Tenchi Muyo!

War of Vengeance

Chapter Four: Grief and Redemption


	A fast jingle played as the camera zoomed in on a redheaded newsman 
sitting behind a desk.  He shuffled a stack of papers and cleared his throat as 
the music halted.

	"Good evening and thank you for tuning in to the Galactic News Network.  
In our top story, Juraian officials confirmed today that the famed 'prodigal 
daughter' of the Jurai Empire, first princess Ayeka Jurai, died last week in an 
unexplained event in the restricted area of the Sol system.  A Juraian official 
offered the following statement."

	The screen cut away to show a tall Juraian man with long blue hair.  He 
was standing at a podium facing out into a crowd.  He had a grim expression as 
he began speaking.

	"Good evening.  Eight standard days ago, the microtransmitter chip that 
First Princess Ayeka Jurai carried ceased transmitting her life signs.  A team 
was dispatched to her last known location and found evidence of an explosion.  
Given this, combined with additional evidence, we were forced to conclude that 
the princess was killed in the explosion.

	"Although many members of the Juraian nobility did not approve of the 
princess's somewhat reckless lifestyle, we nevertheless feel the deepest anguish 
over this horrible tragedy.  To lose someone so young is almost unthinkable.

	"We are continuing to investigate into the exact circumstances of her 
passing.  Many details remain unknown, but we would at this time like to dispel 
the rumor that natives of the Sol system were involved.  Sol is a restricted 
area.  Its inhabitants are unaware of life outside of their system, and so no 
Juraians would interact with them."  He paused for a moment.

	"In one standard week, a memorial service will be held on planet Jurai for 
Princess Ayeka.  The main service is by invitation only, but all are invited to 
come to the planet for a public display of mourning.  Thank you, and may God be 
with us all during this dark time."  Hands throughout the crowd shot up, but he 
ignored all of them and walked off the stage.

	The screen returned to the newscaster.  "A large turnout is expected at 
the memorial service.  Although some nobles of Jurai shunned the princess for 
abandoning her responsibilities to the throne, many common citizens thought of 
her as a kindred spirit for her choice to give up the luxuries of royalty in 
favor of a simpler life.  And of course you can count on GNN to provide detailed 
coverage."

	The screen turned black as Tenchi pushed the power button and stood up 
from his seat.  He was on the bridge of the Red Claw, a ship that Washu said she 
had had stored some distance away and had "brought out of retirement" in order 
to fulfill Tenchi's request to attend the service on Jurai.  Washu, Noboyuki, 
and Katsuhito were each sitting on furniture on the bridge of the small ship.

	"How long will it be until we get there, Washu?" asked Tenchi in a drained 
voice.

	"Well, the ceremony is in one standard week, which is about four and a 
half Earth days.  We should enter the Jurai system about twenty Earth hours 
ahead of time.  Good thing, too, because it'll probably take that long just to 
get through the traffic."

	"Yes, Ayeka certainly seemed to be popular with normal people," said 
Noboyuki.  "She was kind of like that English princess, Diana."

	"Will there be any trouble getting in?" Tenchi asked.

	"Don't worry, I've got a full set of fake ID's for all of us.  Mihoshi 
isn't around, so we should have no trouble getting by this time.  I'm sure they 
wouldn't let you in otherwise, especially if they learn how you were involved in 
the incident."  Washu regretted those words the moment they left her mouth.

	"Washu, I wasn't 'involved' in what happened, I was the cause of it."

	"Tenchi, stop it," the short scientist said.  "If anyone's to blame, it's 
me.  I let her be captured."

	"But Dakanao came to Earth for me.  He hated Ayeka too, but I'm the one he 
really wanted. If Ayeka hadn't come back for me, she would have been safely out 
of the way."

	"Tenchi," said Katsuhito gravely, "you must accept that Ayeka chose her 
own destiny.  She was willing to take risks in order to follow her heart."

	"I know that, grandfather," he said, sighing.  "And in time, maybe I will 
come to accept it.  But it just seems so unfair.  It should have been me."

	"Son, I remember when your mother died.  I felt the same way.  I spent so 
much time wishing I could have traded places with her.  But we can't change the 
past."

	"But you didn't cause Mom to die."

	"That's not the point.  I still remember what she told me once.  'Time is 
short, but we'll live our lives to the fullest.  That's all that really 
matters.'  She realized that how well you live is more important than how long.  
Ayeka saw the same thing, and she left Jurai."

	"She left Jurai for me.  She gave up her people and her planet for me.  
What did I ever do for her in return?"  Bowing his head, Tenchi turned and left 
the bridge for the room he had been given.

