Tenchi Muyo Fanfiction:

           These characters don’t belong to me, blah, blah, blah…
Comments?  magdalena_gv@hotmail.com



        If you are new to this story, please begin with chapter one named 
accordingly like the title. Other than that enjoy!!!!
Author’s notes at the end, but read the story first. My ramblings will make 
more sense.
Please comment!


                                        " The Sea Of Change "

Chapter Three :



                                           “One Step at a Time”



           “I never think things through! Damnit! When am I going to learn?”

Ryoko and Ryooki had been walking almost a full day now.

After her initially flight from the Masaki household, she had returned her 
gem to Tenchiken before thinking of where the hell they were first.
She had flown over a hundred miles per hour with no sense of direction. Why 
with all she knew, they could be in Australia now!

They had been walking on the side of a seemingly deserted road, which Ryoko 
was sure stretched on forever.
She had never really walked before, always flew, fazed, or the closest thing 
she had come to walking, floated everywhere.
She now held a new appreciation for Tenchi when he swept the ever-winding 
stairs to the shrine.

  “I wonder if they have noticed I’m gone?           Probably not.”

She said to herself in a whisper, being careful to not wake Ryooki from her 
portable cradle in Ryoko’ arms.

Despite the threat of her heartache to double in pain from its already 
alarmingly large amount, Ryoko started to entertain various
sexual scenarios with Tenchi and Ayeka, but by sheer force of will shook 
those thoughts out of her mind.
Out of sight, out of mind.
Instead she focused on all the new sensations she felt coursing through her 
shivering body.

When Washu decided to create Ryoko, she gave her almost no physical feelings 
to better suit her “daughter” to the harsh environment of space.

For instance, she had no taste buds.
She couldn’t possibly tell the difference between teriyaki sauce and 
spaghetti and meatballs.
The texture is what drove Ryoko to eat.
Like a blind man would develop his sense of hearing to dispensate his 
disability, Ryoko over developed her sense of feeling.
Not that Washu ever meant to give Ryoko a disability. Ryoko had not even 
known such pleasure existed with Kagato. She never ate.

But now on earth, even that simply pleasure was denied to her.

One specific sensation coursing through her body right now caused her 
chills, and surprisingly made her teeth chatter, moving against each other 
involuntarily.
The more she tried to control her shaking mouth, the more her teeth 
chattered.
She glanced down at Ryooki as she nestled comfortably in Ryoko’s arms. She 
had been sleeping for a good while now, about four hours judging by the 
length the moon had moved.
Ryooki felt warm and at peace as Ryoko carried her along.
Ryoko had no idea if Ryooki had ever felt cold, but Ryoko was sure her teeth 
weren’t chattering right now.
She couldn’t even hear herself think with all the noise!

She tiredly roamed her eyes over the road searching for some sign of life.

“Beeeeep!! Beep!”

Ryoko stopped in her tracks and swerved to look over her shoulder towards 
the loud noise. After having being accustomed to almost absolute quiet in 
the deserted road,
except for the coming and goings of the animals,
the loud honk sent an chill down her spine, and yet Ryooki remained asleep. 
She didn’t even stir!
She was definitely related to Ryoko.
Of course, now Ryoko didn’t have the luxury of blocking out the world for a 
quick snooze; she was responsible for Ryooki, besides she was feeling 
anxious on how her body was adjusting without her gem.

“ Beep! Beep!”

“ ‘ello cutie. I don usually stop fo’ girls wit deir babies, but what de 
hell! How much?”

Ryoko’s eyes went wide.
Who the hell did this guy think she was?
She just stood there, her teeth chattering, her legs slightly shaking, but 
her arms as solid as ever as they cradled Ryooki.
Ryoko’s acute eyesight had not diminished with the absence of her gem. 
Thankfully!
She noticed the man’s ravenously hungry eyes raking her body, his sight 
lingering on her upper torso. She glanced down and remembered her clothes 
being torn by the wind as she was flying before.
Her eyes flashed with pain and regret, flying, she missed it.
But just as quickly that forlorn look was replaced by a cold, determined 
stare.
She was never one to give up.
She would Not start now.

