Tenchi Muyo: Ryoko's Love...
Pt. 1 Chapter 3: Ryoko Returns Part 1
By Long T. Tran
Disclaimer:
I don't own these characters, AIC/Pioneer owns them. I don't intend to make
money off this because I don't want to get a lawsuit. I'm too poor for that.
But this is my story, so don't plagiarize!
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April 25,2018, around noontime at Ryoko's supposed grave.
After a few minutes of silent weeping with his daughter, Tenchi collects all the
shattered remnants of Ryoko's gravestone and throws them in to the lake. Yui
had already walked back in to the house and told him that she would be in her
room. As he threw the final pieces of the gravestone in to the water, Washu
walks up to him from behind.
"I'm sorry you had to that to Ryoko's grave."
"Correction, Washu. WAS Ryoko's grave." Tenchi said sternly to Washu, but she
didn't flinch. "By the way, who's buried beneath here?"
"Just a celluloid mannequin." Washu replied. "Look, I'm not here to be scolded.
I came here to apologize for my actions that offended you and Yui."
"Don't worry about the apologies Washu." Tenchi said. "You've already apologized
once in the lab, giving me a straight forward explanation about why you kept
Ryoko a secret is good enough for me."
"What do you mean, Tenchi?" Washu asked.
"What I did to Ryoko's grave was simply enough to alleviate my anger towards
you. There's no need for further apologies." He said, not looking at Washu,
channeling all his negative energy to the last remaining rocks in his hands. He
threw the rocks in to the water with all his strength. "It's all behind us now.
It's in the past, time to move on." He said sternly, turning around and facing
Washu.
"I see." Washu said, admiring Tenchi's uncanny ability of adjusting
his whole life perspective at a moment's notice. "I would still like to
apologize to you, properly. Gomen nasai." She said earnestly.
"If it makes things easier for you, I accept your apologies." Tenchi said, still
serious. "Now, all you have to do now is apologize to Yui."
"I will, don't you worry about it." Washu said walking back towards the house.
"By the way, I'm gonna start on Ryoko's memory restoration tonight."
"You are?" Tenchi asked, finally coming out of his negative funk. "What can I do
to help?"
"Just bring yourself and Ryoko's gems, to the lab tonight at midnight. You're
going to be playing a very crucial role in bringing Ryoko back."
"Alright, midnight tonight." He said, confirming Washu's directions. "I'll see
you then." Tenchi heads off to the shrine to do his daily duties with Yosho.
Washu watches Tenchi head off to the shrine. Washu walks back to the Masaki
house and to Yui's room. Washu was hoping that Yui would be as understanding as
Tenchi. She finally arrives at Yui's door. Washu takes in a breath and knocks
on the door.
"Yui?" Washu asked. "Are you there?"
"Grandmother Washu?" Yui asked with a hint of solemn and confusion.
"Yes, it's me. Can I come in?"
"Sure. Come in." Yui said through the door. Washu walks in and finds that Yui
was laying on her bed listening to music through her headphones. Washu clearly
sees that Yui is lost in her thoughts.
"What are you listening to kid?" Washu asked, trying to pick up Yui's mood.
"I'm just listening to The Joshua Tree by U2. I find the songs on here are very
fitting to my mood. So what brings you here?" Yui asked.
W I wanted to talk to you about your mother." Washu replied. "Your mother is
special to me, I loved her very much...so much to even cheat her own death. I
had to pay a terrible price in the long run, in order to insure Ryoko's safe
return, I had to lie to you and to your father. I regret having to put you and
your father through that for the past 13 years."
"It's alright, I understand." Yui said. "You did what you had to do and you did
it because of your motherly instinct."
"Indeed." Washu said beginning to feel a little relief. "Would you like to come
down to the lab with me to visit your mother?"
The room suddenly became silent. "No, I would like to stay up here for now. I
appreciate it very much, but now, I need some space."
"Alright. I'll be in the lab tending to your mother. But are you sure, you
don't want to come down to the lab with me?" Washu tried to insist.
Yui started to consider Washu's offer for a moment but she nods to decline.