	"It's so hard to lose someone you love," said Noboyuki sadly.

	"I can certainly relate to that," agreed Katsuhito.

	"Yes, I've been there too," nodded Washu.  "But Tenchi's strong.  He'll 
survive this."

	"I hope so," said Noboyuki.


	"Can I see your ID, sir?" asked a grim Juraian guard.  Tenchi produced a 
card and handed it to him.  The rest of the entourage was going through a 
similar procedure.  There were about a dozen such stations, each with a huge 
line stretching back as far as one could see, around what appeared to be an 
enormous circular wooden building.  In reality, it was the remains of a dead 
tree trunk that had been hollowed out to make a cathedral.  It was over a mile 
in diameter and about a hundred feet tall.  People were being admitted through 
all sides except the part farthest from Tenchi, which overlooked a rocky 
beachfront cliff.

	"All right, Mr. Bunhakin," said the guard, returning Tenchi's ID.  "Please 
walk through the scanner.  Next!"  Tenchi walked through a standard airport 
style security checkpoint and continued pushing his way through a massive throng 
of people towards the cathedral.  Washu ran up behind him.

	"Slow down... a bit... why don'tcha?" she huffed.  "I've got short legs."  
Katsuhito and Noboyuki were pushing their way through the crowd towards them.

	"Sorry, little Washu," he said, not looking down but slowing his pace a 
bit.  They walked in through a door and into the cathedral.

	The interior was just like the outside.  There were wooden pews forming 
hundreds of concentric circles in the church all converging on an elevated 
pulpit in the center which rested atop a twisted system of roots.  The floor was 
bare dirt.  Tenchi and the others walked in towards the center.

	There was a constant buzzing of thousands of voices in the cathedral, but 
through it all, Tenchi picked out one unique sentiment.  "I'm glad you didn't 
make us late for once."  Tenchi turned towards the source to find two familiar 
faces.

	"Hello, you two," said Tenchi, stopping his stride.

	"Oh, Tenchi!" said Kiyone, surprised.  "I wasn't sure you'd be here."

	"You know I couldn't miss this."

	"So how are you doing, Tenchi?" asked Mihoshi.  Her voice still had its 
usual energy, but the common perky quality was absent in favor of a soft sense 
of concern.

	"I'm holding up all right, I suppose.  All things considered.  Were you 
two invited here personally?"

	"No, we're here as part of the Galaxy Police delegation."

	"Yeah, see the banner?" asked Mihoshi, pointing up at a flag above their 
section of the cathedral bearing the GP emblem.

	"I see.  Well, I'm going to go take my seat.  Nice talking to you."

	"Take care, Tenchi."  He continued walking across the cathedral.  Their 
seat was on the far side of the pulpit from the entrance about one hundred yards 
back from the center.  He squeezed his way in front of some people to the seat 
reserved for him, which was between those of his family members.  They were 
unable to see all the way to the center with any clarity, but there were video 
monitors hanging from the ceiling throughout the chapel.  Right now, they all 
showed a large portrait of Ayeka, wearing a typical royal outfit, hanging from 
the pulpit.  Many bouquets of purplish-red flowers were lain under the picture.

	"Grandpa, what are those flowers?" he asked.

	"They're called Royal Teardrops.  They are used for many sad occasions."

	Tenchi turned his attention back to the depiction of Ayeka and all he 
could think was how different it was from the Ayeka he knew.  Regal, certainly 
that fit her.  But something was wrong with it.  It seemed so lifeless.  Her 
face was completely devoid of emotion.  The picture best suited the Ayeka who 
had lived on Jurai after Kagato's defeat: A soulless slave to the crown she 
wore.  The Ayeka he wanted to remember was not a marionette bound by duty but a 
normal girl, as fragile as any other.  He'd have preferred a picture of her 
laughing as they took turns at karaoke, or crying in the autumn leaves, or even 
sneering as she berated Ryoko.  Anything but this paper doll.

	After another hour or two of waiting, the ceremony finally began.  A gray-
haired, bearded man mounted the podium and cleared his throat, then began 
speaking as his image filled the myriad screens.

	"Today Jurai gathers to commemorate the passing of one of its own.  
Princess Ayeka Jurai's life may have passed, but we know her spirit lives on.  
It joins the great procession of life and restores Jurai.  For we know that, 
though the mightiest of trees shall die, they return to the planet to begin new 
lives.  So shall it be with the princess.

	"Since we know that her spirit is well taken care of, it is not our place 
to mourn for her, but to join with each other in commiseration, comforting 
ourselves in the pain of her loss with memories of her life.  She was a woman 
with a great sense of duty.  There was nothing stronger in her life than the 
call to service."

