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! Malena ( magdalena_gv@hotmail.com ) Regular " The Sea Of Change " Chapter 4 : “Human Emotions Overwhelm” * * * * It’s been two days. She’s not coming back. My Ryoko left me. * * * * “Can you believe that old hag?!” “Meow, meow.” Ryoko huffs and sits down on the bed with a sigh. “I don’t trust that bag of bones. How the hell did she know you liked carrots? She might be one of those galaxy detectives, trying to figure me out before locking me up and throwing away the key.” Ryooki paid no attention to her sister’s ranting and instead lightly hopped up and down on the thick, velvety mattress. Ryooki loved it here. Of course she did miss the family, especially Sasami, but decided not to worry Ryoko. Besides, no matter what happened, Ryoko was her family and she would stick by her no matter what. That’s what family was for. “Ryooki! Ryooki are you listening to me?” Ryoko rolled her eyes when discovering her cabbit had found the bed sheets more interesting than her conversation. “I’m sorry baby. We are not staying here. It’s not safe. That Serla woman gives me the creeps.” Ryooki frowned at Ryoko and pouted her lower lip. She knew Ryoko was being psychotic about Serla. Serla was a nice person, she could tell. Ryoko was just not too big on trusting people. She would just have to convince her to stay. Ryoko laid down on the bed, feet dangling idly of the futon’s corner. - This room Is really nice. But that woman is planning something. I don’t feel safe living here. What if they do something to Ryooki? But then again, where will we go? I have no money, no powers to be able to steal something without getting caught, and to boot my stomach feels like it has a whole burning through it. She rubbed her stomach with her palm, and stared at the ceiling. Her mind having entertained various thoughts caused her eyes to loose focus. Like when one stairs at an object, but is actually looking at an image in their mind. As her mind regained its bearing, she forced her gaze to regain its focus. Ryoko found herself staring at a beautiful painting of a sky on the ceiling. The clouds were puffy and the sky was the exact shade of her cyan hair. The painting even contained a moon. The type that is visible in a clear, sunny day. But what really made Ryoko smile was the slightest hint of the stars peering through the cyan colored sky. To the normal human eye, that would have looked liked a mistake, but Ryoko had spectacular eyesight. Even in broad daylight, she could see the stars, inviting her to their home in space. At that moment all doubts about leaving dissolved into nothingness. Nobody who wanted her dead would go to that much trouble to make her feel at home. Though that in no way meant she was going to trust her. She would give her a chance. And see where things went from there. -- She turned her head to face Ryooki. She was playing with the lamp switch on the left night table, Turning it off and on with soft clicking noises. “Alright, alright. I know you like it here. Stop using Morse code to get your point across.” There was a soft knock at the door, and Fei peeked her head in. “Dinner will be ready soon. The kitchen is next to the living room, Ryooki will show you where.” Fei nodded to herself while saying this and lightly closed the door behind her. Ryoko stood up, ready to go, and immediately sat back down on the futon with a loud flop. She grabbed her head with her hand, with the other she grabbed the mattress. The room was spinning out of control.. Her eyesight had clouded over, and all she could see were gyrating oval circles and stars. She closed her eyes and scrunched up her face. Her head felt like it had been hit by a load of bricks! “Meow?” Ryoko felt a tiny hand caress her cheek. She opened her right eye and thankfully found her sight was clearing up rapidly. After a few minutes of repeated blinking, her eyesight went back to normal, but Ryoko was as alarmed as ever. - What the hell was that? Why do I feel so weak and wobbly? – Ryoko blew some air out through her mouth, making her cheeks grow round, and her lips imitate a deflating balloon noise. - I didn’t mind the cold, or the loss of breath, but this is unbearable. I haven’t hit myself, nor had a loss of blood to make me swoon just like that. What the hell is wrong? I wish Ayeka was here. She’d tell me what is wrong with me. – Ryoko was about to continue with her mental conversation, but quickly caught herself at Ayeka’s mention. I can no longer depend on Ayeka or any other ‘person’ from Okayama. She hit her head with her palm as a kind of self-discipline. No more depending on anybody. Perhaps asking Fei or Basho will help. “Meow?” Ryoko had been massaging her temples and barely acknowledged Ryooki’s meow. “Huh? Don’t worry baby, I’m okay.” Trying to change the subject she added, “ You must be starved huh? Lets go down and get you some of that carrot soufflé.” Her cabbit gave her a worried look, and instead of asking to be carried down to the kitchen, simply held Ryoko’s hand, leading her down the hall. Ryooki noticed her sister’s hand was shaking slightly. She quickened her step, trying to get to the kitchen faster. Ryoko simply went along with her sister, or as Basho said ‘daughter’, not paying much attention to her surroundings. “Well, your in for a real treat ladies, I am the best Umeboshi Ochazuke cook in the whole of Japan,” a smiling Uncle Basho stated without turning around to look at his guests. He was soaking some rice and pickle sour plums in hot tea making sure it tasted great. Ryoko stretched her arm to reach the back of a table chair to support her weakening body, but tripped and almost fell if it hadn’t been for Serla’s strong grasp. She hauled her to the chair and examined her face more closely. Basho had heard some commotion behind him, and turned just in time to witness Serla helping her “angel of light.” “Basho, bring some of that hot soup you made, and a glass of water. From a water bottle, not the faucet. Who knows what kind of germs live in the pipes.” Ryooki climbed the chair next to the one Ryoko was seated on, and sat on the edge of the table. She was worried for her sister, but understood Serla was able to help her much quicker if she didn’t get in the way. Meanwhile Ryoko was shaking all over and had gone ghastly pale. She was staring at Serla through slighted eyes, her body freely told the (putting it simply) the discomfort she was going through. Her eyes and mouth were another matter all together. Even through slighted eyes, Ryoko recognized the ‘old hag’ and her eyes told Serla all the hostility she held for her. Also her mouth was a firm, straight line. The lips from the lack of oxygen, were as white as the white of her eyes. Serla