Tenchi Muyo Fanfiction:
          These characters don’t belong to me.

Comments?  magdalena_gv@hotmail.com
      If you are new to this story, please start with chapter one named 
accordingly like the title. Other than that enjoy!

The next chapter is about done... I have started a new site for any 
writtings you might have. Be it Tenchi Muyo or personal poetry and the 
like..
Check it out.... If you like e-mail me  your fic to post it.
Also that will be the first place my fics will be posted...

Thanks!!!

Malena                   theacrhive1@hotmail.com
Regular
The Sea of Change       ch.7 “Horribly Wonderful”
Set after Tenchi Forever, Ryoko is tired of the current love triangle, and 
begins painful steps to mature. An introspective look





" The Sea Of Change "


Chapter 7:

                                      “  Horribly Wonderful ”

“Hey Tenchi! Stop day dreaming and pass me the turpentine will ya?”

“Huh? Oh.. yeah sure Takumi.”
Tenchi passed the clear liquid filled bottle to his friend before again 
focusing on the canvas in front of him. He furrowed his brow and smacked his 
mouth before sighing in frustration. This was the first time in over a month 
he actually had free time to work on his paintings yet there he was just 
staring at the blank canvas with no idea on how to proceed. Since enrolling 
in college his father had almost begged him to give architecture a try. He 
agreed warily, but if he would have known the classes were so time consuming 
he would have found away to get out of it.
Now he had seven classes, and only one of them was art related, life 
drawing. He shared a loft with his room mate Takumi. Takumi himself was an 
art major and helped Tenchi meet his life drawing class deadlines.

“So how is your studio class going?” Takumi asked while mixing magenta and 
green on his palette.

“Mmm.. Not so good. The wood glue for the museum model I’m working on keeps 
drying up before it actually glues anything.”

Takumi nodded his head in sympathy and recognized his friend’s bad mood. 
Tenchi was an easy going guy, but ever since he had returned from winter 
break he had been on edge and high strung. What was strange was he always 
seemed to be daydreaming, with his head in the clouds. And because of it he 
had almost failed four of his seven classes.
There was a knock at the door and Takumi jumped up to answer, thankful for 
the break from the sour mood in the room.

“Hey gorgeous , thought you had to work?”

Takumi kissed his girlfriend Kukune tenderly on the lips with a soft smile 
grazing his features. Takumi, an unusually tall Japanese man was one of the 
noblest souls Kukune had ever met, and he was even more so with her, which 
she didn’t mind one bit.
Kukune was another art mayor, that’s how they had all met. Kukune had bumped 
into Tenchi last year as he toured the college grounds with his father. As 
Tenchi excused himself, his father had made heavy innuendoes on the both of 
them. She had laughed as Tenchi rolled his eyes and excused them both. They 
all went for a cup of coffee at the college cafeteria and she mentioned that 
her boyfriend Takumi was looking for a room mate. One thing led to another 
and here they all were. Of course the loft often held three people instead 
of two as Kukune slept over three of the four weeks of the month.
She had been embarrassed since Takumi and her weren’t married and 
everything, but Tenchi did not even bat an eye. Both Takumi and her took an 
instant liking to his easy going nature and took it unto themselves the task 
of lifting him of the depression he was in.
Whenever they tried to raise the issue with him, he became distant and 
quiet, so after a few failed tries they gave up.

“Yeah, but I called in sick.”
Kukune grinned and coyly slipped his embrace only to tease him by 
seductively walking from the foyer to the living room. He quickly closed the 
door and as their game was getting interesting both overheard Tenchi sigh 
and throw his paintbrush in the water cup.

Kukune’s teasing mood faded at her concern for her new friend.
Takumi picked up on her mood change and with the knowledge their play had 
momentarily been suspended opened the fridge to get two apples. He tossed 
one to Kukune and both sat down on the kitchen counter top.

They heard some more rustling coming from the living room and Kukune rested 
her head on his shoulder while enjoying the apple’s smooth feel with her 
hands. Takumi encircled her with one arm as he took a bite of the his apple 
with the other.

“How is he?” Kukune asked.

Takumi inhaled deeply while he caressed her arm. His nose made a slight 
whistling sound and Kukune grinned in response. That was something 
characteristically Takumi and she loved it. Like she loved everything about 
him, flaws and all. In fact those flaws were what made him special.

“I don’t know Kukune. One hour he is cheerful and talkative but then…” He 
takes a bite of his apple and half eaten aims at the trash can in a 
basketball player pose. He shoots and makes a clean shot. Satisfied he 
focuses on Kukune’s question as she waits patiently for his answer.

“I thought he was coming out of it when the semester progressed, but after 
he came back from winter break, he was ten times worse.”

“Do you think it is his family?”

Takumi sighed and hugged Kukune a little tighter as he began his caring 
caresses on her arm again. Kukune from her part cuddled in deeper in his 
embrace, relishing the warmth his strong arms offered her.

“Well, they have come over a few times over the past months to visit.” He 
opened his mouth to continue his observations of Tenchi’s family but stopped 
short and burrowed his face.

“… The weird thing is his family seems like they… like the just appear one 
day and leave the next. They never need a place to stay and once Tenchi 
calls them they are here in an hour’s time. Call me ignorant but it takes 
quiet a bit longer to get to Tokyo from Okayama right?”

Kukune settled her head in the hollow of his neck and outlined circles with 
her index finger on his leg.

“Mmm.”

“Also… They always seem to be alert, like they are looking for someone even 
in every closet. Once we went to an exhibition down town and the whole time 
I had the sense all I said to them went through one ear and out the other. 
Plus their eyes roamed the city, looking for something, someone, even Tenchi 
was restless.”

