With her gems she could destroy whole worlds, but they had given them to her anyway. 
Everyone saw her crying and quickly ran forward to hug her. She hugged them back and when
the group broke apart she found Tenchi still in her arms. He smiled at her and said the words she 
had been waiting he whole life to hear, "I love you Ryoko." Ryoko pulled him tight and looked 
around the room, "I love you too Tenchi. I love all of you." Mihoshi burst into tears next, "This
is so beutiful!" 
  All of a sudden there was a crash from Washu's lab and the little scientist stepped out. In her
hand was a huge box with a big red ribbon around it. She smiled and said, "You didn't think I'd
,iss my own daughter's party did you?" She handed Ryoko the box. Ryoko smiled and pulled
off the ribbon. Inside was a glass ball on a stand. Inside what looked like thousands of 
microscopic lights swirled in a spiral pattern. Ryoko looked at her mother, "What is it Mom?"
Washu smiled, "It's your very own universe." Ryoko wmiled and hugged Washu, "You are a
genius Mom." Washu smiled and hugged back, "I know, but this is your day."
  
  That night Ryoko floated over Tenchi's bed as usual. She smiled down at him and watched his 
chest rise. Then she leaned down and gave him a quick kiss on the lips, "Thanks for the perfect
day Tenchi."

The End

Author's note.

  Well Ryoko had to have a prty some time right? Anything you wish to say email me at
clayton_n@hotmail.com