	Tenchi listened on to this priest and other family members and friends 
speak as the service went on for another half hour.  They continued to talk 
about her ideals and values, never once suggesting that she was anything other 
than a princess.  He had to fight to keep from screaming for them to step down 
from the pulpit.  {This is a memorial?} thought Tenchi bitterly.  {Most of these 
people have never even seen past her crown, and they're here to remember her?  
What a joke.}  Tenchi was barely able to stomach the ridiculous empty flattery 
they gave.  {It sounds more like propaganda than a funeral.}  Her virtues were 
extolled to no end, and her flaws were diminished to minutiae.  There was no 
mention of her bossy nature, her dangerous temper, her haughty pride.  Yes, she 
was flawed.  {But that's what made her so beautiful,} thought Tenchi.  And none 
of them, not one of them, really understood that.

	The service finally ended, and Tenchi stood up, pushing his way through 
the crowd of other standing people.  He stayed away from the center of the room.  
He had no desire to get closer to that two-dimensional delineation.  He felt 
like he couldn't breathe.  He had to get out of there.  He pushed his way 
through the crowd, aiming for the balcony.  He tried to block out the voices 
around him, but snippets of conversation kept breaking through.

	"Lovely girl... so sad... brought it on herself... the empire's 
changing... what's happening to this galaxy... I knew it would happen... so 
noble... friend of the people... foolish, rash child... how immature... what a 
brave girl..."

	"Shut up!" screamed Tenchi.  "None of you knew her!"  The surrounding 
people turned to face the source of the noise with shock and disdain.  He had a 
furious look on his face and his eyes were flooded as he stormed out of the 
building.

	Tenchi ran out onto the balcony until he hit the railing at the edge.  
"None of them knew her," he sobbed.  Thinking about what a meaningless farce all 
of this was, he saw his tears fall off the cliff and down the hundreds of feet 
to the water glowing in the sunset.  {Maybe it would be easier just to follow 
them.}

	"It wouldn't work," said a voice from behind him.  "I'd catch you."  
Tenchi spun around to face the voice's owner.  The surprise visitor's 
distinctive hair had been dyed black and tied into a ponytail, but the golden 
eyes, made all the more striking by the setting Juraian sun, ensured that there 
was no mistaking the face as that of the last person in the universe he'd 
expected to see.

	"Ryoko!" Tenchi shouted.  "What are you doing here?"

	"The same as you.  And don't say my name so loudly," she said, looking 
around warily.

	"Sorry about that.  It was just surprising to see you here."

	"Don't worry about it."  The two of them turned to the rail and looked out 
at the water.

	"I still don't understand why you came here, though.  I mean, Ayeka?  You 
two hated each other."

	"I didn't hate her.  Not really."  She sighed deeply.  "You know, over the 
last few days I've been thinking a lot about the relationship she and I had.  
Our old grudges seem pretty silly now, and I'm sure we would have gotten over 
them.  Then you came into the picture."

	"Please don't tell me that I was the cause of all the troubles between you 
two.  I don't think I can take any more guilt."

	"That's not what I meant.  The real reason I fought with Ayeka was because 
I was jealous of her."

	"You?  Jealous?"

	"She loved you, Tenchi.  You treated her like a person, not a princess, 
and she fell in love with you for that.  And in the end, I knew that she 
deserved you more than I did.  Look at me, Tenchi.  Look at the mess I made of 
my life.  I didn't want to drag you into all of that."

	"You know I've never judged you."

	"I know.  And that made me love you even more.  Even after I attacked you 
at the shrine, you still didn't hold it against me.  So I was trapped.  I knew I 
didn't deserve to be in your life, and yet I couldn't bear to be without you."

	"I'm sorry for doing that to you, Ryoko."

	"Don't be.  The alternative was to keep living a senseless life as a 
pirate.  I can't believe all the things I did in those days.  You saved my 
soul."

	Neither of them said anything for a moment.  They just stood there 
silently as the crowd shuffled around them.

	"What will you do now?" asked Ryoko finally.

	"What else can I do?  I'll go back home and, I guess, just get on with 
life."

	"Look at you, Tenchi.  You're not going to be able to just go back to 
being a farmer and trainee priest in Okayama.  Too much has happened to just 
overlook all of it.  We tried living apart once before and it didn't work."

	"So what do you suggest?"

	"I asked you once to come away with me on a trip through space.  I'm 
asking you again.  You need to get away from all this."

	"That's a nice offer, Ryoko, but I can't.  It's just too much of a burden 
for both of us. You don't want to be around me like this.  We'll never be able 
to move on if we keep trying to force things to stay the way they used to be.  
It's best for both of us if we just go our separate ways now and don't look 
back."