“Was that the time I had to bail on you guys to study for my sculpture 
exam?”

“Yeah.”

Kukune lifted her head and gave him a whisper of a kiss on the mouth.

“Mmm… You always know how to make me feel better.”

Takumi moved in for a longer lasting display of affection-maybe even more- 
but Kukune grinned and stopped his lips with her finger. In response Hatimo 
frowned and kissed her finger instead before taking a loving bite out of her 
fingertip.

*     *     *
Tenchi stared at the vast expanse of white on the canvas in front of him. 
For the first time ever, he felt completely defeated by the challenge. To 
create an idea, a feeling, and slowly form it to something tangible. The 
challenge is to translate that – yourself, what your soul is experiencing- 
into an image, a type of visual poetry.

Everything was already set up. His color palette contained all the essential 
colors, magenta, green, blue and yellow. From these four colors any other 
shade was available, just mix the right amount of the colors to create the 
new one. The only color which he successfully mixed together was cyan, and 
with this he felt dejav-u of his stay in Tokyo with Haruna all over again.

Tenchi was all mixed up inside, a complete eight. His happiness was 
connected to his melancholy and his melancholy would not leave him alone. 
They now walked hand in hand everywhere he went.
Painting this emotion was impossible, especially when he himself did not 
even know what exactly it was he was going through.

He understood it, but could not comprehend what he had felt that day back in 
Okayama, when he was getting ready to head back to Tokyo.
He had sworn he had seen Ryoko out of the corner of his eye, for just a 
second’s time. She had even been wearing clothes he had never seen before.
A very expensive looking kimono and her hair had been straight.
She looked exquisite.
But the kind of exquisite you find in a statue. The beauty which drags along 
sadness and loneliness.
The fire in her eyes had been absent, so had her energy. The energy which 
made her an endless gift of surprises. He never knew exactly what to expect 
when he was with her, proof of that laid in his life’s story.
Since he released her, his life had only sped up minute by minute, and 
unbeknownst to him at the time, that’s how he liked it. That’s how he longed 
for it to be again, but he needed Ryoko, without her it was impossible to 
feel …. love.

Now, months after her initial disappearance, Tenchi was finally coming to 
grips with her really not ever coming back. Somehow in that naïve mind of 
his, he pictured his life always being the way it was before. With Ryoko and 
Ayeka fighting for him, blowing up walls of the house. With Kyone and 
Mihoshi arguing and Washu coming up with the most dangerous devices for … 
lets say cutting fruit.
Now even that was different. With Ryoko gone, the Galaxy Police no longer 
felt the need to keep Kyone and Mihoshi on earth. With the pirate gone, 
Princess Ayeka and Sasami were relatively safe. What’s worse, Kyone and even 
Mihoshi seemed eager to get out Okayama for awhile, not that Tenchi blamed 
them. He had done the same thing by escaping to Tokyo.
Washu was another story all together. She still lived in her lab, and spent 
weeks without end on her experiments. Only her dark side, the side which she 
deliberately used to create the most inhumane weapons was dominant. Before 
she was sarcastic but in a teasing way. After Ryoko left, she retreated to 
only she knows where, and when she came back, she became reclusive and 
sadistic.
Ayeka never left Sasami’s side for a moment. Probably afraid she would run 
out on her too. When Tenchi announced he would be going to school in Tokyo, 
he could have sweared he heard Ayeka exhale in relief. Sasami missed her two 
friends, but was the most cheerful of the bunch. Of course being cheerful 
was her nature, and she would act happy to make everybody else think her 
okay. One night during the Christmas break, Tenchi was having trouble 
sleeping and went to the kitchen to get a glass of water, when he heard 
muffled sobbing coming from the living room. He peaked his head in and spied 
a bang of light blue hair over the couch arm rest. Sasami was crying her 
eyes out during the night, so in the day she would control her sadness.
Tenchi just stood there, clueless on what to do. Normally he would have been 
the first to rush in and comfort her, but he would probably end up crying 
with her. He also found out she was leaving  a plate of freshly cut carrots 
out on the porch for Ryo-ohki every night. His heart broke every time he saw 
her hopeful face as she raced out the door to get the plate. Hoping it would 
be empty and somehow miraculously Ryo-ohki would appear. As she saw the full 
plate, her face would quiver, her eyes fill up with tears. That had been one 
of the reasons he had decided to leave. That heart broken face of hers would 
drive him mad if he kept seeing every morning.

So here he was, in the end of his second semester and staring at the blank 
canvas. The blank, empty expanse of white symbolizing the vast expanse of 
nothingness he felt in his soul.

* She looked so beautiful. I never even thought she would look so exquisite 
with straight hair. Her smooth skin glistening with the sun. Why? I can’t 
get you out of my mind Ryoko. I just can’t …*

* *             * *               * *


She held the doorknob in her hand, and her fingers tapped the smooth surface 
repeatedly.
She looked back to Akio once again and sighed.
* What should I do? The old Ryoko would have left him hours ago, in fact she 
would have broken his ribs first, but I’m not her anymore. I vowed to 
change, to better myself. What would I do? The real me? Would I leave or 
stay? Damnit! What should I do?!*

Ryoko sighed deeply and unclasped her hand from the doorknob leading to her 
room.
* I must be absolutely nuts! *

She turned around slowly, not sure of what step to take next.
Akio was sitting on the chair next to the bed, but had it facing the wall, 
and all Ryoko could see was his arm hanging of the arm chair, swinging a cup 
of sake back and forth.