was not intimidated. Basho handed her the bowl of miso soup he had intended as an appetizer for dinner. Serla set it down and positioned Ryoko’s chair so she could feed her herself. Before though, she would explain to her what exactly was wrong with her body. This girl had no idea she was starving herself! “Listen Cat. When was the last time you ate?” Ryoko with the all the strength she had left glared at the woman. Serla asked her question again, with more authority in her raspy voice. “When did you last eat?” Ryoko continued glaring, too weak to do much of anything else. She didn’t get what was happening to her. Why, just half an hour ago, she was fine. Her stomach had started hurting a while back, but she thought she had been cold. What if ‘being cold’ meant feeling something different, and all those symptoms, the shivering, teeth chattering… actually meant she was dying! Her body could not take the absence of her gems a second time and was shutting down! And Ryooki! What would happen to her? She couldn’t die! She WOULDN’T die. She had been through a whole lot worse than this; she would not go down this easily. Serla was growing impatient. This girl was not listening! She asked again. Ryoko had to understand she was starving so she would not forget to eat again. The stars had warned her that this girl would need love and guidance but this was a little extreme. She had no idea this ‘cat’ would be so bad off; this girl did not know when her body was telling her it needed food. “Ryoko! When did you last eat? Huh?” She grabbed Ryoko’s face with both hands and stared into her eyes. This time though, Ryoko paid attention. While her mind rambled on about not giving up, in the background she heard Serla’s deep, raspy voice. It demanded she pay attention. Ryoko focused her eyes on Serla, and Serla notice Ryoko’s pupils shrink to a size that meant she was focusing on an object close to her line of vision, Serla’s face. Ryoko licked her lips once, “I … I do not eat.” It was true, as far as Ryoko knew. She had thought she had been prepared for everything, but never once did she think she would need to eat like a human with the absence of her gem. Three meals a day, everyday. She had not had any food for days. Back at the Masaki house she had stopped going to meals to avoid the family, and after she gave up her gem had not thought of it, Not once. “Well, you need to eat from now on, you hear Cat?” Serla used Cat more like a name than meaning the actual animal. “From now on, you need to eat to LIVE!” Ryoko just stared, the hate in her eyes gone. Enough of sermons for right now. Serla picked up the bowl of miso soup and fed Ryoko. Slowly, so Ryoko would not get any more stomach pains, and so her body would not reject the nourishment and throw up as a defense mechanism. Ryooki observed the interaction the entire time. She now knew for a fact Serla was a good person. As the level of miso soup slowly made its way down the emptying bowl and disappeared into Ryoko, she noticed her sister’s cheeks start to regain a little of their normal rosy glow. Ryooki relaxed and heard her own stomach grumble. Apparently, so did everyone else, and before she knew it, she was digging into her carrot soufflé. Fei came down soon after Ryoko had finished her soup, Serla and Basho did not comment on what had happened, and Ryoko was grateful. She didn’t feel like explaining herself to anybody right now. Ryoko had not actually tasted the soup. It was the same, flat, dull taste she always had had with everything that went in her mouth. The only difference this time was she now could tell the difference when the soup was hot, warm, or cold. Before, she could have drank a boiling glass of water and not feel a thing. Now with the soup, she immediately felt the warm thick liquid make its way down to her stomach. AND, She felt FULL! Ryoko smiled and couldn’t contain a laugh. Everybody smiled with her and Serla handed her a cup of coffee. “Drink Cat. If you enjoyed the miso soup, you’ll love some coffee.” She smiled and dragged her tongue over her gapped tooth. Ryoko smiled back. She no longer felt in danger. There was something in this woman, something that reminded her of someone she once knew. She couldn’t place her. She gave up and decided to enjoy her cup of coffee as she listened to Basho and Fei talk about some people named Chegall, Klimt, Shielle, Picasso and some more that she wasn’t able to remember. As Ryoko and Ryooki went to their room to get ready for bed, she over heard Basho commenting to Serla in the kitchen where they were enjoying a glass amakuchi, a very light and sweet type of Sake, (Strangely enough, Ryoko had declined their offer for some alcohol) She heard Basho comment, “I have never seen anybody like her before. Man, if I didn’t know better I would have sworn she was a supermodel or something. She’s absolutely stunning! Do you think she’ll mind if I take some photos of her?” She didn’t hear Serla’s reply, but it didn’t matter. She made her way to her room, savoring the memory of someone thinking she was pretty. No, not pretty, ‘absolutely stunning!’ She changed into a shirt she had found in the boudoir and gave the smallest one she could find to Ryooki, which still reached way past her knees. Ryooki without a single meow, gave her big sister a kiss, and fell to sleep as her head touched the pillow. Ryoko on the other hand, had too much on her mind to simply snooze of. Today had been a roller coaster ride. She, she thought, had experienced every human emotion there was. Plus awhile after her ‘dinner’. . . She smiled again. Her dinner. She imagined she could feel the soup slowly digesting this very moment in her stomach. A short while after dinner, her body muscles started to relaxed and her eyelids began to feel like lead. Every time she prolonged a blink even for a mini-second, her eyes would start to make their way upwards, adjusting themselves in the right position to sleep. Now, in bed with Ryooki gently snoring on her left side, her eyes almost closed involuntarily. She had had a whirlwind day. She couldn’t wait till tomorrow. Uncle Basho was going to teach her the basics of photography. By the way he and Fei talked all through dinner, she could tell he was a very educated person. Perhaps as he would be teaching her, she could squeeze in here and there any questions she might have. - I hope he doesn’t think me stupid or a moron. – And she would get to the bottom of Serla’s apparent psychic abilities. She knew way too much about her. And she would examine more closely, if she could, Fei’s bruises. She knew how to tell with what object she was hit, what angle, the strength of the aggressor… Hey, she wasn’t the only warrior who single handedly brought the Jurian Empire to its knees