	"I don't know if I can do that, Tenchi."

	"You're going to have to learn.  Face it, Ryoko, it really is over this 
time."  He then turned and walked away, never looking back.

	Ryoko stood there completely unsure of what to do.  She wanted to follow 
him more than anything in the world.  {He needs me.  Or... is it just that I 
need him?  Dammit, why do things have to be this way!  Why does it all have to 
be so hard!}

	She sat down and thought over everything that all of them had done 
together.  It was a great ride.  {Maybe he's right, though.  Maybe it is over.  
He's been through so much since I first showed up, and look what it all came to.  
If I went back with him, all I'd do is remind him of this.  He's definitely 
right about one thing.  We can't force things to stay the same.  Maybe all he 
really needs is to get back to a normal life and move past all of this.}  She 
slammed her fist into the ground, leaving a deep dent, and tears flowed from her 
even faster than they had before.  {But I... I need him.}  She looked out at the 
sun that was still just barely peeking over the horizon.

	{So I guess this is what it comes down to.  You can continue to follow 
Tenchi and keep the wound fresh in him, or you can let him go and get past his 
pain.  He'll be fine without you.  The question is, can *you* live without 
*him*?

	{Here it is.  The vicious space pirate Ryoko has to make a choice.  Do 
what *she* wants to do, or sacrifice everything for someone she loves?}  Ryoko 
looked out at the sunset one more time and finally decided.  She pulled herself 
to her feet and, just as the last rays of the sun vanished, leapt over the 
railing.


	Tenchi returned to Earth as was expected.  All the others went back to 
their separate stations as well.  There were no tearful goodbyes, no plans to 
meet again.  Nobody objected to the split.  It was simply assumed by all that 
that was the way that it was going to be.

	Tenchi went back to school.  He continued to do well in his classes, but 
he found little interest in them.  All of it seemed like a routine that he was 
going through.  His friends didn't know what to make of his new-found 
melancholy.  A few of them asked what was wrong, but he just told them that they 
wouldn't understand.  Eventually they stopped asking and let him be.

	Nothing about Tenchi's behavior really suggested that there was anything 
wrong.  He did not spend days in tears or curse his existence.  Someone who did 
not know him would simply write him off as a normal person who just kept to 
himself a lot.  Yet it was clear to those who did know him that he had changed.  
He had become completely introverted and never showed any signs of emotion.  
Every day he drew further into himself.

	It had been two months since Ayeka's death.  Noboyuki had asked Tenchi to 
come to a carnival with him, and Tenchi accepted the offer without any 
consideration.  Carnivals had always had the effect of cheering him up, and 
Noboyuki hoped that it would still work.

	Tenchi's father followed him around at first, but Tenchi was soon able to 
lose his pursuer.  He wound his way through the crowd, seeing all the happy 
faces, the couples smiling, but paying little heed to any.  Eventually, through 
aimless wandering, he found himself in line for a ferris wheel.

	He looked around at all the other events as the line shortened.  Suddenly, 
it was open for him to enter.

	"Here you are, kid," said the attendant, opening the door to the seat.  
"Are you sharing this box with anyone?"

	"No," said Tenchi.  "I'm alone."  He walked in and the attendant shut the 
door behind him.

	The ferris wheel began its lazy rotation, showing a grand view of the 
carnival for all who cared to watch.  As it stopped with Tenchi near its apex, 
he heard a familiar whoosh of air and felt a presence appear next to him.  
Although the sound was a bit of a shock, he was not really surprised at the 
appearance.

	"Hello, Ryoko," he said, without turning to face her.

	She sat quietly beside him for a moment.  "Tenchi, what are you doing?"

	"Huh?"

	"This way you've been acting.  Moping about, ignoring the world around 
you.  Maybe I made a mistake leaving you to yourself.  What are you trying to 
prove?"

	"You've been watching me?"

	"I've checked in on you a few times, although I've tried to keep to 
myself.  But you know me well enough to know that I couldn't just turn my back 
on you."

	"Yeah.  I had a feeling I hadn't seen the last of you."

	"Stop acting like this.  You don't want to live this way, and I know that 
Ayeka wouldn't want you to either."

	"Don't give me that cliche, Ryoko.  I don't need you telling me what Ayeka 
would want.  I get enough of that from Dad."

	"Apparently not."

	"Who do you think you are to judge me on how I live my life!" he screamed 
suddenly.  "What did I do to deserve this?"

	"You didn't do anything.  That's the point."  She paused for a moment.  
"Tenchi, we had a reunion like this once before.  Do you remember what I told 
you then?"