She took tiny steps, one foot after the other. At least that would buy her 
some time to think of something to say.
* I should just go. It’s not like I want to sleep with him, I’m not that 
crazy. *

Even with the conclusion that the best thing for her to do was to leave and 
never look back, Ryoko sat gently on the bed.

“You can go Catara, I have no use for you.”
Akio’s calm reply poorly disguised the sour mood he was in.

Ryoko continued to sit there, smoothing the wrinkles off the bed sheets with 
the palm of her hands. She looked around the room, as her mind decided how 
to approach the impossible situation she was in.  She looked up when she 
heard Akio take a sip of his sake cup and narrowed her eyes. * I am a geisha 
right? And a geisha entertains right? Well what are you waiting for Ryoko? 
Go ahead, entertain him! *

She cleared her throat a few times and with a slight shake in her voice 
began.

“So… would you like another drink?”

* Stupid ! What a idiotic thing to say Ryoko. You’re really a geisha now!*

Akio did not respond yet Ryoko knew he was alert to whatever she was doing 
by the way he remained perfectly still, listening to her movements.
She inhaled deeply and headed to the mini bar to pour herself a drink.
* I need a drink now more than ever. *

She felt the familiar warm feeling going down her throat and felt some 
strength coursing through her veins.

“You know when you barged in to Homino’s studio flashing that machete of 
yours I thought for sure you were an escaped convict or enraged lover.”

She heard Akio huff and stand up to pour himself a drink.

“Enraged lover? So I look …” He used his hands to mimic Homino’s lifted 
pinky and held out his empty cup for Ryoko to fill.

“Well no… but I … I was just making conversation.”

She smiled at him and sat back down on the bed, legs crossed and both arms 
on her lap, holding the sake in her hands.

He readjusted the chair to face her again, with a pleased smile grazing his 
features.

They sat there - simply staring at each other – Ryoko having not the 
slightest hint of what to do next. It was a difficult situation, and Akio’s 
persistent lustful stare was not helping her any.

* Should have brought my shamisen with me, Serla said my voice was 
improving. Perhaps I could have sang him to sleep. *

The alcohol’s effects were warring off and Ryoko was running out of ideas.
* I’m not good with words, give me a sword and an opponent and I shine, but 
this? *
In her mind’s eye she relived her encounter with Akio, and her sharp skills 
with the samurai sword.
* The samurai sword … the samurai sword! That’s it! *

“You know wielding a samurai sword or any other weapon is not as hard as 
people are willing to believe.”

“Of course you think that Catara. You are amazing with it.”
Akio smiled and his interest was hooked at her choice in conversation. He 
delightedly followed her lead.

“I never gave you the chance to tell me where your technique comes from.”

Ryoko grinned and settled down more comfortably on the bed, bunching up the 
sheets to cover her legs.

“My.. my teacher never really got around to telling me where my technique 
originated from. But he did tell me of a legend. A warrior who existed 
millennia before the earth was even an image in a beings unconscious. Before 
the stars were born and the first sun was coming into existence light years 
away from here.”

Ryoko paused and looked up at Akio’s face. He was mesmerized by the 
beginnings of her story. She grinned and cocked her eyebrow up at him. He 
frowned and then realized she was holding her empty cup out to him. It was 
now his turn to grin and he quickly refilled her cup and his before sitting 
back down on the chair. He wisely put the bottle of sake down next to his 
chair on the floor. Just in case Ryoko wanted another refill later on, he 
would not need to stand up to walk to the other end of the room.

“This warrior, this space pirate, was the most beautiful, stunning woman the 
universe had ever seen.”

“This warrior was a woman?!” Akio asked in amazement.

“Of course! The best anything are always women.” She winked at him before 
continuing.

“Men tried to seduce her, to win her heart but they were all too late. Her 
soul already belonged to a man. The most kind, gentle man she had ever met. 
Her heart belonged to him millennia before he came into existence. He was 
the first being who ever thought of her as a person and not as a weapon or 
destroyer. Unfortunately, of her two thousand year old life, she met him 
three years before she died. But those three years were worth all the 
loneliness and suffering she endured before. He made it all worth while for 
this space pirate.”

Ryoko felt a knot forming at her throat and used the sake’s aid to will it 
down back deep inside her again. She had intended to tell Akio a story of 
skill and adventure but her mouth ran away with her. Now she had begun her 
own story, and she couldn’t stop it now, not for anything. She had been 
avoiding it all her life and there were no more escapes, no more king 
hearted Tenchi’s to hide behind. She smiled gently at his memory.

“But I’m telling the sentimental part of her story. There are entire 
centuries filled with battles were the oceans ran red with blood and entire 
planets exploded and in turn created new galaxies of their own. That’s one 
thing Kaga- I mean Omato never could understand.
He wanted everything under his control or destroyed. There was no middle 
ground, no compromise. But with every explosion a million new possibilities 
of life were given a chance to flourish.”

“Who’s Omato?”

“He… he was … umm…Like in any story no one can really be more powerful than 
the rest. There is always some one stronger. Always. And for this space 
pirate it was Omato. He not only was stronger than her- he controlled her- 
mind and body.”

Her voice had become quiet, barely above an echo of a whisper- and Akio 
moved to the bed this time not to start something with her, but to continue 
listening to her moving story. He realized this meant a lot to Catara, a 
whole lot. He could see it in her eyes, in the way her breathing became 
ragged when she spoke of Omato. Akio knew she was sharing something 
extremely important with him. Perhaps more important to her than sex. And 
that simple fact almost made up for his inability to perform, almost.

