Please be aware that the following story takes place in the OAV world.
Like the Manga, I assumed that TMIL could have also occurred in the OAV
timeline.
I dedicate this story to my own mother.
Tenchi Muyo!
Miss You Always
By
Rene Chavez
Just before the sun rose and light up the sky. A small light pierced the
clouds. It was still early in the morning, so nobody would have noticed the
glow or warmth that befell on the Earth at that moment. In the light stood
a
girl in an elegant white kimono. Her small silky feet gently touched on the
snowy ground. She glided over to the top of a hill and looked out into the
horizon.
She raised her hand and the sun slowly rose from the east.
Katsuhito stood on the shrine steps looking down on the land. The snowy
blanket
filled the woods and land with a white glow. He let this thoughts drift
into the
past. The snow always seemed to do that to him. His memories were of his
daughter, Achika. They once stood there looking at the snowfall a long time
ago. She was only seven and had never seen snow in her life. Her face
glowed,
just like the snow.
His teakettle whistled inside the shrine. The sudden sound brought him back
to
his own reality. He took one more look out and headed back inside.
Unbeknownst
to the Shinto priest, a young dark haired lady dressed in white stood by
him.
She watched him walk back into the house. Achika smiled at her father and
then walked down the shrine steps. Small royal teardrops grew from every
place she stepped. She appeared in front of the house and sat down on the
steps. She looked out at the lake. She closed her eyes and remembered.
It was in the autumn. She held her child in her arms looking at his
beautiful eyes. The child looked up at her with awe and wonder. His
small hands were trying to reach out and touch her. The young mother
caressed the infant�s hand and leaned down. She placed the infant�s
hand on her cheek. The infant smiled as Achika gave him a gentle kiss
on the forehead.
Achika found herself back in front of the house. Noboyuki was stepping
out of the house.
She looked at him sternly, �You should march yourself back inside and have
breakfast.�
Noboyuki only zipped up his coat. She appeared standing next to him. �I
mean it,
Mister I�m-too-busy-to-get-a-decent-breakfast.� Noboyuki stopped and looked
up
at the snow falling. There was a looked of sadness on his face. She knew
his thoughts
every time the snow fell. She put her arms around him and gave him a
comfort he has not�t felt in a long while.
�I guess I should have breakfast since I�m going to be late anyway,� said
Noboyuki.
Achika smiled, �That�s my Noboyuki.� She kissed him on the cheek. Noboyuki
closed
his eyes and took a deep breath.
�Ahh, my dear wife in heaven, you wouldn't�t have left me out of the door
until
I�ve had something to eat,� he said to himself. He unzipped his coat and
stepped inside. �Sasami, I think I will have some breakfast,� announced
Noboyuki. Achika giggled at his husband�s sudden change in moods.
Achika wandered around the house as it slowly began to stir with its
occupants.
Sasami was working hard on making breakfast. Her hands moved at a rapid
pace
as she chopped carrots and grilled the fish. Ryo-ohki sat by Sasami as she
prepared the carrots. Achika giggled as a piece of carrot would fly off and
the little cabbit would be there to catch it.
Achika then sensed something upstairs. In instant, she found herself
standing
in front of Tenchi�s room. She looked down the hall. Ayeka was looking
herself
over in the mirror. There was a great amount of sadness and uncertainty
from the
young princess. She walked by Ayeka and put her arm on her shoulder.
�Oh Ayeka, it doesn't�t matter what you look like. Tenchi knows what is in
your
heart. Give him time,� said Achika. Ayeka turned around surprised. She
thought
she heard something. She couldn�t quiet understand what happened, but she
felt a
sense of joy and relief.
Ryoko floated above looking down on Tenchi. �Now Ryoko, I don�t think
Tenchi would
approve of you spying on him,� said Achika. She crossed her arms and gave a
stern
look at the space pirate. Achika could sense the feelings of longing and
sadness
from within Ryoko. Achika gently placed a hand on Ryoko�s cheek.
�There is no need for sadness. My heart is within Tenchi�s and I know that
you
are in his heart,� whispered Achika. Ryoko closed her eyes. A single tear
flowed
down her cheek and landed on Tenchi�s own cheek. He slowly opened his eyes.
His
gazed out his window and saw the gentle snow falling down.
�It�s snowing again,� Tenchi said quietly.
Ryoko opened her eyes. Tenchi was sitting up looking straight at her. She
was
expecting to be yelled at or for him to run out, but he was just there
quietly
in front of her. Ryoko could feel her cheeks turning red.
�Good morning, Ryoko,� said Tenchi pleasantly.
Ryoko was now fully blushing and scratching the back of her head. �Good
morning,
Tenchi,� she said. She coughed, �aren�t you going to yell at me?�
�No Ryoko, just how about giving me some privacy please,� Tenchi said.
Ryoko was completely caught off guard. �Sure, I�ll see you at breakfast,�
she
said and quickly disappeared.