She had already done the hardest thing of her life,
She had faced up to failure.

She ate her pride and decided to give Tenchi the happiness both he and Ayeka 
had been dreaming of.
If she could survive that, well, then she could survive anything.


She gave him her most charming smile and the man opened the passenger door 
in a flash.

     “Boy oh boy, I sur’ hit de jack-o-pot wid you tonight sugar.”

Ryooki still in Ryoko’s arms, was gently and lovingly laid down between 
Ryoko and the passenger door.

  Ryoko did her best not to gag.
Man did this slob smell like shit or what?

Unfortunately for her, her acute sense of smell remained as strong as ever.
Ryoko would have breathed through her mouth, but had a disturbing image of 
her tasting that god awful smell.

But now she had to concentrate, she could not mess up.
She balled her right hand into a fist, ignoring the pain caused be the 
barely healed wounds her fingernails had made in her palm before.

Her breathing stopped,
her eyes calculated the man in front of her.
He was about medium height, with the biggest gut she had ever seen. Judging 
by his stocky legs he would not be able to run very fast.
As her eyes moved upward she noticed his jeans were not buttoned.
Ryoko shuddered.
-	I could kill him without blinking twice. Just exert the right amount of 
pressure on his neck and wait for the pop.

Here eyes studied his neck, well what she though was his neck. It seemed his 
face was stuck to his shoulders with only a huge rooster type skin
thing-y hanging just underneath his chin. No necked slob.

Her fingers unconsciously got in the position to take him out. She only 
needed her index and middle fingers, and she would put this man out of his 
misery.
- No. Tenchi wouldn’t approve. Tenchi? -

Her eyes instantly began to fill up with tears that threatened to cascade 
down her face if she ever blinked. Her face burrowed and using all the self 
control techniques she had forcefully acquired under Kagato’s tutelage, she 
rid herself of his image.

She would not kill this man because it was WRONG to kill.
She would not start her life like that.
This time around she would try her best to do things right.
For HER, for Ryooki.

Besides the universe, it seemed, wasn’t without a sense of irony.
Ryoko was sure she would see them again.
And when she did, she planned to be…?  Ready for them.
Show them she could make it by herself, she wasn’t a demon.
She was Ryoko Hakubi and that’s all she was.

The man gave Ryoko a lustful, toothless smile and leaned in for a kiss. His 
mouth smacked and as he closed his eyes, his fat shapeless lips began to 
part. Ryoko caught site of the thickest string of spit connecting his top 
and bottom lip.
She grinned at him with eyes of a tigress eyeing her prey.
Her body no longer felt shaky, her legs quit shivering on her.
She was a tiger, completely still, arching her back, claws out, fangs bared, 
then a second later…
Still having not tested her strength, she prayed to the heavens she remained 
strong enough to…

“BAM!”

The man’s head made an odd noise as it back lashed and pounded the steering 
wheel before rick-a-shaying to the frame of the window on the driver door.
Ryoko smirked and snorted.

-	These humans weren’t so tough; one just needed to learn how to handle 
them. –

Holding her breath, using as little contact as she could, she moved the 
unconcious man to the back seat of the car, and rubbed her hands hard on her 
torn dress as she got on the driver’s seat, trying to rid herself of any 
possible germs she might have caught from
the physical contact of her hands on his body.

As she settled comfortably on the driver’s seat, she noticed that she was 
having trouble breathing.
Ryoko froze in the seat and tried to give name to what was happening to her 
body.

Well, her teeth chattering and her legs shaking had returned in full force. 
Ryoko was almost sure she  was “feeling” cold.

-	Ha! How weird thinking that. –
She silently mouthed the words and started laughing. She said it with more 
strength in her voice,

          “I’m cold.”

It felt wonderful!
A real, pure human emotion!
Her face wore the biggest smile while her teeth continued to chatter away. 
She no longer minded. Everything that was happening to her was because she 
was Cold!

Being out of breath was a little harder to place.
She remembered a while before Tenchi’s disappearance, Kyone out of the blue 
it seemed, asked Ryoko to join her in some exercise.
Ryoko waved her off with a laugh.