for nothing. She laid her head on the soft pillow, and went to sleep with a smile on her face. This would be the first time ever; she fell asleep because she NEEDED to. She actually felt exhausted. Every muscle in her body screamed for rest, and Ryoko happily obliged. One hand draped protectively over her ‘daughter’ Ryooki. ****** ********* ********* “Rise and shine Kitty Cat.” Ryooki felt a hand gently shake her shoulder. She opened an eye and found Fei and Serla inches away from her face. She felt something move below her, she lifted her head and glanced down to find a still sleeping Ryoko. It had been centuries since the last time Ryoko and Ryooki has slept in the same futon together. In the old days, futons or beds were narrow and usually ten times harder than stone. Ryooki always had trouble sleeping. Ryoko devised a solution which delighted her cabbit. Ryoko would sleep on her chest, head resting to face her left or right side. Ryooki would sleep on her back, pretending Ryoko herself was a bed. It worked wonderfully. With Ryoko’s warm body, and up-down motion with every breath, Ryooki was lulled to sleep in a flash. When Serla and Fei came to wake them up, they found two sisters, one plastered on the futon, sheets covering from the waist down, head turned toward the wall, away from them. The other sister, dispight the fact half of the futon was empty, slept on her sisters back, mimicking Ryoko’s exact body posture, except her face was turned to face them. Ryooki’s face rested on the back of Ryoko’s left shoulder. They decided to wake Ryooki first. “Ryooki, breakfast is ready, you hungry?” asked Fei in a whisper. Ryooki nodded her head and sat upright, still on Ryoko’s back. She was just about to tap her sister’s shoulder when Fei picked her up and whispered to her ear. “Lets let Ryoko sleep in a little while longer. Serla will be here when she wakes up okay?” Ryooki wasn’t convinced. She hated to leave Ryoko without telling her first. “Kitty, I will call you when she is ready.” Serla said when noticing Ryooki’s indecision. Ryooki meowed and a little hesitantly left with Fei. Fei held in her hand a change of clothing for the cabbit, plus the most adorable little shoes, light brown with little daises on the sides. As they left Serla grabbed a chair that rested on a corner and placed it near the corner of the futon, and patiently waited for Ryoko to wake up by her own. * * * * * * * * * * * * “Never fight with anger. You must block all feelings out or you will loose.” Kashuito, calmly said to Tenchi after the third consecutive hit in the ribs. By this time, Tenchi was limping around, trying to keep his bearings at the repeated onslaught from his grandfather. “Focus Tenchi. Are you going to keep a defensive stance every time or will you ever take the initiative?” Tenchi didn’t respond. Simply kept his legs apart, wrists loose and fingers nimble to handle the boken with the speed and precision required to fight his grandfather. But he wasn’t just fighting his grandfather, He was fighting Ryoko. How could she leave me? With not even a goodbye? He had felt the anger building up inside him since that night where they discovered Tenchiken held all three gems again. He was also fighting himself. He knew something was wrong that night. He, as always, didn’t do a thing about it. Just waited for it to pass. He was a coward. Plain and simple. And at the moment Kashuito was just not shutting up. “Stop defending yourself. You have to learn to do things first. Gain the advantage.” That’s what I should have done with Ryoko. With my mom. I never told her how I felt, and when I got the nerve she died. When I got the balls, Ryoko left. * * * * * * * * * * * * “Mmm …” Ryoko stretched and opened her eyes slowly. Blinking a few times. When she finally awoke and was aware of her surroundings she was staring at a light green wall with a painting of a wilder beast stampede through a Savannah. Ryoko frowned. She didn’t remember that being there last night. She looked at it more closely and for a split second she thought she saw the animals move. Running freely across the tall grass. She lifted her head, supporting herself with her elbows on the thin futon mattress. Before she could get a closer look Serla spoke. “Good morning Cat.” Ryoko turned her head to the opposite side of the room, surprised to find her there. Her eyes narrowed and quickly turned back to the painting. “Like the painting? A friend gave it to me. Every time I look at it, it reminds of Africa. You can almost see them running can’t you?” Ryoko now seated on the bed, thoughtfully regarded the woman in front of her. “You know my name is Ryoko not Cat.” “Yeah well, do you mind?” Ryoko sat there for a moment. Truthfully she didn’t care either ways. It was even better if they didn’t call her Ryoko. Just in case someone came after her again. “No. I don’t mind.” She looked around, “Where’s Ryooki?” “She’s with Fei downstairs. Basho wanted to take you down to the store right away, but you need your rest.” Ryoko started to get up, but stopped half way, she was not wearing any underwear. She never wore any in Okayama, and had more important stuff on her mind when she robbed the convenient store. “What’s wrong? Don’t tell me your shy?” “No. I … I need some undergarments.” Ryoko looked at the floor as she said this. “Ah well, we must rectify the situation. Well,” Serla opened a door on the boudoir and took a out some panties, “ How do you feel about pink? Of course, if you’re planning to show some one your underwear, then I’ll let you borrow one of mine.” She handed Ryoko the underwear and turned around. After making sure Serla wasn’t looking, she put them on and reached for her jeans which she had lazily dropped on the floor the night before. “Sorry I don’t have any braws for you Cat. I didn’t anticipate you’d be so large.” Ryoko looked down and smiled. At least that remained the same. “Don’t worry, I never wear braws anyways.” Serla quirked her eyebrow and gave a little smack with her mouth. “Well, if your judgement is anything like the eating episode of last night, I recommend you to buy some braws. You don’t want to sag do you? And while we are on the subject, you will not forget to eat again right?” “Yeah. I … I just forgot that’s all.” Ryoko played of her ignorance and Serla let it slide. She would keep an eye on her. If she pushed Cat right now, she would close up and that would not help her any. “Well, I know I should have mentioned this to you before you went ahead and got dressed, but you really should take a bath.” Ryoko’s eyes went round and she smelled her armpit. Maybe she was right. “The bathroom is the first door closest to the stairs. Don’t lock the door, I will place your new clothes on the floor next to the