“But aside from all the suffering, all the control he had over her, she 
still was able to steal wondrous moments filled with enchantment. These 
moments were what sustained her, fed her soul for all those centuries. If … 
if she were here she’d tell you of all the worlds she visited. All the 
different kinds of people and all their passion. All their woes, their joys, 
their happiness. She made sure to remember each and every one. If she didn’t 
then no one would. Those countless worlds now only exist in her memory. But 
they exist.”

Ryoko had tears staining her face, that by the light of the candles Akio had 
romantically set up around the room, gave her the illusion of having 
fireflies lightly kissing her cheeks.

Akio could not for anything in the world take his eyes of her. She was… she 
was everything and anything. She was the magic goddess he would dream with 
as a child. That magical being who would take you flying and make everything 
better. The candles one by one were dying out their flames as the sun made 
its way into the sky.

“This space pirate seems to me like she was filled with magic from the very 
start.” Akio observed.

“Magic?”
Ryoko asked confused and bewildered by the sudden interruption of her 
narrative.

“Well yeah. Magic to be able to see all those places. All those people and 
suffer through unimaginable things but still see the beauty in the 
universe.”

Ryoko sat there, thinking on what Akio had just told her. Her face lit up 
with the sudden realization that he was right. As her eyes glowed he held 
his breath at the beauty in her.

“You know Akio your right? And what’s more you have a little bit of magic in 
you.”

Akio smiled and huffed in pleased surprise.
“In me? I’m just a simple farmer’s son, there’s no magic in that.”

“Ah but magic cares not for society or station in life. Magic is not only 
doing unbelievable things that defy the laws of physics. It is saying the 
exact word at the exact time to lift a person’s spirits. It’s the simple 
loving kiss of a mother toward her daughter’s injury and the promise of 
making it feel better. And the daughter’s amazed face as it really does feel 
better after her mother has kissed it. Magic is Fei who is as we speak is 
creating a new life inside her. Feeling it grow and depend on her. That’s 
magic.”

Ryoko’s throat felt dry after all that talking, but she felt wonderful 
inside. The candles by now had completely burned out and she looked out the 
window only to find a great sun greeting her good morning.

“Oh my, I have been talking all night! I have to go.”

She lifted the covers of her legs and made her way to the door. Akio walked 
her to the door and held it open for her. As she passed by him he bowed and 
said,
“Thanks for a wonderful evening Golden Geisha.”

Ryoko was at a loss for words.
Sharing her life with him, was a dream she had only held for Tenchi. To be 
able to share with him all the things that made her Ryoko. He had chosen 
another and Ryoko was finally beginning to heal the deep wounds Tenchi had 
cut in her soul.
Sharing her life with Akio was not the same as it would have been with 
Tenchi - not for a long shot - but it had helped her more than Akio would 
ever know.
She could not put this all into words, so she simply bathed him with one of 
her dazzling smiles and shut the door behind her. It was time to go home.

**                          **                         **

“How was your night Geisha Catara?”
Ichima asked somewhat hesitantly as he closed the passenger side door and 
settled himself down on the drivers side.

Ryoko smiled more to herself than Ichima when she answered confidently, “ 
Nice.”

He made a surprised face and started the car.

“Wait Ichima-san.”
Before Ichima asked what was the matter, Ryoko had gotten out the back door, 
and then settled herself more comfortably in the passenger’s side seat, next 
to Ichima. Ichima’s mouth was wide open as she smiled again while adjusting 
her seatbelt.

“Geisha Catara, you should travel in the back seat. If anyone sees you up 
here they will think-”

“They will think I’m traveling with a friend, and that’s exactly what we’re 
doing. You are my friend right?”

Ichima nodded and she patted his hand resting on the stick shift.

“Okay then lets go. I have had a wonderful night but I have had enough of 
this place to last me a decade.”

Ichima laughed and agreed whole heartedly. He had had enough of that place 
too.
In the beginning he had listened by the door, making sure that Catara was 
okay. He had heard muffled voices and then slight moans. After that nothing. 
Occasionally he heard a sound here or there but nothing significant. And 
judging how much time Catara spent in the room with Akio, he was very 
worried in deed.
But when she came out, looking refreshed and peaceful he became relieved and 
perplexed all at the same time. Not even when he had taken Mayuri’s mizuage 
– he had gone out of his way to be extra gentle – she had a nervous look 
about her.
He had expected at least that from Catara, but nothing but smiles and 
laughter.

He looked at Catara from the corner of his eyes. She had not spoken a word 
since he started driving, only had looked out the window and sighed from 
time to time. Ichima did not know whether to make small talk or act like he 
was suppose to and not address her until she addressed him first. But she 
had said they were friends so…

“How long have you known Mayuri-san?”

“Mayuri? Well I …”
Ryoko had caught Ichima completely of guard and she grinned with delight. 
She hadn’t lost her touch after all.

“You do remember Mayuri don’t you? Tall, gorgeous woman with the grace of a 
swan and skin like alabaster.”

“Yes, yes of course I know who Mayuri-san is.” Ichima answered with a hint 
of annoyance in his voice.

“Mayuri-san?”
Ryoko teased about the familiarity he took with her name.

“I mean Geisha Mayuri.”
Ichima cleared his throat as an attempt to end the conversation but Ryoko’s 
grin only became larger. She still loved to make people’s hair stand on end.

“I’m sorry Ichima-san. Don’t be angry with me. I was only teasing you.”
She laid a hand on his shoulder and Ichima turned to look at her.