"I understand, Yui." Washu said disappointedly, making her way towards the door.
"Oh and by the way, your mother will be ready to see you first thing tomorrow
morning but the door to the lab will always be open. If you choose to see her
much earlier."
"Alright. Then hopefully I'll see you, until then, I'll be here." Yui said, as
she laid back down on her bed and putting her earphones back on.
Washu looks at Yui and smiles, she turns towards the door and leaves.
As soon as Washu left the room, Yui gave out a small tired sigh and switched her
music back on. Under the soothing, soul searching music, Yui closes her eyes and
considered all the possible outcomes of her mother's return.
<Try not to think of it any further.> She thought to herself. <Just go with the
flow for now.>
***
Night time has past and Yui is lying on her bed in the pitch darkness, listening
to music through her ear phones, staring at the twinkling stars through the
skylight window. Ryoko-ohki is in her cabbit form, sleeping soundly on Yui's
stomach and at the same time being petted by Yui's gentle hands. Yui is
currently lost in her thoughts, trying to decide whether she should feel happy,
sad, betrayed, or whatever. She looks over to the wall clock to see what time
it is, it's exactly midnight.
<Hmm...It's already Sunday. Time has passed by quick today.> Yui thought to
herself. <This weekend is nothing but a roller coaster ride, what else can
happen? Dad was so fumed over Washu keeping mother a secret. Nevertheless,
we're going to be reunited with mom and that's the only thing that really
matters. I wonder how Washu is going to bring mother back without losing
any of mother's memories?>
Through the sound of the music, Yui hears somebody knocking on her door.
Without waiting on Yui's response, the door slides open and light from the
hallway comes flooding in Yui's room. Yui's eyes stung due to the
sudden change in light conditions. She looks over and sees her father's
silhouette standing over at the doorway. She notices that he is holding
something in his right hand. She turns off her music.
"Father? What is it?" asked Yui, looking at her father, trying to adjust her
eyesight to the light from the hallway.
"Yui, how are you feeling? Are you ok?" Tenchi asked a little concerned.
"I'm feeling better...and you?" Yui asked her father in return.
"No different from you." he replied. "I've come to show you something. Is it
alright if I come in?"
"Sure, Come right on in." Yui said, sitting up and trying not to wake up Ryo-
ohki. Yui wanted to talk to her father about the reaction he displayed on to
the gravestone this afternoon. Yui carefully moves Ryo-ohki on to her lap and
Tenchi sits down next to Yui. Yui clearly sees that her father is holding the
Tenchi-ken in his hand, to her surprise, her mother's gems were glowing. "the
gems, they're glowing." She said.
"Yes, Yui. They're glowing and this means that your mother is almost completely
regenerated." Tenchi said to Yui holding up the Tenchi-ken. The gems were
starting to glow even more brilliantly. "These gems are linked to your mother,
they will play a crucial part in restoring your mother's memories."
Then Tenchi places the Tenchi-ken in to his pocket. Yui starts to think back to
the events that occurred the last afternoon. Then Yui looks over to her father,
his face looks calm and reserved, compared to that other face he made that
afternoon. It was a very emotional moment for Yui to watch her father destroy
her mother's supposed gravestone. Yui didn't object, actually, she couldn't
agree more to her father's actions, what else was there to do about a 13 year
old lie? Right now, from what Yui can tell, her father is in his usual calm
mood.
"Father, about mother's gravestone..." Yui said, struggling to express her
thoughts.
"I know what I did to your mother's gravestone was uncalled for..."
"Actually dad, I wasn't going to shun you for destroying mother's grave." Yui
said, interrupting her father.
"You weren't?" Tenchi said, a little baffled.
Yui nodded to her father affirmatively. "I would've done the same thing as you
did. That gravestone represented a big lie, a lie that we were both led to
believe for an awful amount of years. I was glad that you destroyed it...but at
the same time sad that you had to."
"I'm sorry you had see that, Yui." Tenchi said. "I figured that it was the only
quick and easy way to do several things all at once."