shower door.” * * * * * * * * * * * * * “Good. Maybe this whole experience gave you some spine.” Kashuito kept his place at Tenchi’s growing attack. Everytime he talked, Tenchi fumed and perhaps unconsciously, hopefully on purpose, he took the offensive attack with more strength and force. Kashuito noticed this and kept on talking. Perhaps Ryoko’s leaving might force Tenchi out of the ridiculous shell he built for himself when Achika died. “Taking the offensive works when the mind is clear and the heart is rested. You at the moment have neither. Take back the defensive.” “No.” “Tenchi, take back the defensive. You are not skilled enough to win this way.” Tenchi was loosing his breath and at letting his mind wander had tensed up his muscles and was getting a lethal cramp on his right calf. Even so he would not back down, Not again. He pushed on forward, blocking his grandfather’s wise advise out. Blocking everything out. Kashuito was impressed at his grandson’s refusal to back down. He was finally coming out of his shell. It was too bad he had to loose someone so important to him so he could realize it, but then again loosing someone important to him, got him in his shell in the first place. “Enough for today.” Tenchi paid no heed and Kashuito flipped him over. “Enough!” “You are being fueled by anger. Never fight this way Tenchi. Never forget how easily I defeated you today.” He paused and waited for his grandson to catch his breath. Frankly, he was a little out of breath himself. With Tenchi’s apparent new boldness, he would surpass him sooner than expected. “Cool yourself down, and organize your thoughts. I will wait for you in the shrine. Your lesson for today is not yet over.” As he saw Kashuito’s back disappear into the shrine, Tenchi’s anger began to swell up again. “ Doesn’t he have ANY feelings? He probably doesn’t even care Ryoko’s gone. He hasn’t mentioned her once! I have to find her. I’ll move to Tokyo and check out all the spots Ayeka said they hanged out in while looking for me. “ - But she might not even be in Japan. Maybe not even on earth. – His conscious told him. He sat on the grass, hands on his head and eyes closed. The ground was soggy and his knees sunk in the mud. Last night it had been recorded one of the worst thunderstorms of the past decade in Okayama, and Tenchi felt the sky’s were grieving the absence of their friend, Ryoko. Tenchi knew Ryoko adored flying, she was the only person he knew who at least for awhile became one with the sky and stars. That being her only solace in her years of agony with Kagato. His grandfather had insisted he practice today, but he just wasn’t in the fight. He wasn’t in anything much. Only waiting around for Ryoko to stop playing and come back to him. It had been almost three days now. She was out there, who knows where with no way to protect herself. Nobody knew anything, not even the supposed ‘Greatest Scientist in the Universe’. The only helpful information she had given him is that no unauthorized space crafts had been detected leaving or entering earth’s atmosphere. Which meant Ryoko had not yet left earth. But he didn’t completely trust Washu’s sources anymore. If she couldn’t find her daughter, it was possibly she had left without detecting Ryooki. He got up, holding his tender ribs with a cupped hand. Though he did add some painful pressure to the bruise perhaps as a reprimand. He walked slowly to the shrine, not sure of what Kashuito wanted to tell him. But one thing he was sure of, he was in no mood for sermons, and if his grandfather did start on his case again, he didn’t want to be held responsible to what he might say, or do. * * * * * * * * * * * * - A dress huh? And light green too. I wonder if that’s Serla’s favorite color or something. – Ryoko put the dress on and a thin, white cotton sweater over it. After her shower, she had found her change of clothes. Serla warned her of that. What she hadn’t expected were the earrings, bracelet, and mules accompanying her outfit. Plus, there was some perfume and body lotion to top it all off. She knew what everything was, after all, she had lived with the most feminine princess in the galaxy. She had everything on within a few minutes and looked at herself in the mirror. - Not bad. Not bad at all. This color makes my eyes glow.- Ryoko posed for herself in the mirror. Pouting her lips, purring. She was enjoying herself. Perhaps she should put a wiff of the perfume on? She ran her fingers through her damp tresses and opened the door to be met by an inpatient Serla. After looking at her up and down, calmly stated, “Very good, but you forgot something Cat.” Ryoko did a quick check. Dress check. Panties check. Shoes check. Earrings, bracelet, perfume, lotion, check, check, check, and check. “The hair brush dear. You forgot to brush your hair. Don’t get me wrong you got beautiful hair, but you should tame it a bit. Look a little less wild for the public.” Serla entered the rest room and came out with the brush. She led Ryoko into her room and sat her down on a chair. Serla positioned herself in the back to start the challenging task of untangling her thick cyan tresses. “Your hair is very bountiful Cat. What is this color called? Light blue?” “Washu said it is closer to cyan, but the proper name is tymilo.” “Really? I think I like that name better than cyan. Tymilo. Who’s Washu?” Ryoko froze as Serla continued brushing her hair. She hadn’t meant to mention Washu’s name. She was getting careless. “Nobody really. I’m hungry, when are we gonna eat?” Serla noticed the frantic shift in conversation on Cat’s part but let that slide too. She was opening up slowly, but she was sure Cat would tell her her past eventually. Perhaps she’ll confide in her what or who she ran away from. “Not yet Cat. Let me finish your hair first.” “Serla.” “Hmm?” “Who painted the ceiling?” “Do you like it child?” “Yeah. I like how you can still see the stars even though it’s apparently broad daylight in the painting.” “Hmm… your very poetic then. Most people think that a clumsy mistake by the painter. But I like it too. Gives one the feeling of reaching the stars by simply stretching your arms towards them.” Ryoko was thoughtful for a moment. Thinking of all the times she felt the wind on her face, caressing her body as she glided over land, water… She would sometimes find a flock of birds and if she was patient, would be able to join them, become one with them. When that happened she would not come home till after midnight. With a sense of peace and contentment about her. “I definitely like the painting. It reminds me of … old times.” * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * “You come to talk, but your anger has not yet left your heart Tenchi. Do you still want to