“No I’m sorry Geisha Catara. It is not right to talk of Geisha Mayuri in 
such a way. I’m-”

“Stop. I only meant to make you open up a bit. That’s all. So you can call 
Mayuri whatever you are comfortable with, and with me… Call me as one friend 
calls another.”

Ichima only nodded and kept driving, pondering Ryoko’s words.
*How does she know of my attraction to Mayuri? Did Mayuri confide in her? 
Maybe Mayuri feels something towards me? *

“The lights are on!”

Ichima deep in his own thoughts was startled at Ryoko exclamation. He had 
driven her home virtually unconsciously and noticed the okiya’s lights were 
on, strange since it was barely after dawn.

Ryoko’s featured became burrowed and she felt a hollow pit deep in her 
stomach. She didn’t wait for Ichima to park the car, but leaped out a good 
half block away.

“Catara-san wait!”
He parked the car lopsidedly in front of the okiya and ran after her.

* Where are my keys? *
Ryoko looked in the pocket deep in her gigantic sleeves. Her fingers were 
getting lost in the vast expanse of fabric and her urgency was not helping 
her steady her shaking fingers.

* Why are the lights on? That’s not anything strange, but then why do I feel 
so worried. Damnit! Where are those key?! Oh! Yes!” *

She opened the door in a flash and as she sped up the stairs listened for 
any kind of movement or noise. She went to her room first, expecting to find 
a sleeping Ryo-ohki. The futon was in a state of complete disarray. Sheets 
thrown about the room, pillow was resting near the full length mirror, a 
good five feet away from the futon. Ryoko’s eyes took in the sight for a 
second’s time before she rushed on to Fei’s and Serla’s room, and finally to 
Basho’s at the end of the hall. All rooms were in similar states and Ryoko’s 
mind was working a thousand miles a second. She raced down the stairs and 
literally knocked Ichima over as she headed to the kitchen and living room. 
On the kitchen table was a half empty coffee mug, and Ryoko could judge by 
the mist making its way upward that the coffee was only recently made.

“Catara slow down! Wait a minute and think!”
Ichima tried to catch the fleeting Ryoko as she flew from room to room, all 
the while getting more and more paranoid at where her family was.

“They’re not here Ichima! They’re not here!”
Ryoko cried in frustration as she flopped down in one of the kitchen table 
chairs. She laid her head on her hands as she tried to conjure up  some 
logical explanation.

* Ryo-ohki wouldn’t leave like this. She wouldn’t! What if someone came 
looking for me and… I’m still a wanted criminal after all, and they wouldn’t 
know I’m powerless now. *

Ichima went to the living room, fresh out of ideas he wanted to recheck to 
see if possibly Catara had overlooked them. Ryoko lifted her head and rolled 
her eyes in frustration.

Her eyes then went from Ichima’s retreating figure to the kitchen table, the 
counter, the refrigerator, the sink. Her eyes went back to the fridge and a 
note that had been placed their with a refrigerator magnet. In sloppy 
handwriting most characteristic of Basho was jotted, “ Fei’s water broke! In 
Kyoto General Hospital come quick! Basho.”

There was something jotted down at the bottom of the torn piece of paper but 
it resembled a kid’s line drawing than actual words.

“By the Gods! Fei’s baby! It’s coming! Ichima!”

Before her outburst was over Ichima had rushed back in the kitchen worried 
for Catara. Ryoko had a dazzling smile that would not go away for anything. 
She jumped and gave him the biggest hug, so big she actually held on to him 
and her feet didn’t touch the floor for several seconds.

“Wait a few minutes, I’m going to change, if I don’t, imagine the doctor! He 
will think I have come to seduce him or something!”
She jumped all the way up the stairs. Her excitement infecting Ichima 
instantly.

“Ok they are in Kyoto general… Is that what you call driving? Here pull 
over, let me drive. I’ll get there ten times faster than you, guaranteed!”

Ichima reluctantly agreed, and they changed sides at a light stop.

“Right so…” Ryoko looked over at Ichima with a devilish grin at her lips. 
She tapped the steering wheel with impatient fingers and pushed the gas 
pedal, making the car roar.
The light turned green and Ichima was pulled back into his seat simply by 
the sheer force of Ryoko’s driving. From the instant he saw Ryoko’s features 
turn absolutely devilish as she settled in the drivers seat, he regretted 
consenting to her.

Delivering on her promise, Ryoko successfully parked in front of Kyoto 
General hospital nine minutes after their initial seating exchange. Of 
course that was after a few illegal moves such as speeding over a hundred 
miles per hour, driving on the wrong side of the street and missing be a 
hair width hitting another car. That time Ichima’s heart was at his throat 
and he was beyond screaming. He simply gripped the seat handles and tensed 
his leg muscles waiting for the impact that miraculously never came. As they 
parked both shot out of the car but for two completely different reasons. 
Ryoko was ecstatic that the time to meet her new godson was upon her. Ichima 
thanked his lucky stars that he had survived Catara’s horrendous driving and 
as long as he lived he would not let her drive again, at least until he 
personally taught her.

“Can I help you?”
The hospital attendant looked Ryoko over, not believing her amber eyes or 
cyan hair.

“Yes, where is the maternity ward please?” Ryoko’s voice was dripping with 
honey, and for the first time in a long while she answered nicely out of her 
on accord. Not because someone told her too, or because she was trying to 
fool someone.

“It is the fifth floor, but you can’t park here, this is for emergency’s and 
ambulances.”

“Emergency! I’m about to be a godmother. That’s the biggest emergency out 
there!”