"What do you mean?" Yui asked.
"While I was destroying your mother's gravestone, several things went through my
mind." Tenchi said and paused a little, organizing his thoughts. "I wanted to
find a way to forgive Washu for holding your mother a secret, wanted to purge
the old lingering lie that told me that your mother was dead, and I wanted to
get rid of all anger and disbelief that surrounded your mother. Once I've
finally purged all this negative angst about your 'deceased' mother, I had to
find a way to turn all that angst in to a glimmer of hope and try to accept the
possibility of starting a new life with your mother. In that split second,
while I was destroying that gravestone, I felt myself living the life of a
phoenix. My old self, which was led to believe that your mother was dead, was
dying with the gravestone. Away from the gravestone, you might've noticed that
I had set the yellow flowers that you picked the other day, was set at a safe
distance away from the destruction of the gravestone."
"Hmm..." Yui thinks back to the events and remembers that the flowers were
really set away from the destruction of the gravestone. "Yes, I remember, the
flowers were at least several yards from the gravestone. You put them there so
that way it was an assurance that you would forget about the past and look
forward to the future, right?" she asked her father.
"Yes, Yui. That's absolutely right." Tenchi said, smiling about his daughter's
natural wit. "during the destruction of your mother's gravestone, my old
perspective on life, died. Through it's ashes, a new perspective was born. Now
that I have a new perspective, You and I are given the chance to live our lives
with your mother again."
"I'm happy that we've been given another chance, but..." Yui said doubtfully.
"But what, Yui?" Tenchi asked.
"What are we going to do if mom doesn't recover all her memories?"
Tenchi was also a bit concerned about Ryoko's memories, what would happen if she
doesn't recover all her memories? If she doesn't have her memories than it
would be no different from her death. Then Tenchi's worried face disappears.
He puts his arm around Yui and hugs her. "Don't worry, Washu and Sasami have
already thought of something to remedy this."
"Really, father? What is their remedy?"
"The remedy are these gems." He said assurringly. He held up the Tenchi-ken
again. "From what I gathered from Washu, they have all her memories and past
experiences. So I wouldn't worry about it."
"Yeah, you're right. After all, Washu is the universe's greatest scientist and
Aunt Sasami is, well, a goddess." She said with affirmation, purging away all
of her doubts. Yui began to smile because of her father's hug, it feels like
the night sky has wrapped itself around her.
Tenchi looked down at his daughter and smiled "So, now the student teaches the
teacher! You are daddy's little Miracle Child!" he said with a grin, suddenly
ruffling his daughter's cyan hair. Yui pushes Tenchi away from her.
"DAAAAAAD!" Yui said angrily, at her father's sudden playfulness. "Stop messing
up my hair! And I hate it when you call me that!"
"I'm sorry, Yui." Tenchi said, smiling. "I just wanted to pick your mood up a
little bit."
"You're always the optimist, aren't you dad?" Yui asked.
"Well, I try to be." Tenchi replied. "I'm sorry again, Yui." Putting his arms
around her with fatherly care. Yui's anger subsided because of her father's
caring approach.
Yui thinks about her father's last remarks and her anger disappears. "I'm sorry
to have burst out on you like that." Yui said apologetically.
"It's alright Yui." Tenchi said comforting his daughter. "I just want you to
sleep and get good a rest from what you've been through today."
A few silent moments passed and Yui's tension began to subside. Yui finally
felt warm, relaxed, and secured, after a whole day of riding an emotional roller
coaster. She closed her eyes and her mind slowly drifts in to a relaxed
state...
Tenchi held Yui until she fell asleep, once he felt her body relax, he smiles
and carefully tucks Yui into her bed. Ryo-ohki wakes up groggily in Yui's lap
as Tenchi moved his sleeping daughter.
"Meow?" said the waking cabbit.
"Shhhh." Tenchi said quietly, putting his finger on Ryo-ohki's little lip.
"Yui's finally asleep."