come in?” “Yes sensei. Let’s finish this now.” - I am tired of games. Tired of hiding and standing idly by, watching my life as it passes me by. – Tenchi entered the shrine, closing the rice paper door behind him. Kashuito was sitting on his knees on a pillow. He had been meditating before Tenchi came in, he had also placed a pillow in front of him. For Tenchi. Tenchi seated himself facing his grandfather. Inhaling a quick gasp of air as his ribs doubled in pain. “The first step is to understand, accept your fault and the fault of others. Comprehend where they come from, where you came from before this moment. You cannot change the past. It is written in stone, you yourself marked its existence.” Kashuito kept silent. Tenchi needed to digest his words. He needed to believe them. Only if he truly believed in what he said, only then could he release his anger and sorrow, and make sure he did everything in his power to keep it from happening a third time. Tenchi remained silent. The minutes passed on and Kashuito noticed he had closed his eyes. - Good. He is meditating. – He closed his own eyes and exhaled. It would be a long day for the both of them. “She left me. Didn’t even have the nerve to say goodbye.” Kashuito opened his eyes. “Do you blame her?” “No.” Kashuito waited for his grandson to explain himself. It would not help any to put words in his mouth. “She left without knowing.” “Without knowing what Tenchi?” “That I chose her.” “Do you think you are the only one with a choice in the matter? Doesn’t she count?” Tenchi looked at his grandfather. “Of course she counts Sensei. She told me she loved me plenty of times. I never told her.” “Why do you think she left then? If she loved you so much, why did she leave without even saying goodbye?” “I left her hanging to long. She got tired of waiting for me. She always said she missed the excitement of space. I got too boring for her.” “What else did she say?” “What do you mean Sensei?” “What else did you two talk about?” “Nothing. I mean… well stuff.” “I see. So how do you know what she wants or thinks if you didn’t even talk to her?” Tenchi opened his mouth to defend his friendship with Ryoko but he was right. They never really talked. Granted Ryoko was always all over him, but that had been before Haruna, what about after? - “She was always playing around. Always acting so tough.” “Is that your excuse Tenchi? I can think of plenty of times she tried to communicate with you.” Tenchi’s face questioned his grandfather. Kashuito recognized the unsaid question. “How about the time Ryoko wore Achika’s kimono.” “She ripped of the sleeves and almost ruined my mother’s kimono. How was that opening up to me?” “Comprehend where she comes from. What was so important about that kimono Tenchi? Other than the fact it was your mother’s?” “I don’t know. Wait, it was the kimono my mother wore last on my third birthday. The last birthday where she was healthy. We had it near the cave.” Tenchi was hit with the sudden realization that Ryoko had also been present that day. And when she chose to wear the kimono it had been because of that. Tenchi’s eyes roamed the shrine as he remembered a conversation his parents had had while he was opening one of his presents. “You look beautiful Achika.” “Thank you for the kimono.” “Thank me for what? I bought you some earrings which you exchanged for it.” Nobuyuki teased his wife as he encircled her waist. “You’ll learn husband.” Achika smiled and kissed him on the cheek before turning her attention to the kimono. “How about taking the sleeves of? Give it a more modern look?” “You always look beautiful to me Achika.” Tenchi bit his lip. Ryoko had known that all along. - I never gave her the chance to explain herself after she tore them of. I told her I hated her and then ignored that day even happened! – “ I never knew! I didn’t give her a chance to explain herself.” Despite the throbbing pain in his ribs, Tenchi slumped down and sulked. “Stop it Tenchi. You cannot change the past. Remember it, and learn.” “What else did I do to hurt her Sensei? I … she left because I’m an idiot. I didn’t know what I had until it was too late. It’s too late and now she’s gone.” * * * * “Wow! You look beautiful Ryoko! That color makes your eyes stand out even more.” Ryoko blushed at the compliment Fei gave her as she and Serla entered the kitchen. Ryoko waited for her cabbit to say something, but Ryooki was too engrossed in a cartoon at the moment to notice anything else. “Mmm. Something smells wonderful. What’s for breakfast?” As soon as she smelled the food her stomach started to protest. She sat down on the kitchen table. Fei laughed and with a teasing tone answered, “Ryoko it’s actually a late lunch, or maybe an early dinner.” Ryoko looked at the clock on the wall next to the stove and gasp. “I had no idea I slept in so late! Why didn’t you wake me?” She addressed her self to Serla. “Don’t worry Cat. You deserved your rest.” “Meow, meow.” Ryooki after looking away during a commercial break realized Ryoko had finally joined them downstairs. She went and sat on her lap, giving her a tight hug. “So Miss. High and Mighty finally decides to say hello hmm?” Ryoko’s tone is teasing and she tickles her sister. Serla enters the living room to light up the fireplace and Fei hands Ryoko a cup of coffee and sits down next to her. Ryooki is still on Ryoko’s lap, but is paying close attention to the cartoon show. “I’m glad you almost ran me over yesterday.” Fei whispers to Ryoko with a grin. “Me too.” Ryoko went over the recent memory in her mind and quietly got up and asked Fei, “where are the keys to the car?” “I put them next to the grandfather clock on the table in the hallway. Why? Are you going somewhere?” Ryoko needed to get rid of the car. That guy was sure to put up a search for it, and she didn’t want to do anything with it. Besides she would be incriminating Basho, Fei, and Serla. “I need to … return the car to someone. It’s not really mine. I’ll be right back.” Ryoko left the kitchen before Fei could protest, but called over her shoulder. “Don’t start eating without me!” *** *** *** *** *** “Remember your mistakes, and learn to not trip over the same stone twice.” Tenchi was feeling lower than low. - How could I have been so blind? I didn’t know. I didn’t know her. – “Be happy for her Tenchi.” Tenchi looked up to his grandfather. - Happy? For what? Happy that now Ryoko will fall in love with someone else? She will give herself to another man?