The attendant smiled, knowing all too well how Ryoko was feeling right now.

“Yes Ms. but the car will have to be moved for other more grave 
emergencies.”

“I’ll park you go ahead and I’ll catch up.”
Ichima offered. Ryoko looked over at Ichima, completely forgetting he was 
even there. She nodded and rushed inside, as giddy as a child on Christmas 
morning.
Both the attendant and Ichima smiled at Ryoko’s innocence, it was to say the 
least heart warming.

She headed straight to the elevator, then waited impatiently as the numbers 
flashed from one to two, three, four, five. The elevator’s doors opened and 
Ryoko’s legs were now shaking. She had previously asked Fei how she would be 
delivering her baby as they gorged themselves on chocolates and Ryo-ohki on 
chocolate covered carrots. Fei had to explain in great detail each and every 
step of labor and still Ryoko could not believe it true.

“That is so savage! Putting the female through so much pain.”

Fei laughed a little confused.
“What other way of giving birth is there Catara?”

Ryoko bit her mouth as she was about to blurt out how she was born.
*Sure well how about artificial reproduction of ovum and mass to be created 
in a static energy fed cradle for months to produce the final product  which 
is me. But really there are better, safer ways, such like Jurains use. The 
zygote developing in a lab- much safer and convenient way for the mother to 
have her child. Plus they can cure all the malformations the child might 
have. But Fei would not understand if I told her all that. She would think I 
am a freak or worse.*

“Catara you finally made it!”

As she stepped out of the elevator her thoughts were interrupted as Basho 
shouted her name and Ryo-ohki made a mad dash to her arms.

“Kitty! How is Fei? And the baby how are they?”
Ryo-ohki simply shrugged and hugged her sister harder. She had been nervous 
when Fei started to have contractions as she was putting her to sleep. A few 
more hours later they were driving at top speed to the hospital, she in 
Basho’s lap as he drove. Serla was busy supporting Fei and nobody had 
anytime to explain to her what exactly was happening.
*I wish Ryoko was here. *

Now that she was here, she would not let go.
“You missed me Kitty? You have no idea how much I missed you.”
Ryoko kissed her cheek and then focused on what uncle Basho was saying.

“Fei is in being prepped up as we speak. It seems she will have a quick 
delivery the doctors tell me.”

Ryoko nodded the entire time as Basho led her by the arm to the waiting 
room. Ryo-ohki refusing to leave Ryoko’s embrace.

“My Cat, you sure took along time with that special meeting of yours.”
Serla grinned and chuckled slightly at Ryoko’s embarrassed expression.

“Not now Serla-san.” Ryoko muttered under her breath as she shifted Ryo-ohki 
to her other hip.

“Today is a day of celebration for this family.” She looked from Basho who 
winked at her, to Ryoko and Ryo-ohki. They were all family now, and here 
they were waiting to meet the new member of the family.

The weird thing is Ryoko had a dream of the babies birth. As she described 
her dream, Serla held in her breath. It was a carbon copy of the dream she 
had. The dream were the stars announced to her Fei’s pregnancy. She could 
not figure out how Ryoko held so much power, mental power at that. From that 
moment on she had observed Ryoko closely but nothing out of the ordinary had 
happened. And she still hadn’t revealed her past to them yet.

They all sat down and waited. Ichima had appeared with some candy form the 
vending machines and all sat down to wait for some news of Fei. They waited, 
and waited and waited some more. Ryo-ohki had dozed of on Ryoko’s lap and 
had curled up to a little ball. Ryoko had not moved so as not to disturb 
Ryo-ohki’s much needed sleep, and as a result her legs had fallen asleep. 
She grimaced silently at the unpleasant feeling she would surely feel when 
she started to move her legs again.

She slowly stared to flex her muscles, fighting the numbness over taking 
them when a nurse made her way to Serla who sat to Ryoko’s left shuffling a 
deck of cards with elaborate designs.
She had dragged on of the small metal tables to stand in front of her as she 
read her cards, occasionally making grunting voices in accordance.

“Excuse me, Fei is almost ready to give birth. She is asking for a Ms. Cat. 
I’m not sure if she is calling for her cat or?”

“Yes, yes.” Basho interrupted as he signaled with his head at Ryoko.

“Mrs. Catara Sukimobu, she’s right here.”

Ryoko had been to busy and only catched the first two or three words of the 
conversation before her eyes started to close involuntarily. She hadn’t 
slept all night and the lack of sleep was starting to take its toll on her 
body.

“Mrs. Catara?”
Ryoko’s eyes snapped open as Ryo-ohki shifted on her lap, still very much 
asleep.

As her eyes focused on the nurse’s face, she straightened herself up and 
paid her due attention.

“Is something wrong with Fei? The baby?”

The nurse held her hands out to stop Ryoko’s rambling.
“No. Fei is fine and very close to giving birth. She has the option of 
having a companion with her as she starts to push. We find that calms the 
patient down and produces a much smoother delivery. Fei was given that 
option and she is calling for you.”

Ryoko’s eyes light up and her mouth rounded in surprise.
She turned to Serla and Basho, kind of asking their permission. Both of them 
nodded their heads and Serla took the sleeping Ryo-ohki from her arms.

“We better hurry Ms. Catara, Fei can not wait much longer.”

Ryoko nodded and bit the corner of her lip nervously. She was touched at 
Fei’s choosing her, but she had no idea what she was in for.
* What if something horrible happens and I’m not able to lie to her? What am 
I thinking? All my life I have had to hide my feelings to survive, I think I 
can do it again if the situation calls for it. I just hope it doesn’t call 
for anything but happiness. *

As Ryoko finished putting on her robe, slippers and paper green cap, she 
inhaled and exhaled slowly as the nurse opened the door for her.