"Sleep well, Yui. While you dream away, I'll be bringing your mother back." He
said kissing his daughter's forehead. Ryo-ohki quickly hops on to Tenchi's head
and Tenchi steps out of Yui's room. He closes the door behind him and looks up
at the cabbit sitting on his head.
"Thank you Ryo-ohki, for being there for Yui." He said, petting the little
cabbit sitting on his head. "Would you be willing to sleep with Yui for tonight
while I'm with Ryoko?" he asked the cabbit.
"Meow! Meow!" Ryo-ohki said happily. Then the cabbit hops back down and goes
through Yui's doorway.
Tenchi watches as the cabbit re-enters his daughter's room then he looks at his
watch, it was time to be in Washu's lab. He walks down the hallway, down the
stairs, and towards the closet door.
***
The screen on Washu's computer reads:
Regeneration status 100% complete.
"Ok Sasami, let's put her through the Epidermal Filtering System."
"Right." Sasami confirmed, typing a sequence on her keyboard.
Washu and Sasami were both busy working on the tank that contained Ryoko, while
Aeka stood there and watched Ryoko floating in the crystal blue liquid. Washu
types a sequence on her keyboard, a huge rectangular device materializes and
connects itself to the cylinder containing Ryoko. Aeka noticed that the
rectangular device took up half of the lab's chamber it contained 3 different
water tanks of different functions. The first tank had a glass tube that had
just connected itself to Ryoko's tank, the first tank in the device contains a
white thick liquid. The second tank was connected to the first tank, it was
containing clear non-conductive liquid. The final tank was located on top of
the second, it didn't contain any liquids at all, it only had empty space within
it.
Ryoko's nude body drift towards the first tank of the filtration system. Washu
looks at her computer screen and types in the command to switch the visual
status report to auditory status report.
"SUBJECT TRANSPORTED TO FIRST PHASE TANK. INITIATING POLY-DERMAL GRAFT."
Inside the first tank, Ryoko's body is completely immersed inside the white
thick liquid. Aeka walks up to the tank and curiously peers through the tank's
glass.
"Washu, what is a Poly-dermal graft?" Aeka asked curiously to Washu.
"Well, this first step is crucial into bringing Ryoko back, what we're doing is
basically, adjusting Ryoko's skin to adapt to the outside air."
"Why are you adjusting her skin?"
"You have to keep in mind that Ryoko's body has been immersed inside that liquid
for the past 13 years. I just don't want to see her skin melt off
because it couldn't re-adapt itself to this atmosphere." Said, Washu.
"Oh, I see." Aeka said with obvious disgust.
"POLYDERMAL GRAFT, COMPLETED. INITIATING EPIDERMAL TRANSITION SCAN." The
computer reported.
Ryoko's body drifts in to the second tank and slowly suspends in the middle of
the tank. Tenchi walks in and stands next to Aeka, and watches Ryoko's body
slowly suspend itself in the tank's fluid. Aeka looks over to Tenchi, a little
concerned.
"How is Yui doing, Tenchi?" Aeka asked.
"So far, so good." He replied. "She's feeling better. I just tucked her in."
"Poor thing." Aeka said thinking about Yui. "She's been in her room for 12 hours
now."
"I wouldn't worry about it any further, Aeka. She's feeling a lot better now."
Tenchi said to Aeka reassuringly and suddenly looking silent. "I am really proud
of her."
"Oh? Why, Tenchi?" Aeka asked.
"Yui's very strong willed and very mature. I'm quite relieved that she is able
to hold herself together, after all she's been through the past few days."
Tenchi said as he watched Ryoko's body being scanned by thin beams of light. "I
mean, look. Yui has regained her powers after a 13 year dormancy and Ryoko's
revelation."
"It is a lot for any normal person to take in over a span of just 2 days." Aeka
said, agreeing with Tenchi. "I hope she doesn't carry anything against Washu."
"Apparently, she seems to be sharing the same sentiment that I have."
"Oh?"
"Yui and myself are both willing to put Washu's actions behind us and decide to
just move on in life. We'll focus on Ryoko's return. Right now, we both agree
that this is more important than being mad at Washu."