- His blood boiled at the thought. He never really contemplated the idea of Ryoko belonging to anybody. Much else the wife another man. “ I love her grandfather. I have to go and find her before she forgets me. Before she…” “That will not happen Tenchi. At least not in the near future. Ryoko has gone not to forget you, or the family. Her motives are much more important than that. You are not the center of her universe Tenchi. Stop acting like it.” Kashuito’s words hit Tenchi like a load of bricks. They hurt, they burned. They were right. “You cannot love her. She does not yet love herself. Ryoko has done the hardest thing of her life in leaving you Tenchi. She has forced herself to find out who she really is.” “Ryoko is … Ryoko.” “So you really believe all that is said about her then? She is Ryoko the Space Pirates, the demon I chased for decades until I entrapped her in the cave?” Kashuito waited for Tenchi’s response but Tenchi didn’t know what to say. “Those things are all true Sensei. They all happened but she is not a demon” “They are true to you and me, but not to her. She was never a space pirate, she is not a demon. If ever I know of someone being forced to her life, it is her. She ran away from me for decades. Trying to run away from herself.” He paused and collected his thoughts before continuing. “You know Tenchi, I never would have won the battle with Ryoko if she herself had not let me?” Tenchi was hanging unto every syllable coming out of his Sensei. “She began slowing down, and becoming clumsier in every star system we passed. By the time we reached earth, she was sufficiently far away from Kagato to think for herself. She chose death Tenchi. She wanted me to end her suffering and instead I prolonged it for seven hundred years.” Kashuito in a shimmer of light changed into his younger form. Into the body his family recognized him back on Jurai, and the body Ryoko last saw before her exile in the cave, Yosho. “She might be older than you Tenchi. She might be centuries and centuries old, but she never had the chance to develop emotionally. All her feelings were battered out of her and she was molded into the ultimate warrior. I really don’t know how, but she managed to save enough of her former self to survive Kagato’s mental onslaught. When you released her from the cave, the only way she knew to communicate with you, with people in general is in an infantile manner. You must have noticed Ryoko’s change in these years with us. She began maturing through her experiences with our family, a thing that Kagato not once let her do. So you see Tenchi, you could not really love Ryoko, she was just a mirror image of what she truly is.” Tenchi swallowed and just stared at his grandfather. He remembered how in the beginning, Ryoko showing her love for Tenchi would fight with Ayeka, much like a child would do for a toy. Of course Ryoko knew he wasn’t a toy, and it was not just to play, but she knew no other way of communicating herself. That’s what was different about her when he returned from Haruna’s world. She had matured. She was no longer squabbling with Ayeka or clinging to him to make sure he would not go away. Something had happened to make her change, and he missed it. Like he missed all the times he could have been with her, patient with her. Now he just missed her. But his grandfather was mistaken in one point. He did love her, Ryoko. The woman he had witness change and mature. He unconsciously fell in love day after day. With more intensity and passion with each minute that passed, but he would have never realized it without his grandfather’s guidance. “Thank you Sensei.” Tenchi stood up to leave and Yosho returned to his ‘older’ self. “Will we practice tomorrow Sensei?” “If you want Tenchi. You are a man and it is you who now must decide for yourself.” “Tomorrow then.” “And Tenchi, for future reference, you leave your right side completely vulnerable. Tomorrow if those ribs are unguarded I’ll give you a bruise you will have to nurse for a month. Tenchi grinned and slightly bowed. “Yes Sensei.” As he closed the door behind him, Kashuito smiled to himself. *** *** *** *** *** “Damn my superior intellect! I never would have thought one of my own inventions would have so completely backfired against me.” An exasperated Washu growled. She was getting no where in her search for Ryoko and Ryooki. And it didn’t help any when Ayeka hovered over every single thing she did. “What happened? Did you find her?” Ayeka asked Washu for the millionth time that hour. She had been in Washu’s lab since she confirmed her fears of Ryoko having left Okayama. If anybody could find her it was Washu. And when or if she did, Ayeka planned to be there. She had barely slept and only eaten to please Sasami. Sasami was also worried for her friends and the only thing she could do to keep her mind of them was cook. Cook everything and anything. So far she had baked twelve pies, two heavy bowls of fired octopus, a serving for eight people of fried rice with dumplings and of course Ryooki’s favorite carrot dish. She cooked something different about every three hours, so when Ryoko and Ryooki came home it would be warm and ready to eat. In the kitchen sat all the food, uneaten and rotting. Ayeka would only accept a small bowl of chicken soup with vegetables, and Washu declared she did not really need to eat for days. “Did you find her?” Ayeka asked again, and Washu was extremely close to sending her to a sub-dimension for a couple of millenia. Washu gave her an exaggerated sigh and focused on her hollotop again, She knew she was not going to find Ryoko. She had seen to that since the day she was born. To protect Ryoko from psychopaths (ironically like Kagato), she fixed her radial heat waves to disrupt scanning devices in a seven solar system radius. She in all her consistency plans frankly never even thought Ryoko possible of letting her gems go. So without her gems and her variating heat waves working better than ever, it was impossible to find her. Washu had done her job well. So well she could not undo it. She would deal with this fact her own way, but Ayeka kept intruding. Washu finally could not take anymore of her whining. She had no idea her ‘Little Ryoko’ meant so much to the princess. Too bad she was a princess, a few years in a sub-portal would calm her down right away, but she was only dreaming. She would not really do that to Ayeka, but she did need to get her out of the lab. She teleported her to the living room and disconnected her lab from the Masaki house. Washu needed some quiet to plan out her next strategy in dealing with her missing daughters. “Washu! Washu open up!” Ayeka yelled while banging with fists at the door leading to her lab. The door wasn’t lock, but it lead to the hamper, not her lab. Ayeka was fuming! - what if she found Ryoko and left to confront her? And what if she tells her of what happened between Tenchi and I? The way Washu says things, Ryoko will completely misunderstand and she’ll hate me. Ayeka started sobbing quietly