    “Why are you laughing? Hey I’m just trying to help you loose all that 
weight you’ve gained, thunder thighs.”

Ryoko glared at her with eyes a blaze.
Kyone stoically didn’t bat an eyelash, though now that Ryoko remembered, she 
was holding her breath.

Ryoko’s eyes softened at the memory.

After Kyone’s comment she had disappeared to the bathroom and scrutinized 
every inch of her body.
Satisfied that she was as beautiful as ever,
went to watch some TV.
But every time she had found something interesting to watch and settled 
comfortably on the couch,
she imagined a little fat roll forming here and there, adjusting to her 
figure with every movement of her body.
With an exasperated sigh, she fazed into a short, tight, white T-shirt and 
even shorter and tighter shorts.
If she was going to exercise, it didn’t mean she wasn’t going to look her 
best now was she?
She then fazed outside and joined a surprised but grateful Kyone.
By the twenty-fifth lap around the lake,
Kyone was out of breath and rubbing her upper stomach gently.
Ryoko having not even broken a sweat asked her if she was ok.
By the end of their exercise session, Ryoko found out Kyone had been 
overexerting herself to see if she could keep up with the famous pirate, and 
had given herself an annoying cramp in the process.
Ryoko had felt honored at being set up as a goal to achieve to, and for some 
time after, took it upon herself to train Kyone.
That is until Kyone started to evade her, too tired to strain herself under 
Ryoko’s never ending stamina.

Yeah, that must be it, Ryoko thought.
Just like Kyone had done a few months back, she had overexerted herself 
carrying that grotesque man to the backseat.

“Meow?”

“Ryooki! Man! You finally woke up! I swear your worst than me when it comes 
to quality sleep time.”

She winked at her cabbit as Ryooki looked in the back seat.

“Meow!?”
She pointed with her little hand to the back and questioned Ryoko.

Without even glancing, Ryoko now began to turn the keys on the ignition 
switch while answering Ryooki’s obvious question.

“Well, we needed are ride, and I have a feeling he would have said no if I 
would have asked him nicely.”

Ryoko’s smile had not diminished in the slightest as the car jerked a bit 
before the engine grumbled and turned on.

“Ahh. Well, lets see if I can drive, shall we baby?”

She looked at Ryooki and somehow her smile grew as she observed Ryooki 
putting her seatbelt on.

“Well, thanks for the vote of confidence.”

-	It couldn’t be THAT hard, she had driven some of the most complex ships in 
the universe, only they used mental and holographic projections to operate. 
This car looked completely hands on. Well, Nobuyuki had no trouble driving 
his car everyday to work.
     How did he do it?
Ryoko closed her eyes momentarily and searched her mind for the answer.
D to drive, R for reverse, N.. what’s the N for?
I guess I’ll find out soon enough.

She moved the gear stick next to the steering wheel to D and the car 
strolled gently down the road.

-	Why am I not going faster? She tapped her foot in frustration and felt 
something underneath. She glanced down and remembered Nobuyuki playing with 
his feet. He had said that it wasn’t really playing but accelerating and 
breaking.

“Ok choose Ryooki. Which one do I press first? The left pedal or the right? 
Two meows for left, one meow for right.”

“Meow.”

The car started to move steadily faster without further problems and Ryooki 
gave her sister the biggest grin ever.

“Ha!” Ryoko laughed and took off Ryooki’s seatbelt with her right hand while 
steering with her left.

“Come on baby. It’s only right that the person who guessed right should 
drive don’t you think?”

Ryooki’s mouth dropped opened and before Ryoko knew what was happening she 
had settled herself comfortably on Ryoko’s lap, taking control of the 
steering wheel.
Ryoko wisely enough still controlled the breaks and accelerator.