"It's fortunate that you didn't cause a rift in your relationship between you
and Washu. Otherwise, things could've been much worse"
"I know." Tenchi said solemnly, then he notices a thin white layer of poly-derm
covering Ryoko's entire body, it begins to crumble due to the scans. As the
poly-derm layers deteriorate exposing Ryoko's skin. Then Ryoko floats to the
last and final tank.
"EPIDERMAL TRANSITION SCAN COMPLETE. SKIN RESULTS:NOMINAL. INITIATING FINAL
PHASE." The computer reported.
In the final tank, Ryoko's body becomes engulfed by a huge pillar of light
coming from the tank's emitters. This process enables Ryoko's skin to readapt
to the any atmosphere. After being bathed by the pillar of light, Ryoko's
unconscience body ascends to the top of the tank.
"FINAL PHASE COMPLETED. INITIATING SUBJECT REMOVAL."
"Ok, you two, it's your turn." Aeka said turning to the Guardians of Jurai,
suddenly appearing right behind Aeka. "Carry out the order as planned."
"Yes ,ma'am" Both complying to Aeka.
Azaka and Kamadake re-materialized at the top of the tank. Ryoko finally
ascends to the top of the tank, Azaka and Kamadake immediately places their
force field around her. They slowly and carefully lift Ryoko out of the water
while at the same time, the power from their force field dries off Ryoko's body.
Azaka and Kamadake had both volunteered to help out Sasami and Washu. After
Ryoko goes through the filtering process, their job is to safely teleport Ryoko
to the Tsunami's main bridge.
Washu walks towards Tenchi after completing her round of computations on her
computer. "Alright Tenchi, Ryoko's almost ready. Do you have the gems?"
"Yes, I have them." He said holding out his Tenchi-ken. The gems on the hilt
were shining even more brightly then ever. "What's next?"
"I'm going up to the bridge of the Tsunami to finish up the final adjustments,
Sasami will brief you." Washu said to Tenchi. "I want you to listen to her
instructions carefully."
"Don't worry I will." Tenchi replied.
"Ok then, I'll see you later." Washu said and then suddenly teleports to her
destination. Azaka and Kamadake follows Washu and teleports Ryoko to Tsunami's
bridge.
Tenchi stood there and watched as Azaka and Kamadake disappeared with his wife.
Aeka stood there right beside him, knowing that they are all just moments away
from reuniting with Ryoko. Sasami walks up to Tenchi.
"Tenchi how are you feeling?" Sasami asked.
"I'm just a little nervous but overall I'm feeling fine." Tenchi said. "Ok
Sasami, I'm ready. What do you want me to do?"
"Ok Tenchi, before I give you the plan, let me give you a little bit of
background info. The reason why we need to use Ryoko's gems is basically,
because of the fact that they've been with her most of her life, especially the
gem that belongs to her left wrist." Sasami explained.
"I see," Aeka said in fascination. "besides being Ryoko's power source, they
also act as a recorder for recording all of Ryoko's past experiences."
"That's right Aeka, we will use the gems to transplant Ryoko's." The younger
sister said to Aeka, then Sasami turns to Tenchi. "Ok Tenchi, here's the plan."
She hands Tenchi a pair of black shorts that is made of very thin cloth.
"Uhh...what do you want me to do with these shorts?" he asked, curiously.
"I want you to take off your clothes and put on these shorts"
"What?!" he said a little startled "all of my clothes?"
"Yes, all of it, what we're about to do cannot have any traces of static
electricity. Any disruptive energy can tamper with the memory transfer."
"I understand." Tenchi said, walking behind a huge computer, so he can change
in private. He changes out of his clothes and then puts on the black shorts.
"Are you coming along too Aeka?"
"Yes I am. If you don't mind."
"I don't mind, Aeka. I guess it wouldn't hurt anybody." He said walking towards
Sasami. "Now tell me the rest of the plan, Sasami.'
"We're going up to bridge of the Tsunami, once we're there, you'll notice that
Ryoko is currently placed in the water of the pool. Once you're in the pool, I
want you to hold Ryoko above the water line and after she's in your arms, give
Ryoko back all of her gems. And then await on any further instructions that
will be given to you by Washu."