at the door. She sank down, hugging her knees and burrowing her face in between. She had lost hope. Ryoko would not come back, she had lost her friend. Ayeka had friends in the family. Kyone and Mihoshi were friends, of course half the time Kyone was cleaning up Mihoshi’s messes. Then there was Washu. Washu was just …? She was Washu and thus untouchable. Tenchi was Lord Tenchi. He was the man she loved and who had treated her like a woman and not a princess who’s money and power he was after. But he did not love her like a man loves a woman. He would be her friend but it was different. Her friendship with him and with Ryoko could simply not be compared. Sasami was her sister and family. Ayeka felt that she should set a good example for her to follow, so she didn’t feel right in acting wild and foolish with her baby sister. She could not act like that and then expect her not do differently. Ryoko was the one person who Ayeka could truly be herself with. No masks, no games. Ryoko didn’t judge her, or think any less of her when she felt like ‘breaking loose’. In fact, Ryoko had often been the master mind behind their wild nights out on the town. She was gone, and Ayeka had a sneaky suspicion, no a nagging thought, that somehow Ryoko had found out about the kiss. The kiss that sealed Tenchi’s heart to Ryokos. * * * * * * * * * * * * Ryoko closed the front door behind her, and noticed the car had been moved to the other side of the street, probably by Basho. As she looked both ways and crossed the street with ease, she overheard sloppy footsteps some ways behind her. The noise was a ‘thump, thumpy, swoosh’, which sounded a lot like Fei’s way of walking. Ryoko as observant as ever, had noticed among many things the way all the members of her new house walked. She looked backwards through the corners of her eyes to spot the tip of a shiny set of light brown hair. Ryoko reached the car door and turned around to almost be knocked over by Fei. “Ryoko! How did you know I was behind you?” “Your as noisy as Ryooki when she sleeps. Why are you here Fei?” “Well, I was hoping you could take me to see a friend of Serla’s. I was suppose to have dropped by last Wednesday, but … got a little sidetracked.” Ryoko narrowed her eyes ever so slightly that Fei took no noticed and nodded her head. - Guess it’s time to see where all those bruises came from. - As Fei circled the car to get in the passenger side, Ryoko sighed and debated on how to tell her, they were coming back to the house by foot. She couldn’t afford another day with this car parked right out side. Too risky. “So where does this friend live?” Ryoko asked impatiently to a confused Fei. It had been over an hour and Fei had gotten them lost. Ryoko’s stomach grumbled every time they passed a restaurant. “I’m sorry Cat. I thought I had repeated the address enough times to remember it forever, but now I guess …” Her voice faded away as she realized they had just passed the same house for the fourth time. “Ah! Alright lets go home Cat. I won’t be seeing him any time soon. Not with my photographic memory anyway.” Fei slumped back in her seat, and Ryoko grinned at her while she spotted the perfect place to drop of the car. It was some kind of bar establishment. She could hear a lot of loud talking and she could even smell the liquor from two blocks down. Perfect! Ryoko grinned playfully and parked the car in front of the sidewall. “Ryoko what are we doing? I left the food in the oven back at the house. I thought you were hungry?” “I am, but this car does not belong to me, and we will be walking home.” Ryoko got out of the car, followed by a very confused and worried Fei. “It’s not safe to wander on the streets after night fall in this part of Kyoto Cat. Haven’t you heard all the ‘stories’ about Gion?” She said this last part with a whisper and a cupped hand near her mouth. “What stories? What are you talking about?” Ryoko started walking briskly and Fei had to jog a bit to keep up the pace. “Don’t you know this city is known for its tearooms? If you are not one of them, then the men will think you are in lower standards.” Ryoko looked more confused than ever and slowed her pace to let Fei catch her breath. While waiting for the light to change to be able to cross the street, a few men whistled and offered vulgar comments before entering another similar bar. Ryoko snarled at the men, and waited for both the light to turn red, and for Fei to continue. “Let’s hurry Cat. I don’t want to be on the street still when dusk breaks.” Ryoko waited a few minutes longer, but Fei ignored their latest topic of conversation. “Fei don’t leave me hanging. What women of lower standards? You already started, finish it.” “Well,” Fei’s expression changed from worried to a strange determined look Ryoko couldn’t quite ever picture with her still soft, gentle eyes. The only time she had seen such a fetching combination was on Tenchi’s face when he fought Kashuito. A look of complete concentration in achieving their goal. “Kyoto is an old city Cat. Women, how do I put this, women who decided to please men came in two categories.” Fei paused and with a faint of a blush looked to Ryoko’s face. Ryoko held the same expression she would have had staring at a wall. Fei was relieved; she wasn’t judging her like all the other women did. But she still hadn’t told her the rest. “My goal is to become a Geisha, and came to Kyoto to be taught the art of the tearoom, but currently am a card holder of the ‘lower station’.” She giggled nervously and said the last part in a fit of nervous laughter. Both girls had stopped walking and Fei was waiting for Ryoko’s outraged response at hearing she was a prostitute. Nothing came. They began walking. “I suppose the person you were going to meet will teach you the fine arts of being a Geisha?” Ryoko finally asked after walking four blocks in silence. Fei let out a sigh and smiled at her new friend. Ryoko had said this with an air of curiosity not criticism. “Yeah, in a way. Serla’s friend was going to introduce me to the proper circles, but it’s Serla who is going to be teaching me.” Ryoko remained silent. She had heard of Geishas while living in Tokyo and from Nobuyuki’s conversations on the phone. A geisha was a woman who entertained men. But she wasn’t any normal woman; she was a lady of the world. Extremely graceful, talented in Shamisen and Tuzumi. They also had to be experienced in the ‘Tea Ceremony’. After she proved herself in all these things plus more she couldn’t remember, they would find a patron and if they played their cards right, live exclusively within the Japanese elite society. A Geisha literally translated to ‘Accomplished Person’ and was looked at with respect. Though Ryoko wasn’t sure how many sexual favors