She kissed the top of Ryooki’s head and despite herself, she felt a tear 
make its way down her cheek.
The difference this time was the tear held a mixture of happiness and 
sadness.
A bittersweet goodbye of sorts.
This would be the last time she would cry.
She could not afford any more tears.
Both emotionally and physically. She was still not completely sure how a 
normal human body worked. After all, the only truly normal person she knew 
was Nobuyuki, and he had never cried, at least not in front of her. Maybe 
all this crying had dehydrated her?

“Meow, meow meow.”

Ryoko looked down as her cabbit talked and drove at the same time. She had 
her face to an angle waiting for Ryoko to answer.

“I can’t understand a thing your saying Ryooki. Perhaps we should set up a 
system until I have time to properly teach you?”

“Meow”

“Well, lets use the same system as for the breaks and accelerator. It 
brought us luck. One meow for yes, two for no. Got it?”

“Meow.”

“Don’t worry Ryooki, I promise as soon as I can I will… Look! I see some 
lights up ahead. We’ll stop for some clothes, and food in town and drop this 
guy off somewhere.”

She applied more pressure to the accelerator. The man in the back seat had 
begun to move and twitch slightly about fifteen minutes ago.

-	So much for the town. –

The lights she had seen were actually a gas station in bad need of repair, 
and a stop-and-go type of store. She parked the car a few yards from the gas 
station and opened the backseat door. Trying to be as quiet as possible, she 
dragged the man’s body out and layed him where in the day there would be no 
trouble spotting him. He moaned and she applied pressure to his temple to 
make sure he didn’t wake up any time soon.

“Meow?”

“You wait in the car Ryooki. I’m going to go into that store and see if they 
have any clothes or jackets or something.”

Ryoko pulled the torn kimono to better hide her body and walked swiftly to 
the store. When she opened the door, a little wind chime announced her 
entrance. Yet when she looked at the cashier desk, nobody was there.
She knew better though.
In a store, somebody was always around, watching.
She carefully moved to a rack of clothes on the deep left end of the store. 
She chose three articles of clothing without really looking at them,
a hat, sunglasses and a few candy bars, and then made a hasty exit.
Once outside, she made a mad dash to the car.
In less than sixty seconds she was back on the road again.
Ryoko set the car to cruise control, at least that what she thought the C 
stood for, and changed into a jeans and a shirt that said,
“Industrial House of Crack” on it.
She shrugged her shoulders and put in on anyway.
Perhaps now that she was human, she would feel the effects of a few drags of 
weed.
Ryooki steered the wheel while approving of Ryoko’s outfit.

“Ok baby. My turn to drive. Don’t give me that look! You can’t even reach 
the petals! Besides I got some candy bars for you.”

Ryooki gave her a disgusted look.
She only ate carrots.
Ryoko instantly picked up on Ryooki’s mood shift.
Ryooki moved to the passenger’ side as Ryoko again took the wheel.

   “Sorry baby, but I couldn’t very well stay and ask if they had any 
carrots I      could steal. I will get you some as soon as I have some money 
ok? Besides, you should at least TRY some new food. Who knows? Maybe you’ll 
like it?”

Ryooki eyed the candy suspiciously, and started to tug and pull at the 
wrapper. When she had one opened, she hesitantly inched the candy bar to her 
mouth, she closed her eyes and a she was going to taste the chocolate with 
the tip of her trembling little tongue, Ryoko eyeing her all the while, 
simply shoved the candy into her mouth.

“Chew”

Ryooki glared at her but dutifully obeyed. It seemed like forever, until she 
swallowed.

“Well?”

Ryooki didn’t meow a word, simply started to unwrap the next one.

“I knew you’d like it. The people on TV are always raving at how delicious 
chocolate is.”

It was Ryoko’s turn to grin at Ryooki.
Ryooki finished the second candy, and as she was going for her third, Ryoko 
suggested she save it for morning.

-  I have no idea when I’ll be able to get more food. Better make it last. -

Ryooki yawned and before settling down to sleep, gave Ryoko a kiss on the 
cheek, immeadiately followed by a wet willy.

“Hey! You little sneak!”

Both laughed and Ryoko stuck out her tongue.

“Go to sleep will ya?”

“Meow.”

She yawned again and as her eyes closed fell to sleep.
Ryoko kept driving.
She stole quick glances at Ryooki here and there, while thinking where to go 
next.