"Alright, that sounds simple enough."
"Are you ready, Tenchi?" Sasami asked.
Tenchi clears his mind and takes in a breath. "Ok, I'm ready."
"Alright. Here we go." Sasami said. She holds up her hands and a bright
teleport illuminates the entire lab. Tenchi noticed that the symbol called the
Emblem of Power appears on his forehead. Sasami teleports herself, Tenchi, and
Aeka to the bridge of the Tsunami.
***
Meanwhile, inside the bridge of the ship Tsunami, the guardians of Jurai are
already in place. They hold Ryoko steady over the luminescent pool, waiting for
further orders from Washu.
"Careful, you two. Tenchi should be here any minute now." Washu said, looking at
her surroundings.
"Yes ma'am." Said the two guardians.
Being in the bridge of Tsunami had always fascinated her, it is interesting to
see that the only source of light came from other surrounding space trees in the
dark chamber. It could be so dark and yet so illuminating, a very peaceful
setting indeed. <Maybe I should turn my lab in to the same comfortable
settings.> Washu thought to herself.
Suddenly, a bright envelope of light appears in front of the main space tree and
unfolds itself to reveal Aeka, Sasami and Tenchi. Washu clearly sees that
Tenchi was only wearing black shorts.
"Ooh, nice butt Tenchi." Washu said fiendishly. "and you ask why girls always
find a liking to you?"
"Um...can we start now?" Tenchi said nervously. "I kinda want to focus on Ryoko,
right now."
"Sure, ok. Whatever you want, Tenchi. Tsunami, there's your cue." Washu said
instructively to the blue haired goddess.
"Right." Sasami said in compliance. <Will you please call me Sasami, Washu.> she
thought to herself obviously annoyed.
Tenchi found himself suddenly being levitated off the ground by Sasami's powers.
He slowly descends in to the luminescent pool, he held on to the Tenchi-ken
tightly, expecting a cold sensation from the moment his feet touches the water.
Surprisingly, instead of a cold chill, he feels a warm sensation of soothing
energy coursing through his body. His feet finally touches base of the pool and
he finds himself waist deep in to the warm water.
"Ok, Azaka. Kamadake. Bring Ryoko in to the water." Washu ordered to the
guardians.
The 2 slowly lower Ryoko in to the water right above Tenchi.
"Ok Tenchi, I want you to place the Tenchi-ken on to the bottom of the pool,
after that, catch Ryoko. Once you have Ryoko in your arms, slowly submerge her
in to the water until only her face is the only thing exposed above the surface
of the pool." Washu instructed to Tenchi.
"Ok, alright." Tenchi said in compliance. He quickly places the Tenchi-ken on
to the bottom of the pool and he holds out his arms to catch Ryoko's descending
body. Aeka and Sasami watched attentively as Tenchi gets ready to catch Ryoko
in his arms. Ryoko is just an inch away from Tenchi's hands.
"Are you ready sir?" Kamadake asked Tenchi.
"Yes, I'm ready." Tenchi said holding out his hands, ready to anticipate Ryoko's
weight. "Ok, drop her."
Azaka and Kamadake drops Ryoko and she lands right into Tenchi's arms. Tenchi
catches Ryoko easily, he is surprised that Ryoko is lighter than what he
expected. Ryoko is safely cradled in Tenchi's arms, he feels her soft rhythmic
breathing, he can also almost feel her heartbeat. He gives a slight smile.
Then Tenchi slowly submerges Ryoko's entire body into the pool until the
waterline reaches her face.
"Alright, Tenchi." Said Washu. "All you have to do now, is wait on the gems."
Down at the bottom of the pool, the gems senses the distinctive presence of
Ryoko and all 3 gems starts to shine out their brightest. The energy from the
gems becomes one with the pool's. Due to the power of the gems, the emblem on
Tenchi's forehead glows. Tenchi noticed that the water is illuminating itself
brighter and brighter. Suddenly in his arms, Tenchi can feel Ryoko breath even
more actively, her body began to twitch, her muscles slowly contracting and
relaxing, indicating that she's coming around. Tenchi began to notice that her
closed eyes were struggling to open. Tenchi was clearly getting excited.
