I do not claim any of these characters as my own. They belong to Pioneer, AIC, and a lot of other companys. So leave me alone, all of you! :) Vanished By Linsay M. Pivin "Ryo-ohki!" Tenchi laughed. "I'll never be able to help Sasami with that carrot pie! You keep eating all the carrots she needs as fast as I put them in the basket!" Ryo-ohki tilted his head and meowed. "Why don't you go play with Sasami for awhile until I need her to make that pie for you, Ok?" Ryo-ohki meowed in agreement and left Tenchi to his carrot picking. "There you are Tenchi!" Said Ryoko. " I was looking for you." Tenchi weakly replied a hello. "I want you to come with me to the store for some supplies." Ryoko grabbed Tenchi's arm and pulled him next to her. "Don't you want to go?" She cooed. "Well, I...uh...." Tenchi stammered. "All right then, let's go!" She turned to Ryo-ohki and called "Ryo-ohki? Come here. I need to run some errands." Ryo-ohki bounded over in a hurry and transformed into Ryoko's ship. "This will be a lot of fun!" She exclaimed while teleporting Tenchi and herself into the ship. After entering the ship, Tenchi, not really wanting to go in the first place, tried to convince Ryoko to save the trip for another time. "Ryoko, I have things to do. Can't we do this sometime later?" He pleaded. "This is much better than going home. Besides, I know of a beautiful place down by a river." Leaning close to Tenchi's ear, she whispered " No one would be there, Tenchi. Just you and I, all alone." "GYAAAAH!" Tenchi backed up quickly from the now surprised Ryoko. "Didn't you say you had some shopping that need to be done? He he he." Tenchi laughed nervously. "Shopping!?! Ha ha ha ha ha! What space pirate shops??? That was just to get you to come with me! Hah ha! Aren't you glad you came now? I had this all planed out for you and I." Tenchi tried an excuse. "Um...I...you see...Sasami and I were going to bake a carrot pie for Ryo-ohki..." Ryo-ohki's happy meowing interrupted Tenchi. "Meow Meeeow!" "You see? Guess I better go back." Tenchi said, rubbing the back of his head, with a meek smile. "That can wait Tenchi. We have other things to do right now." Ryoko reached over and started stroking Tenchi's hair, but he jerked away. "Can't I just go home?" Tenchi awkwardly asked. "You want to go home? Stop joking Tenchi! I know you would rather spend time with me." Becoming irritated, Tenchi said "No, I don't Ryoko. I want to go back." Ryoko was stunned by Tenchi`s reaction. "Wha...What?" "Take me home." Tenchi said, more sternly this time. "But...Tenchi I...I thought you and I could..." "Take me home, Ryoko." Demanded Tenchi. Ryoko, still in disbelief, tried again. "Don't you want to go out and have some fun?" "I want to go home!" Said Tenchi, apparently cross. Ryoko wilted. "Take Tenchi home." She quietly told Ryo-ohki, before vanishing. Sasami was walking back to where she thought Ryo-ohki had gone to, which was the carrot field. "Where could Ryo-ohki have gone?" Sasami wondered. Then she saw him, next to a full basket of carrots. "That's Tenchi's basket." Sasami looked at Ryo-ohki gazing out across the field at the house. "Where did Tenchi go, Ryo- ohki? Do you know?" "Meow." Sighed Ryo-ohki. "Did he go in the house without his basket?" Sasami waited for an answer, but none came. "Come on Ryo-ohki. Let's go find Tenchi." Ryo-ohki quietly followed. When they reached the house, a worried Ayeka met them. "Have you seen Tenchi, Sasami?" "No, I haven't, but I think Ryo-ohki has." Ayeka reached out and shook Ryo-ohki violently. "Where is Tenchi! Ryo- ohki, I demand you to tell me!" Ayeka yelled, exasperated. Ryo-ohki meowed, but Ayeka could not understand the cabbit. Ayeka was about to shake Ryo-ohki some more, when she spotted Tenchi. He was sitting on a chair in another room. "Lord Tenchi!" Ayeka excitedly shouted. Tenchi jumped at the yell, but did not look at Ayeka. "Where have you been, Tenchi?!? I...we have been very worried about you!" Ayeka waited for a reply, but none came. Ayeka's smile disappeared. "You weren't with Ryoko were you?" Tenchi sunk into the chair, knowing what was coming. "You were?!?" Exploded Ayeka, now right next to the chair. "Oooooooh! I am going to tell that demon just what I think of her!" She glared at Tenchi. " How dare you go out with that...that devil Ryoko!" Tenchi looked very helpless as Ayeka continued. "How could you even think about speaking to her!" Mihoshi peaked over the couch. "Hey, can you keep it down?" Asked Mihoshi. "I am trying to watch TV." Ayeka, in a rage, went straight for Mihoshi and grabbed the collar of her shirt. Pulling Mihoshi up to her face she spoke angrily. "If you say one more word, Mihoshi, you will be hurting more than you can cope with." "Hee hee hee." Giggled Mihoshi, nervously. "I wasn't saying anything. I can hear the TV just fine." Ayeka dropped Mihoshi back on the couch. She turned back to where Tenchi was sitting, but found he was no longer there. "Tenchi?" Ayeka weakly called. `Sigh'. Tenchi looked up at the clouds. He