Achika laughed at the whole scene, �I knew you would be trouble for the
ladies.�
Suddenly, Ayeka stormed into the room. �You leave Lord Tenchi alone, you
monster!� screamed Ayeka. She stood there frozen.
Tenchi only sat on his bed. Tenchi and Achika both formed a sweat drop.
�Good morning, Miss Ayeka,� said Tenchi.
Ayeka quickly bowed, �I�m sorry Lord Tenchi, I thought Ryoko was bothering
you again.� She quickly bowed and ran out of the room. Tenchi let out a
sign while Achika tried to control her laughter.
Achika followed Tenchi to the breakfast table. She watched with joy as
they all sat down and ate together. Ayeka and Ryoko would sit by Tenchi
while Mihoshi talked on with Sasami. She followed them throughout the day.
Tenchi went to school. Mihoshi slept. Sasami worked in the kitchen. Ayeka
watched her soaps and Ryoko would wander around the woods. Washu never came
out of her lab. Achika debated whether or not visit her. She later decided
against it.
Tenchi came home later in the afternoon. He casually strolled thru the
woods.
His mother was by his side. His thoughts were open to her. The snow
brought
back strong images and memories of her. She could see every memory he had
for her.
Another feeling emerged from him. Achika shed a tear and embraced her son.
�I miss you too, Tenchi. I wish I could have been here with you,� whispered
Achika.
Tenchi looked down and let a single tear fall from his cheek. �I know what
is in
your heart and you know what is in mine. I will be here with you always,
Tenchi.�
She moved forward and gently kissed Tenchi on the cheek. Tenchi looked
around.
He touched his cheek and felt a snowflake. He started heading back home
when he
felt something again. He turned around and noticed something was odd. He
made a
few steps back and looked on the ground. A single royal teardrop grew out
of the
ground. For some reason, amid the snow and coldness, Tenchi felt great
warmth
inside of himself.
That night, Tenchi stood out in his balcony looking up at the stars. His
mother
quietly sat on ledge looking at him.
�He has such greatness, doesn't�t he?� asked Achika.
�Yes he does,� replied another female voice. Tsunami quietly appeared,
�Sasami
is sleeping peacefully, along with everybody else. I am honored to be in
your
presence.�
�The honor is mine,� said Achika, �You have filled his life with joy and
love.�
Achika giggled, �Maybe a little too much love.�
Tsunami giggled, �He sure attracts as lot of attention from the ladies.�
Achika continued looking at Tenchi.
�He is a good soul with a great heart and I have you to thank, Lady Achika,�
said Tsunami.
�I'm glad he�s eating right,� said Achika. Tsunami giggled.
�Sasami is an excellent cook,� said the Goddess. Achika turned away and
looked back at the house.
�I can�t help but wonder,� said Achika.
�What?� asked Tsunami.
�Who would he marry? I know that Ayeka, Ryoko, Mihoshi, and even you are
in love with him,� said Achika mischievously. Tsunami blushed in
embarrassment.
�It doesn't�t really matter. I love you all as if you were my own
daughters.
I look forward to the day I see my grandchildren,� smiled Achika. She
looked
hopefully at her son. "There will be many grandchildren for me to watch
over
and protect."
Tsunami stood for contemplating. "Lady Achika, I could let them see you,
let
them know that you are here." Achika looked at Tsunami and smiled.
"It would break their hearts and mine knowing that we would have to depart
again," said Achika, "I am content with being here in spirit watching over
my family. I wish I could be a mother to them all. I wish I could have
been by my son's side when he faced all those dangers. But I can't."
Achika
tried to contain her tears, "I can only be his strenght in spirit." She
looked
at Tsunami and held her hands.
Tsunami bowed, �This universe is a wondeful and mysterious place, even to
me.
Believe in love and anything is possible.� Tsunami looked back inside the
house.
�I must be going back. Will you be here long?� asked Tsunami.
Achika looked longingly at her son. �I will be here till the final
snowflake
falls, but I will always be in my family�s hearts. I will always be with
you all,
just like how I am always with my son.� Tsunami closed her eyes as a single
tear
fell down from her cheek.
�No tears for me, Tsunami, Goddess of Jurai. I lived my life to the
fullest
and I have no regrets,� said Achika reassuringly. �I am grateful that I can
be here.
It is because of the love of my son and the love from this house that I was
able to
be back, for at least a while,� said Achika.
Tsunami turned to Achika and gently held her close, �Thank you for your love
and
compassion, Lady Achika. We are all here because of you.� The goddess
slowly
moved back and disappeared. Achika continued to watch over her son.
Tenchi stood on his balcony looking up into the sky. The snow stopped
falling,
except for one snowflake. He watched it gently fall down. He closed his
eyes.
He could have sworn he felt a gentle kiss on his cheek. Tenchi opened his
hand
and the snowflake gently landed on his hand and vanished.
The End
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Author's notes: I guess this was kind of an emotional fan fic. Achika has
always been a source of wonder for me. I do believe that the spirits of our
loved ones are always with us watching over us and protecting us.
C&C is always welcomed.