"Looks like Ryoko's coming around." Sasami said to Aeka.
"Yes, indeed. I hope her memory will be intact." Aeka replied. Azaka and
Kamadake appears right beside Aeka, taking up their usual posts as guardians.
"She's coming around!" Tenchi said excitedly.
"Please keep in mind, Tenchi. Ryoko has not received any of her memories yet,
please try to anticipate any negative reaction from her." Washu warned.
Tenchi looks down at Ryoko, her eyes slowly opens and then for the first time in
13 years, they make eye contact. Tenchi thinks about the beauty in Ryoko's
yellow feline eyes, it's been so long since he's ever seen her.
For a long silent moment, Ryoko looked in to Tenchi's eyes, then she suddenly
panics, not knowing how to react to this stranger who's holding her in his arms.
Ryoko started to thrash the water around her, struggling to free herself from
Tenchi's arms, but finds herself not strong enough to break free.
"Washu, why is the light from the pool getting dimmer?" Tenchi asked.
"The light coming from the pool fluctuates according to Ryoko's mood." Washu
answered. "The dimmer the light gets, the harder it will be for the gems to
initiate transfer, however, the brighter the light, the more easier it is to
initiate transfer. Ryoko's state of high tension makes the pool's illumination
dimmer, when Ryoko does begin to relax, the light from the pool will become
brighter."
"She hasn't recovered any of her memories yet, try to get her to relax. She
must be calm enough to allow the memory transfer to initiate." Sasami suggested
to Tenchi.
Tenchi tries to think up strategy get Ryoko to relax. He looks down and notices
that Ryoko is terribly frightened, a stream of tears were flowing down her
cheeks and in to the water.
< She looks as vulnerable as a lost child.> Tenchi thought to himself, he looked
at his reflection in the pool's surface and noticed the glowing emblem on his
forehead. <Action speaks louder than words.> He thought to himself, suddenly
the right strategy he's been looking for comes in to focus.
Ryoko was feeling extreme anxiety, scared not knowing how to react to the
strangers around her, not knowing what will happen next. The one stranger that
she fears the most, is carrying her in his arms. She thrashed the water around.
Ryoko couldn't talk because she didn't remember how to talk. Then she noticed
the glowing emblem on Tenchi's forehead. She looks up and noticed his gentle
eyes. Then she felt a warm comforting energy coming from him. She hears a
strange but welcoming voice entering her mind.
Tenchi figured out a way to communicate with Ryoko, since Ryoko's gems were on
the Tenchi-ken, he felt that he was somehow connected to them. Mainly, because
her gems, were in essence, connected to the same energy source as his Light
Wings. Tenchi was doing his best to project and transfer his thoughts in to
Ryoko's gems. Hoping that the gems would relay his mental messages to Ryoko.
<Don't be afraid, we're here to help you. We are your friends and loved ones,
please let us help you. You will not be harmed in any way.>
Ryoko realizes that the voice was coming from the stranger cradling her in his
arms. She didn't understand the stranger's words but she did understand the
feelings and intentions under the messages. Ryoko relaxed and decided put her
trust in to this stranger and waited further directions.
Washu, Aeka, Sasami watched as Ryoko's panicking suddenly subsided, the light
from the pool gradually shone brighter.
<Thank goodness, things are finally starting to looking up.> Aeka thought to
herself.
Ryoko relaxed in the stranger's arms waiting for further directions, then the
voice appears in her head again.
<Relax. All you have to do is just relax, it'll all come back to you.>
She followed the voice's directions and she noticed that her surroundings were
gradually becoming brighter. The water that immersed her body was even warmer
then a minute ago, making Ryoko felt even more relaxed.
<Now close you eyes and wait.> said the voice.
Ryoko closed her eyes and waited. For a few minutes there was nothing but just
darkness in her mind. Suddenly a flood of images comes pouring in to her mind.