-	I’m glad Ryooki is here with me.-

She gave a mental sigh.
-	I have to think of a plan. I can’t go around stealing from people. I have
     to do right by Ryooki. Though I don’t feel too guilty of leaving that 
guy
     back there. He probably deserved it. –

The sun made its way into the sky. Forming beautiful colors of orange and 
pink.

She would make it. First thing is to find a job and a place to stay. 
Then…well one step at a time. One step at a time.

***

By  mid-morning the smell in the car had gotten unbearable and she had to 
open the window.
Fortunately the weather had lightened up considerably and she tried the 
radio for some tunes. The radio (surprise, surprise) didn’t work.
She glanced at Ryooki again and pulled up the jacket over her body to better 
cover her.
The jacket she had managed to get along with the pants and shirt back at the 
store.
She turned her sight back towards the road and this time really spied a 
town. Judging be the tall buildings the outskirts of a city.

She pushed on the accelerator, anxious to get to wherever they were going.
She had lived with Ayeka in Tokyo for months and she was pretty sure she 
could at least get a waittresing job.
But now waittressing didn’t sound that good at all.
She couldn’t imagine doing that day in and day out for the rest of her life. 
She had to find some other job, something she enjoyed doing.
She only had to find out what that was.

By mid morning she reached the first tall buildings of the city. She looked 
at the road signs to see in which city she was in, at least she could read 
what they said, she was still in Japan.
She slowed the car to about twenty five miles per hour to find a motel or a 
similar place to stay. As she turned the corner on twenty third and fifth, 
she almost  missed seeing a woman completely covered in a shall try to cross 
the street. Ryoko hit the brakes as if there was no tomorrow. The woman 
slipped on the road and fell inches from the car’s bumper.

“Shit! Don’t they look before they cross the freaking road?!”

Ryoko got out of the car to check on the woman, what she found was a 
sobbing, hysterical mess.

“Are you okay lady? Listen, sorry I missed seeing you, I was just looking 
for an apartment or something.”

The woman didn’t even acknowledge her. Just kept on crying and crying, 
pulling the shawl closer to her body.

“Hey Lady! Move will ya? You’re holding up traffic here!”

Ryoko turned to see a long line of cars waiting for her to move. She looked 
at the woman,
-	Why does this always happen to me?, Ryoko sighed. She gently but quickly 
led the woman to the back seat and started the car.

“Meow?”

Ryooki had woken up and was seated in the back trying to comfort the wailing 
woman. As soon as she saw an empty parking space, Ryoko parked and turned 
her body to face the woman in the backseat.
Ryoko opened her mouth to speak a few times, but really had no idea what to 
say.
-	I wish I could communicate with Ryooki right now. She’d tell me what the 
right thing to do would be. –
She sighed again and noticed the woman was trembling. Ryoko took the 
wrinkled jacket Ryooki had been using as a blanket before and offered it to 
her.

“Here put this on. That shawl of yours has more holes than anything.”

The woman looked at her. She had soft, gentle brown eyes. They reminded her 
of Tenchis.
Ryoko’s own eyes softened at the revelation.

“Please take it lady.”
The woman smiled and rubbed her face on her sleeve, trying to dry her tear 
stained cheeks.

“Thank you.”, she replied in a whisper.
As her hand extended to reach the jacket, her shawl fell from her shoulders 
and Ryoko could see she had a terrible bruise on her right arm. Ryoko 
frowned, but she was smart enough not to ask about it. It was not her 
affair.

Ryoko cleared her throat a few times and waited for the woman to put the 
jacket on.

“My name is Ryoko, and this is Ryooki.” She pointed to her cabbit with a nod 
of her head before asking, “And you name is?”

“It’s Fei.” She answered with a small smile.
“And thank you again for helping me back there.”

“No problem.”
Ryoko had nothing else to say. She shifted uncomfortably in her seat. She 
had never held a conversation this long with anybody outside of the Masaki 
clan. Her mind was blank.