“Cat? My god! Did you take your sweet time or what?”
Ryoko smiled relieved at Fei’s mood as Fei quite seriously glared at her 
friend. Furious at Ryoko taking so long to get to the hospital.


“How do you feel Fei?”

“Like someone is hammering away on my insides. Ah, here it comes again.”

Ryoko held her hand as Fei endured her umpteenth contraction.
Between breaths Fei smiled warmly at her friend. Ryoko smiled and stepped a 
little back and to the side as the doctor walked in to deliver. Ryoko 
however still held her friends hand.

“Okay Fei, we are going to start pushing alright?”

The doctor more than asked stated, to Fei. Fei nodded but looked over at 
Ryoko first, assuring herself that she was really there. Ryoko smiled and 
squeezed her hand gently for comfort.

* Ironic how birth and pain go hand in hand. Pain for the mother, a new life 
for they baby but filled with confusion and discomfort. I wonder if I cried 
when Washu created me? Or if I was baby sized? - *

“Congratulations!”

* I miss- *

“ Meet you new- ”

* my - *

“ Baby Boy! ”

* mother.*

A shriek filled the air and Ryoko was snapped out of her thoughts.
The doctor laid the baby in Fei’s exhausted but elated arms and left to do 
something or other. Ryoko was too enthralled by her godson to pay much 
attention.

“Look at him Cat. Isn’t he beautiful?”
A crying Fei asked as she counted ten little fingers and ten little toes.

“Absolutely stunning.”

The door opened and Serla and Basho congratulated the new mother and son.

“I will have to teach my nephew the fine art of photography. Ha! He will 
love it.”

Serla rolled her eyes and adored the baby some more, feeling his soft skin 
and humming to herself, making the baby smile.

“Do you want to hold him Cat?” Fei asked with a yawn.

“Me? I … no I’ll drop him.”

Serla huffed. “Don’t be crazy Cat. Just remember to support his head.”

Ryoko held her breath as Serla placed her godson in her arms. He shifted a 
little and settled in, giving a tiny sigh. Ryoko smiled and Ryo-ohki tugged 
at her pants.
Ryoko looked down and Ryo-ohki pouted and raised her arms, wanting to be 
carried too.

“I think Kitty wants to see her new adopted brother mmm?”
Basho laughed the hearty laugh that had surprised Ryoko when she had first 
met him. He picked Ryo-ohki and she sighed with delight when she caught a 
glimpse of the baby.

“I think she likes him.” Basho declared proudly. “Who knows? Maybe in the 
future they will fall in love.”

* He is so tiny. Completely defenseless, completely dependent on his mother. 
He can’t even talk yet!* Ryoko breathed in the baby smell and frowned. * He 
reminds me of Taro. Of how Washu took excellent care of him, yet treated me 
worse than a stranger. *

“Time to let the mother and son rest. They have had a truly monumental day.”
Serla stated with a smile.
Ryoko gave the baby gently to the nurse and she took him for some more 
examinations. As they all took their turn in kissing the new mother and 
taking their leave, Fei spoke out, “Catara would you mind staying with me? 
The hospital gives me the creeps.”

Ryoko was startled at Fei’s request. She was elated with Fei and her baby 
boy but she had already begun to fantasize about the soft, fluffy sheets on 
her futon back home.

“Yeah… Yes of course I’ll stay.” She stifled a yawn and sat on one corner of 
the bed.

“Meow?”
Ryo-ohki still had the habit of meowing her requests when she was too tired 
or lazy to talk.

“Ryo-ohki you stay too. We can all have a good girl talk.”

“Yes! Ryo-ohki stay with Cat and Fei.”
Ryo-ohki confirmed to Basho as she wiggled out of his arms and unto Ryoko’s 
opened ones.

“So now you can talk huh?” Ryoko teased as she settled her sister next to 
Fei in the bed. Ryo-ohki offered the new mother a kiss on the cheek and laid 
comfortably under the covers.

“We’ll be back in the morning.”

“Serla. Please tell Ichima thank you for me, even though I didn’t get to see 
him tonight, I thank him for being here.”

Serla nodded. “He was afraid he would intrude in an intimate moment if he 
came in.”

Basho and Serla left while Ryoko shook her head in disbelief.
“Ichima is the most proper, shy man I have ever seen. I have told him a 
million times how he is a friend and not some stranger.”

Ryoko looked around the small hospital room while shaking her head.

“So…”
Fei asked with a grin.

Ryoko turned around and asked confused, “So what?”

“Cat! How was your special night silly?”

Ryoko smirked and looked quickly at the sleeping Ryo-ohki. She pulled the 
covers so she would not be cold and settled in more comfortable on the bed.

“A Geisha never entertains and tells.”


“Catara I’m serious! How was he?”
Fei made an uncomfortable face as she questioned her friend.

Ryoko stared at Fei’s lips. As a habit a person always focuses on something 
when listening to a person talk, maybe the eyes, or the mouth. Examining the 
lips and the different curves they make with every syllable. This was what 
Ryoko was doing. She used to look people in the eyes all the time, but she 
found they were too personal, too descriptive and she didn’t want to get 
attached to anybody. Well, apart from her family that is.

Ryoko sighed and looked up at Fei’s eyes. She was family after all.

“To tell the truth… It was a horribly …. wonderful moment.”