Ryoko is stunned by the sudden rush of information, sensations, and memories.
Various different memories from various different moments of her life, started
to fill in the voids of her mysterious past.
***
The memories flashed through her mind at an alarming rate, she found herself
reliving her past.
She saw first memory, taking up her first flight with Ryo-ohki and possessing
her gems.
She found herself sharpening her skills and superhuman abilities under Kagato's
cruel and ruthless supervision.
For a period of time, she discovered that she looted and plundered the galaxy
under Kagato's control.
And then, she saw herself invading Planet Jurai. After the attack, Ryoko was
pursued by Yosho throughout space, until finally, reaching the planet Earth.
Ryoko is defeated in battle and is imprisoned in to a cave for 700 years.
For 700 years Ryoko felt alone in a dark and cold captivity, not having any
contact with anybody for very long time.
After 700 years of imprisonment, Ryoko sees Tenchi Masaki for the first time.
>From her cave, she watches him growing up in to young handsome man.
Finally, Ryoko was released from her imprisonment by Tenchi Masaki.
Faces and names of more or little significance flashed through her mind,
becoming more and more familiar to her. Kagato, Dr. Clay, Tokimi, D3, Onimaru,
Seriyou, Azusa, Funaho, Misaki, Yosho, Shoji, Nobuyuki, Mihoshi, Aeka, Sasami,
Her mother Washu, Ryo-ohki and, of course, Tenchi and Yui.
***
Washu, Sasami and Aeka silently watched as Tenchi cradled Ryoko in his arms in
the brightly lit pool.
"Washu, what is Ryoko going through right now?" Aeka asked.
"Ryoko is basically, reliving her memories, although it may seem like only
seconds to us." Washu answered. "The memory transplant will seem like years to
her."
"I'm gonna check on Ryoko's progress." Said Sasami, as she activates the
Tsunami's view screen that's being projected by one of the nearby trees. On the
view screen, Sasami sees an image of Ryoko sitting in the warm spring of the
floating onsen.
"Where is Ryoko now?" Washu asked, turning to view the screen with Aeka.
"Let me see." Sasami said, searching through the gems' database. "We are exactly
18 years prior to the present date."
"That's interesting." Aeka said smiling. "A lot of things has happened during
that year, 18 years ago."
"Indeed, Aeka." Washu replied. "The year 2000 was the year that we will never
ever forget."
Tenchi overhears Washu's remark and begins to smile down at Ryoko. "Do you
remember that year, Ryoko?" Tenchi asked softly to his wife. "That's the year,
when I stopped running away from you and finally opened my heart to you."
"H-heart." Ryoko whispered softly. Her eyes were closed with the blanket of the
pool's warm water comforting her. Ryoko found herself reliving the events of
the year 2000.
To be continued...as Ryoko's Love... The Main Storyline Ch.1
The Lonely Moon
(tragedy)
I am lonely like the moon
You are faraway as the earth
Now you say I light your thoughts
Night After night
Soon you forget
We are drifting in this dance
I can feel you circle my thoughts
Keeping such a graceful distance
So close but somehow apart
Sometimes I cry for you
Knowing you don't want me to
Sometimes I whisper to the stars up in the sky
That I want to find the way to your soul
Kiss in the sun when morning comes you don't seem to count the hours
When we are not together
I've seen a tender fire in your eyes
Yet when I'm gone you carry on
I float in this emptiness
Till at last love returns
With the night and the lonely moon
Author's Notes:
There it's finally done! I've just finished writing this long introduction.
Yep, you read this right. The first 3 chapters you read were just the intro!
Now we'll start on the real story line, really soon! So stay tuned. HA! HA! HA!
HA! HA! HA!
BTW, Yui's going to take a small vacation from this series. The main storyline
will not be needing her until very late in to Part 2. Sorry, Yui fans.
2nd BTW, I have just completed my very own web site! The web site will be home
base for my Tenchi fanfics, please come by and take look at it!
Here's the Address:
http://members.aol.com/EvilDrTran/index.html