were involved in the path to becoming one. Ryoko had been called a lot of things through out her life. Demon, monster, devil… Never had she been called feminine, or a lady, or anything gentle and sweet. Anything related to being a lady. Perhaps she should …? By the time they reached the house Ryoko had made up her mind. They went directly to the kitchen and found the table set and Serla with Ryooki eating their dessert. “I thought you would wait for us Serla!” Fei exclaimed while sitting down to eat. Ryooki meowed a hello in between mouthfuls and Ryoko sat down opposite Serla in the round table. They ate in silence. Uncle Basho had yet not returned from the store. As Fei ate a second helping of rice balls, Ryoko barely finished with half of her plate confidently said, “Serla, make me the best Geisha Kyoto and even Tokyo has ever seen.” Serla froze in between bites and calculated Ryoko’s surprising statement. Serla grinned and Fei looked on with an enthusiastic expression. “If I’m going to do something I will do it better than ANYONE. What do you say? Are you game?” *** *** *** *** *** *** Uncle Basho with the bad timing that made him a legend when he used to work for a mining field in Senzuru, broke the life defining conversation taking form between the three women. During his stay in Senzuru, he must have stepped in twenty mine traps while helping the small town clear them up after World War II. He was also famous for the incredible recoveries he made. One out of two men left the job with a missing limb, and those were the lucky ones. Basho was fitter than a fiddle after countless accidents. Serla didn’t say a word, and they ate the rest of their meal while listening to Uncle Basho play back his day for them. At the end, Fei reluctantly stayed downstairs to clean up the kitchen and Serla with Ryoko and Ryooki in tow went to their room. Basho stayed in the living room smoking a pipe and reading a month old newspaper. “So you want to become a Geisha Cat? That is not a simple thing by any means child. For your sake I hope Fei hasn’t filled your brain with romantic notions about the job.” Ryoko was sitting on the unmade bed, with Ryooki sitting on her lap. Serla took the chair Ryoko had sat on while Serla brushed her hair in the morning. “Nothing in my life has ever been easy. With all I’ve gone through I think I can handle this Serla. But no more games, yes or no?” Serla smiled her toothless smile and answered, “That’s why I like you Cat. You’re honest and straight to the point. Fine qualities in any person. Rare too. But if you are truly serious in my training you, I will have to change you inside out. You will have to learn to control that temper of yours and be as hypocritical and false as the situation calls for.” After swallowing she continued, “ You will have to much of the time act like the particular man your with is as fascinating and smart as anything, even though they are almost always absolute morons.” Ryoko gazed at the floor deep in thought. - A Geisha. Me a Geisha! I much sooner would bet on me becoming the air and water than a Geisha. But why not? I’ve never backed down from anything in my life. I will eat my temper and charm the pants of those men. (I guess literally too.) And when I have become rich enough and have all the men in Japan eating out of my hand, maybe then I’ll pay a visit to Okayama, show him what a lady I have become. – “What about Fei?” “Fei will take the lessons with you, but I’m afraid she will never be the prima Geisha she wants to be.” “Why?” “I think you have noticed all those bruises she keeps on trying to hide from us? Well that was done by her former boyfriend, the bastard. And not only that, but she’s pregnant with his baby.” Ryoko’s naïve expression made Serla laugh. “Don’t look so surprised Cat. She doesn’t know yet, but the stars revealed it to me.” “Like they revealed my arrival?” “Exactly Cat. We can’t hide her pregnant state from the city. Gion is a small knit circle and they have eyes and ears everywhere. She is ruined for her ‘Mizuage’ .” Ryoko quirked an eyebrow and Serla continued, “Mizuage is when the Geisha are first introduced and the men bid for her “flower” so to speak. Since Fei is pregnant and it is impossible to hide her growing belly from preying eyes, she will have to rely on you to get her foot in the door.” “Me? So you decided then?” “Yes. But you will have a lot to learn Cat. And I won’t tolerate any bad behavior. I don’t want to waste my time. Even if you do show great potential, you are still a diamond in the rough. Agreed?” Without hesitation Ryoko simultaneously nodded her head and said, “Yes.” “First things first. I know you are dying of curiosity to know how I, a foreigner, know all these things and why. Control your curiosity, after all that is what killed the cat.” Serla laughed her jagged smokers laugh. “You will have to change your name Ryoko.” This was the first time she had ever called her by her true name, and the last. She stood up from the chair and stood in front of Ryoko and Ryooki. Her posture demanded Ryoko stand up as well, and she rearranged Ryooki on her left arm. Ryooki was smiling at Serla. “Nice meeting you Catara Sukimobu. Welcome to your okiya. From this day on you will have a schedule made by me that will keep you busy from noon to way past sundown. And the only reason you get to sleep till noon is no Geisha works with bags under her eyes, and yours will be your main weapon Cat.” “Catara Sukimobu. I like it.” Ryoko smiled and Ryooki felt her vibrate with excitement. “Of course I will call you Cat for short. Now you girls sleep for tomorrow will be a busy day for both of you.” Ryooki looked surprised and pointed at herself with her index finger. “You will start learning how to speak and write.” Ryooki smiled and Ryoko let out a small giggle. “Don’t be so happy, for you will also start your calligraphy lessons. And a word of advice, keep your wrists and fingers relaxed, most girls end up with unbearable hand aches the first few weeks. Sleep well and beware of the paintings, they have a mind of their own.” Serla laughed again and closed the door behind them. - Cat was the blessing she had prayed for all her life. And those eyes of hers were a gift from the very gods themselves. Yes, she will be a very successful Geisha. With her cat like features men will be drawn to her sensualness like flies to honey. The hard thing will be to train Cat to use manipulate that to her every limb. It shouldn’t be that hard. Cat seems hard set in forgetting whomever she ran away from and will die trying if necessary. This was going to work. “Geisha Catara Sukimobu, she will be famous all throughout Japan by next spring.” *** *** *** *** *** Comments ? Magdalena_gv@hotmail.com Copyright 2001