thought to himself, "Ryoko comes up here on the roof when she needs time to think." He looked toward the forest. This time, he thought out loud. "Maybe I shouldn't have yelled at her." `BOOM!' The whole house shook. Tenchi then heard the scientist, Washu, speaking. "Sorry!" Washu came out of her lab in the house. She glanced at the soot covered Kiyone. "Don't worry about a thing. I'll have this small problem, with my latest invention, fixed shortly." Kiyone's face drooped with annoyance. "Next time; figure the problem out first before you try your inventions." Kiyone said, clearly irritated. She went off towards the baths, ashes dropping from her clothes to the floor. Washu watched Kiyone leave. "Can't please everyone." She walked back into her lab and closed what remained of the door. "I guess being a super genius means a lot of work. No matter. A genius's work is never done." Night had fallen, and everyone was very worried about Ryoko. Everyone, except Ayeka. "Humph!" Ayeka turned her head towards Tenchi and the others sitting at the table. "Ryoko is just a bother to us. Who cares if she finally decided to leave?" Tenchi stared at the floor, but no one seemed to notice. "We shouldn't worry about her for a long time." Ayeka said, appearing very smug. Sasami looked up at Ayeka. "Ryoko has been gone awhile, Ayeka. Besides, look at worried Ryo-ohki. He wants us to search for Ryoko." "Meow Meow Meeeow." Agreed Ryo-ohki. Tenchi's Grandfather got up and started to speak. "Sasami is right. Let us split into groups and search the forest for her." "You are forgetting something." Washu noted. "Ryoko can teleport herself to anywhere she has been before, which have been many places. If for some reason she could not do this, Ryoko could fly there very fast." "So you are saying we have no chance of finding her?" Asked Sasami. "Well, if you put it that way, yes." Ayeka had a sneer on her face. "I guess it would be pointless to go out and look for her then." "What if she is hurt?" Worried Sasami questioned. "Very unlikely." Washu pointed to her wrist. "From her wrists, Ryoko can shoot off energy blasts and create an energy beam. A gem, inside each wrist, generates them. Both attacks are extremely powerful. She also has a gem in her neck that is just as powerful. If for some reason she were bothered, I'd worry about the enemy, not Ryoko." Sasami, still not convinced, said "I am still concerned that she has been gone so long." Unexpectedly, Mihoshi blurted out "You sure have been quiet Tenchi." Tenchi looked up only to find everyone looking at him. "Hey! I bet Tenchi made Ryoko mad an... Mrrrph!" Mihoshi's mouth was covered by Kiyone's hand. "Shut up Mihoshi!" Kiyone said brashly. Tenchi faced Kiyone. "Mihoshi is right." He said miserably. "Huh? Really?" Kiyone asked, taken aback. Sasami looked at Ryo-ohki and realized why he had been so unhappy. "So that is why Ryo-ohki was in the field alone." Looking to Tenchi she spoke kindly. "Please don't be upset Tenchi." Tenchi looked up at his Grandfather. " I believe she will come back, I just feel bad about raising my voice to her." Tenchi exhaled noisily and went to his room. Ryo-ohki jumped off of Sasami's lap to join him, but Tenchi closed the door. "Meow?" Ryo-ohki slowly went back to Sasami and kept looking back, towards the shut bedroom. Morning came and Ryoko still hadn't shown up. Tenchi was even gloomier seeing that she had not returned. Knowing he probably couldn't find her, but having nothing else he wanted to do, Tenchi set off into the forests behind the house. The sun's beams could barely make it down through the branches of the trees, so Tenchi was left with little light to see. As he made his way into a small clearing, he saw an ancient, mangled tree in the middle of it. "I wonder if I'd be able to spot Ryoko from up there." He pondered. Tenchi started climbing, when a breeze blew the leaves and his clothing. Tenchi stopped and listened to the wind. It sounded almost like the wind was whispering something. "Tenchi?" Called Ayeka. "Ohhhh. Now he is missing to." She hurried back over to the others who were also outside. "Why would Tenchi leave me?" Cried out Ayeka. "Tenchi!" Ayeka started to run towards the forest, but Washu grabbed her shoulder. "Don't worry." Washu said with a matter-of-fact look. " I have everything under control." She pulled out a remote from her pocket and pushed a few buttons. A robotic dog came out of the house and scampered over to Ayeka. Washu pushed some more buttons then spoke. "When I heard Ryoko was missing, I started work on the `Tracker 6000`. Now I see my work has paid off. Both Ryoko and Tenchi are missing so this should come in handy." She bent over and petted the robot dog's head. "Just let him smell something of theirs, and he will find them." Washu turned to Ayeka "Do you have anything of Tenchi's?" Ayeka went tearing into the house and came out with one of Tenchi's shirts that hadn't been washed. Washu took the shirt and let `Tracker 6000' smell the article. "Go find Tenchi