	"Huh?"  {What she told me?  Reunion?  What's she talking about?}  Just 
then, he was distracted by yelling from the box below them.  It contained two 
women and one man in between who was being pulled from both sides.  They were 
Americans, one redhead and one blonde, and although he did not know their 
language, the tone of voice and the look in their eyes he understood all too 
well.

	"Heh," he chuckled, then his eyes shot open and he silenced himself.

	"Tenchi, it's been long enough."

	"What right do I have to be happy, though?"

	"Tenchi, that albatross doesn't look good on you.  Take it off your neck 
and laugh."  Tenchi looked down again at the pair of angry ladies and the 
hapless boy in the middle and suddenly two months worth of suppressed emotion 
came pouring out in a tremendous wave of laughter.  It was so loud that he soon 
had other cars looking at him.  Ryoko wore a satisfied smile.

	"You do remember what I said, don't you?"  Tenchi nodded.  Yes, he 
remembered her words all too well.  Ayeka was gone, and although he'd always 
remember her, it was time to move on.

	"So, where is she?" inquired Tenchi.

	"She?  Who?" asked a confused Ryoko.

	"Ryo-ohki, of course.  I think we've put off that trip long enough, don't 
you?"

	Ryoko grinned.  "Absolutely."  She embraced him, clasping her hands around 
his back, and lifted them out of their car into the cool night air, heading 
towards the cabbit ship that was floating up above.

	The two soared up into the atmosphere, staring into each others eyes the 
whole time.  "I said it before and I'll say it again, Tenchi.  You know the 
carnival comes and goes.  If you wait a while, it'll always come back to you."

	Tenchi stared deep into her eyes.  They were the eyes of the person who 
had given him the gift of life.  She had taught him how to live again, and he 
loved her for it.  And he knew now that that was what he had always loved about 
her.  She was alive, and everything around her couldn't help but come to life as 
well.  He wanted to tell her right then that he loved her, but somehow the words 
didn't seem important.  He just looked into her golden eyes and smiled.

	"I guess you're right, Ryoko.  I guess you're right."




{Author's Notes and Confession:  Well, that's it.  First off: I don't own these 
characters.  Now that that's out of the way, I want to apologize if I killed 
your favorite character.  Believe me when I say that it was not out of spite.  I 
am a proud member of the AFC (Ayeka Fan Club) and I tried to treat this 
character and all others with the utmost respect.  Confession: When I originally 
started writing this fic, my intention was clear: Have Ayeka die nobly so that 
Ryoko and Tenchi could get together.  This was before I had been exposed to much 
fanfiction. I had not even found the TMFFA, so I didn't realize how often Ryoko 
gets Tenchi fanfiction had been done.  More importantly, I realized that by 
thinking that way, I was reducing Ayeka to a plot point, and it felt wrong to 
misuse her character that way.  So, as I wrote, this story grew into something 
much more than your typical 'x gets y and forget about z' story.  This story is 
about loss, the pain it causes, and how peopl!
e are able to live through it.  I'd like to cite a couple inspirations: Ayeka's 
dying words were taken from Zora Neale Hurston's novel *Their Eyes Were Watching 
God*, a fabulous book that I suggest anyone read, especially if you're an Ayeka 
fan- I think the main character has a lot of similarities with our favorite 
princess.  The Star Wars book Noboyuki mentioned was Timothy Zahn's "The Last 
Command."  Thanks to myprereader, The Entry Plug, who taught me that good things 
come to those who wait by helping me with this after only two or three months.  
Future Projects: Coming up is a massive Tenchi Muyo! fanfiction endeavor called 
"Test of Faith." This fanfic will be in OAV continuity- deeply, although I 
promise it's not a write-up of the third OAV (Do we really need any more of 
those?).  Of course, considering how long this took I can't say when it will be 
done, but the first parts should be appearing soon.  And if you've read this, 
please drop me a line at my e-mail address o!
f dukesr1@winthrop.edu  If all you have to say is "I read this," then that's 
fine, but comments, both positive and negative, are welcome.  I'll even take 
pointless flame mail- it's good for a laugh.  Finally (at last!), a dedication: 
This story is hereby dedicated to all those who have lost friends or family, and 
especially to those who have experienced loss as a result of the events of 
September 11.  My own words are probably inadequate to console you in your pain, 
but they are all that I have to offer you.  Just remember that their souls are 
being attended to and that you have done nothing wrong by surviving in their 
stead.  You deserve to keep living your life the best you can, as they would 
desire you to do.  Domo arigato gozaimasu, and may peace be with you all.}

Jurgan