With that said, she leaped to the small couch next to the bed and snuggled 
in the even smaller blanket draped over the couch - for over-night visitors 
much like herself. She laid on her side and faced the wall, giving Fei her 
back, and the message that the conversation was over. Fei frowned but took 
the hint and turned the lights out from the switch conveniently place next 
to her pillow.
As they drifted into sleep, the low, persistent beeping of Fei’s vital sign 
readings was heard.

*               *                  *

“If you father doesn’t understand that you want to mayor in art, well then 
he doesn’t really understand what you are about at all.”
Kukune exasperatedly tried to convey to Tenchi as they discussed what 
courses they were taking in the fall semester. Tenchi had been in college 
for a full year now. Most of his classes had of course been architecture 
classes, structure, studio, high-rise… Tenchi had been bored to tears in 
ever single one. To avoid his father’s eager questions on his career he had 
stayed in Tokyo over the summer break. He decided to take some classes in 
summer - some art classes - and as the summer came to an end, he sat there 
pondering on what step to take next.

“It’s not that Kukune, it’s just that he is very… his heart is already set 
on it.”
Tenchi tried to convince himself he actually had any leaning to 
architecture, but his lack of interest and instant headaches the minute he 
walked into class proved him otherwise.

“She’s right Tenchi. What’s wrong with majoring in the arts? Hell, I know 
it’s hard as hell to make any real money in it, but your happy. It’s what 
makes you happy right?”

Tenchi nodded at Takumi’s words and looked down at his chopstick.

“And I’ve see your work man. You fantastic. Those stills you made of the 
model in class, I swear I can feel her eyes following me around the room. 
Hell, I swear I can even hear her purr, the way you made her look so 
feline.”

Tenchi looked up with a surprised but pleased look on his face.

“Really?”

Takumi rolled his eyes dramatically before banging his hands hard on the 
table. Instantaneously making the bread roll resting on Kukune’ plate shoot 
out and land on somebody else’s plate. All three of them followed the 
bread’s flight plan and quickly looked away as it hit the plate. After a few 
minutes in complete silence, and after making sure the person did not know 
it had been them, Takumi relaxed and exhaled with a chuckle.

“You’re paying for that mister.”
Kukune teased as she freely took his bread.

Takumi took her hand, making the bread flop unto her plate and with a grand 
gesture got on his knees, with her hand still in between his.

“Madam. I offer my most sincere apologies. I had no idea you were so 
attached … to the bread.”

Kukune gasped in amusement and hit him softly on the arm.

“Alright, alright. Women, who understands them? They complain they want more 
romance and then when they get it, they are embarrassed.”

“That was not romantic honey.” Kukune replied as she took a huge bite of his 
bread.

“But anyway,” Takumi continued while he draped his arm lovingly over Kukune, 
“Where did you learn to paint like that man? It’s amazing.”

Tenchi just shrugged as he popped a crispy piece of fish in his mouth.

“All the talented artists always say that. What I really want to know is who 
is the woman in the painting? She’s not really the model that poses in 
class, this girl looks like Aphrodite.”
Kukune jabbed him with her elbow and Takumi after clearing his throat a few 
times quickly corrected himself, “ Of course I already have my Aphrodite 
sitting right here next to me.”

“That’s better.” Kukune replied with narrowed, teasing eyes. In response 
Takumi made sad puppy eyes at her, but before she let him of the hook, 
Kukune decided to let him suffer a bit longer and focused her attention on 
Tenchi who was again staring into space.

*              *               *

“Tenchi!”

“Hmm? Oh sorry Kukune.”

“You haven’t heard a thing I’ve told you huh?”

Tenchi smiled sheepishly, “No sorry, what were you saying?”

“If your coming with us to the new exhibition next week? The artist is 
rumored to have started a love affair with his model. And the columnists who 
have already have had a sneak preview say she is absolutely exquisite.”

“Where did you read this honey?”

“In the Tokyo Art magazine why?”

“Really? I think I read something about that artist too. Only it was in the 
local newspaper. I can’t remember his name, but they described him as the 
next Hiroisha. Some pretty big shoes to fill if you ask me. They also said 
the emperor himself has taken a liking to the paintings and he has already 
bought one. He liked it so much, only he and the artist have seen it. 
Reportedly it is located someplace within the inner chambers at his Tokyo 
estate.”


“So are you coming?” Kukune asked Tenchi.

“Sure, I’ll go.”

Takumi laughed and gave him an overly emphatic pat on the back.

“Great! Next week then.”

Tenchi agreed more for the need to keep his mind preoccupied than anything 
else.
They all gathered their stuff to head back to the loft, Tenchi being the 
first one to reach the door.
* I wonder how good this guy really is?”

“Hey Kukune? Where is this guy from anyway?”

“Umm.. I think the article said Kyoto why?”

Tenchi shrugged and draped his backpack over his shoulder as he held the 
door open for her and Takumi.
“Nothing just wondering.”



***

comments: magdalena_gv@hotmail.com

Personal notes:
I recently attended an exhibition of a famous Japanese print maker, “Goyo” 
(or) Hashiguchi Kiyoshi.
His work is absolutely breathtaking! And his stills of Japanese women fit in 
perfectly with the story I’m working on.
You know?, the weird thing is how this exhibition came just in time to 
completely change my view on this story and change its form into something 
more interesting.
Life has a funny way of motivating me.
Anyway, if I can, I will post some of his work as background pics in future 
chapters, or will post it on one of my websites for you to enjoy.

( Thanks B! Even though I lost patience in this chapter and uploaded right 
away, *.*  )