and bring him back." Washu commanded. `Tracker 6000' barked and sniffed the ground. "AROOOO!" It howled as Washu smiled. "You see! He knows where Tenchi is already." She stopped smiling when she saw what the robotic dog brought back. "Make this thing put me down!" Ayeka furiously yelled. `Tracker 6000' dropped her down at Washu's feet. "Guess I better make some minor adjustments." Washu pressed some more buttons on the remote control, but it only made things worse. "Let go of my dress you...you dreadful creature!" Shrieked Ayeka. The sound of ripping filled the air. "Aaaaaah! Look what you did!" She quickly turned to Washu. "Your invention ruined my dress! Oooooooh! Get you and your awful contraption out of here! Now!" Ayeka ordered. "I don't see why you are so mad. I'll fix my latest creation in a jiffy." Washu said, picking up the dog in the process. "Hmmm. This is only minor. I can correct the problem soon, since I am the greatest genius in the universe." And off she went. "What are we going to do now?" Asked Mihoshi. Just as she was about to ask another question, she jumped in surprise. "Oh! It's 5:00! Time for my favorite show!" Mihoshi ran into the house, leaving the others behind. Kiyone dragged her hand across her face. "That's Mihoshi for you." Tenchi opened his eyes and found himself on the ground. The moon shimmered in the black sky. Tenchi, surprised that it was so late, immediately got up. "I wonder if everyone is worried about me?" He looked around a while, then said " I suppose I should go back to the house." He took one last glimpse at the tree, and started off. As he began walking, he saw something move in the distance. "What was that?" Tenchi spoke with slight fear in his voice. Tenchi slowly walked closer to where he thought it might be hiding, but found nothing. He shrugged it off and continued on through the forest, hoping to find his way out in the dark. After an hour or so of wandering, a gentle wind arose. It blew around Tenchi then went another direction. "I guess I could go the direction of the breeze so the leaves and dust don't blow into my face." He turned his back to the wind and set off again. Ryoko shifted her position in the tree. She had been there since dusk and it was becoming a bit uncomfortable. Her eyes were unmoving. Suddenly, she stood up. "Who needs Tenchi! I can live just fine without him!" Ryoko jabbed her fists in the air and kicked high above her head. "Yah!" She screamed. She did a final jump in the air and landed perfectly on the branch with a grin on her face. 'Sigh`. Her shoulders slumped as she slid back down, looking very depressed. "Tenchi." She said quietly as a tear dropped down onto the limb. Ryoko's face turned towards the night sky and she flew off her branch. Not knowing where she was going, Ryoko streaked across the dark sky. An old tree in a small clearing caught Ryoko`s attention. She landed at the base of the tree and looked up at its splendor. A light wind blew in her direction, gently moving her hair. Ryoko's head hung down, as the breeze became more intense and swirled around her. Tenchi became aware of the fact the breeze was more of a wind now. He gazed at the darkness surrounding him. "How am I ever going to find my way out of here in the dark?" He said, stumbling over a rock. Following a couple more stumbles and falls; Tenchi saw a little clearing up ahead of him. As he walked towards the open area, he could barely make out a figure in the shadows. A gust of wind blew at Tenchi, then at the figure. All was quiet as the wind subsided. Tenchi noticed the same tree he had been by earlier was behind the dark shape. The form turned its head to the place he was standing. A small trickle of light came down and shone on the face. Tenchi squinted, trying to make out the features. The shape's eyes burned into Tenchi's. "Ryoko." He said, evidently relieved. Tenchi ran over to her and put his hands on her arms. She gave him a faint, but overjoyed, smile. Tenchi spoke softly. "Ryoko, I am sorry for becoming angry with you." Ryoko was motionless as she stood there with him. "Tenchi, I...I...." Tears interrupted Ryoko's words as emotions overwhelmed her. She wrapped her arms around Tenchi and began to silently cry into his shoulder. Tenchi embraced her back, but then tenderly moved her away. He stretched his hand to Ryoko's cheek and passionately wiped the tears with his thumb. Tenchi moved closer to Ryoko and their lips met. The air began to move again, blowing Ryoko's hair around Tenchi's head. "Ryoko," He said with a tranquil smile. "Let's go home." Ryoko reached for Tenchi's hand and grasped it. "This time, Tenchi, we'll both go home." She said, her eyes gleaming in the moonlight. Jumping up in the air together, they vanished into the night sky. This was my first fan fic, so it isn't done very well. If you have any comments, e-mail me at: Fuzzycreatures@Juno.com Why fuzzycreatures? Because Ryo-ohki is a fuzzy creature and so are many other Japanese characters, so just stay quiet about the name.