“You have beautiful eyes Ryoko. I’ve never seen any with such a clear honey 
color.”
Melanie said this with such sincerity that Ryoko blushed slightly.
She looked at the floor before muttering a thank you.

“Meow, Meow.”

Both women looked at Ryooki.
Feeling left out; Ryooki pointed out her own pair of striking amber eyes.

“Yes, your eyes are just as beautiful Ryooki.”

Ryoko was about to explain why Ryooki meowed instead of talked, but Fei 
seemed not interested in details. She was simply there, smiling and talking. 
Completely at ease.
Ryoko for the umpteenth time since she left Okayama frowned.
She definitely wasn’t accustomed to people being nice to her right of the 
bat. What was more disturbing though, Fei did not criticize her hair, or how 
rude and obnoxious she was always told she was.
Her eyes narrowed.
Who was this girl?
Well, she wasn’t about to let her guard down so she could double-cross her 
the first chance she got.

“So, um listen Fei. It’s Fei right?”  Ryoko didn’t wait for a response and 
continued, “We have to look for an apartment or motel or something. It was… 
um, nice meeting you.”

She was about to continue but noticed Fei’s face change from happy to 
depressed so fast she would have missed it if she had blinked. Now she felt 
awful.
-	Damn my conscious! –

“I … understand. Thank you again. Nice meeting you Ryoko, Ryooki.”

“Meow.”

She got out of the car and started walking away. Ryooki glared at her 
sister.

“Alright! But if she turns out to be a psychopath who’s secret fetish has 
something to do with stringing bananas peels and lighting them up like 
Christmas candles, we are never talking to strangers again!”

She got out of the car and quickly caught up with Fei.

“Fei! Fei! Listen … I’m sorry. It’s just I’ve had an awful time these past 
few days, and well, um… do you need a ride anywhere?”

Fei awarded Ryoko with one of those warm, gentle smiles and nodded her head.
“My uncle lives on thirty-two and eighth. He owns a photography store. It 
should be about seven or eight blocks from here.”

Ryoko looked at where Fei had pointed and couldn’t help but notice the dark 
bruises on her right wrist.

She shivered and momentarily became alarmed until she remembered that that 
sensation meant she was cold. They made their way to the car and went to 
meet Fei’s uncle.

“Turn left here Ryoko. I think it’s the building with the orange brick.”

“Meow?”

“Yes, the one with the beautifully carved, stoned color, double doors.”

Ryoko had not said a word since they got in the car.
She was amazed at how well Ryooki and Fei were getting along. They were 
talking like old friends.
Every meow Ryooki said was answered correctly by Fei.
Who is this girl?
She peaked at her through the corner of her eye.
Fei was seating in the passenger’s side, Ryooki on her lap, the seatbelt 
over them both.
Ryooki was seating sideways, back to the car window, feet towards Ryoko, 
conversing wonderfully with Fei.
They had devoured the three remaining candy bars, and awhile back had been 
pointing at fast food places with hungry eyes as the car passed them.
Ryoko had to laugh.

Her mind wandered back to the bruises she had seen on Fei’s right arm.
She decided she would not criticize, Fei had not criticized her, and Ryoko 
truly appreciated that. She would return the gesture.

“Ok, we’re here.”
They got out of the car, and Ryooki raised her arms at Ryoko, wanting to be 
carried to the door.
Ryoko grinned and happily complied. She loved being so close to Ryooki. She 
felt loved, and no longer felt afraid to show her love in return without 
being made fun of, or being asked if she was “feeling well”.
She hugged Ryooki while Fei knocked on the door.
a nervous smile on Fei’s face.

* *  * ************

A thin, tall man who Ryoko judged to be about fifty answered the door. He 
was holding a small hand towel, and had little beads of perspiration on his 
forehead. When he realized it was Fei knocking at his door, he gave them the 
same gentle, warm smile that Fei had given Ryoko.

“My! My Fei is home! Your early darling!”
The man almost yelled in Fei’s ear as he gave her a deep hug.
He laughed a deep, rich, hearty laugh. One that Ryoko had never heard in her 
life. It made her cheeks flush with embarrassment at realizing she was 
probably intruding in an intimate family moment.

The man relaxed the hug, but still had a strong hold on Fei’s shoulders. His 
eyes shined with happy tears, and his arms were shaking. He was obviously 
moved with Fei’s arrival.
Ryoko was glad she had helped her.
His gaze moved from Fei to a nervous Ryoko and a smiling Ryooki.
Again, Ryoko was caught of hard as she found herself in the same position 
Fei had been a few moments earlier.
This man, without knowing a single thing about her, was hugging the living 
daylights out of her and Ryooki.
Fei observing from a short distance laughed at Ryooki’ grin and Ryoko’s 
bewildered expression.

“Welcome Fei’s friend, please come inside and warm by the fire. You are as 
cold as ice.”

He looked down and picked a giggling Ryooki of off Ryoko’ s warm embrace.
“What a beautiful daughter you have ma’am.”
He said to Ryoko while shooing them to the living room of his apartment with 
a nod of his head.

“And the most unusual eyes. Just like a cats. Why, Serla will love to meet 
you.”

He sat Fei and Ryoko down on the couch next to the fire, and went with a 
still giggling Ryooki to the kitchen.

Ryoko and Fei looked at each other before exploding with laughter.
Ryoko had not laughed like this since…?
She did not remember when, but it felt absolutely intoxicating.
She was definitely glad she had helped this girl out.
Perhaps she could ask if they knew about a good place to stay.

Ryooki came from the kitchen skipping while stuffing herself with carrots 
and a visible chocolate bar in the pocket of her pink sundress.
She sat on Ryoko’s lap, while Basho handed Ryoko and his niece a glass of 
lemonade.

Ryoko and Ryooki were seated on a peach colored love seat.
To Ryoko’s left was a huge chimney, which illuminated the entire room, 
giving it a warm, family glow.
Opposite of Ryoko, on a double love seat sat Fei and her uncle. As he sat 
down beside her, he took her hand and squeezed it gently. He gave her an 
understanding look that Ryoko could not quite place.
Perhaps he knew of her bruises?
Maybe not since she still had the jacket on even though the room was rather 
warm.

“Ryoko and Ryooki were kind enough to offer me a ride Uncle Basho. I’m lucky 
that they happened to be passing by me slow enough while looking for a place 
to stay. All the cars here drive like madmen.”

“A place to stay? Why Fei! Where are your manners darling? Ryoko and Ryooki 
will stay here!

Ryoko’s mind had wandered from the conversation. She was looking at the 
apartment. The walls were covered by portrait after portrait of smiling, 
beautiful people.
Ryoko mentally sighed.
Fei was lucky to have such a loving family. She could tell they were the 
type that showered affection on each other just by the way they decorated.
The coffee table for instance, was full of miniature statues of angels and 
little adorable fat men.
She looked at one more closely and noticed at the bottom it was signed 
“Botero.”
She carefully placed it back with the others.
There were also more pictures on the table.
Wonderful portable memories.
What did Fei say her father did? Photography?
That’s when she heard her name being mentioned in their conversation and 
snapped back to pay close attention.

“It’s settled! Ryoko, you and your daughter are staying here with us! And 
your timing could not be more perfect! I am in terrible need of an assistant 
in the store. How do you feel about developing pictures? The pay is not 
terrific, but the hours are good!”

He laughed that deep, hearty laugh of his, and while Ryoko meant to say she 
had to leave, she had other plans, her mouth betrayed her and said,
        “We would love to!”
As soon as she said this she covered her mouth with her hand. Where the hell 
did that come from?
A second later she was about to correct herself, but was instead whisked of 
with Ryooki and Fei to the second floor to see their room.
The walls on the upstairs were an eggshell color and at the top of the 
stairs on the right were French doors leading to a balcony.
On the left was a long hallway with four doors on the left side and five on 
the right.
Basho led them along until he stopped in front of the fourth door on the 
right. Ryoko took note that the doorknob was oddly placed in the middle of 
the door instead of on the side.

Before opening it, Basho looked back to whisper to her.
“This room was made for you.”

Ryoko’s heart sank.
-	These people knew who she was. Through those doors they would
      somehow imprison her and kill her for all the crimes she committed.
        She was foolish to trust these people she hardly knew.
        She should NOT have helped that girl out. Damnit!

The door opened and she positioned herself to grab Ryooki and run.
Light filtered into the hall and she was momentarily blinded.
When she was done adjusting to the light, she saw she was in a room full of 
light.
It was everywhere.
Illuminating even the darkest corner.
The walls were painted light pastel green. The futon was huge and the spread 
was fluffed up in such a way that you felt compelled to sleep in it for 
ages.
There was a boudoir on the left wall next to the door. It was so big that 
you could have walked in it and closed the doors if you wanted to.
It was white with peach flowers painted on it. Little humming birds sucking 
their neck tar.
Ryooki jumped on the bed and sank about five feet.
Fei smiled and led an opened mouth Ryoko in room.

“Isn’t it beautiful Ryoko? Serla decorated this room three years ago, though 
nobody has slept in here once since. She said it was for her angel of light. 
I guess you’re her angel.” Fei whispered before joining a laughing Ryooki on 
the bed.

“So what do you think Ryoko?” Basho more than asked simply stated. As if 
anybody would not be less than enamored by the room.

“I …we … we can’t stay here. I’m very sorry. This is too nice a room for us. 
We don’t deserve this. I..”

“Don’t be rude girl. Never refuse a gift of such grandeur proportions.”

The group turned to the door and there stood a woman about fifty-five to 
sixty years of age.
She had a million bracelets on her wrists, and a ring on every finger.
Her hair was a rich, dark brown and curly, but pulled back to a messy bun. 
Her skin was bronzed, but not the kind on bronze you’re born with, but the 
one you earn with years of hard labor under the sun.
Her eyes were painted black and her lips shined a ruby red. Her teeth were 
an eggshell yellow. When she spoke, Ryoko could tell she was missing her top 
left corner tooth. Or other wise known as a fang tooth.

“I made this room for you. I read your arrival in the stars and they did not 
disappoint me, though I almost gave up on you.”

Her eyes squinted against the light in the room.
“The stars were right.”

Ryoko’s right eyebrow raised in question.

“You are … very … Feline.”

Her laugh was raspy, like a decade old smoker would have.
She sat down on the bed and glanced at Fei then at Ryooki before turning her 
complete attention to the cyan haired woman near the boudoir.

“Hmm. Let me see your eyes girl. Come closer.”

Ryoko not used to being ordered around stood her ground. Serla chuckled.

“As fiery a temper as the very stars. Very well. I will see them later. 
Meanwhile you will stay and that’s all there is to say. Come Fei. You and I 
need to talk some. Basho, make dinner and don’t forget to cook the carrot 
soufflé-e I taught you.”

She grinned at Ryooki and all three promptly left the room and closed the 
door behind them.




Chapter Four: A work in progress. *

Please comment,

Author’s Ramblings:
This chapter was a bit of an experience for me. I had a whole different 
perspective on it starting out, but when my hands hit the keyboard the words 
just flowed. My attitude is half-and-half. I guess I have to wait and see 
till next chapter. I don’t frankly know exactly what’s going on in my mind.
Please tell me what you think.

Oh, about the name thing on the new characters. I was planning to change 
their European names to Japanese, but did not want to make some odd, false 
names, or just copy off of something else. So I posted the story as is, and 
now am updating with he Japanese.
The names given to Basho and Fei actually corresponds with their character’s 
personalities.
(I looked up my name too, and it really did hit the spot.)
One more thing, Serla is not Japanese, thus the name sticks.

And oddly enough Ryoko’s meaning is the total opposite of her personality. 
She is much more closely related to Sakuya’s name description and vice 
versa. Interesting neh?


A special thanks to the people who e-mailed me,
and if you are reading this from ‘fanfiction.net‘, special thanks to those 
who left reviews, keep’em coming!!!!
I enjoy getting comments!!!
Magdalena_gv@hotmail.com
Copyright 2001