Tenchi Muyo Fan Fiction ❯ Sayoko Saga ❯ Book Two: Conflict , Part I ( Chapter 5 )

The Sayoko Saga

Book Two: Conflict

Part I

by Devon Masterson

aoi37@hotmail.com

 

Tenchi sat beside Ryoko's body and watched the unnatural slumber that she had succumbed to months ago. The baby lay beside him sleeping soundly after her feeding. Feeling eyes upon him, he turned around and saw Washu standing behind him. “Is there anything that we can do?” he asked quietly.

Washu shook her head. “They are both fighting to be the dominate will,” Washu answered. “Someone has to win.”

“What if they were to both be dominant,” Tenchi asked.

“It doesn't look possible,” Washu refuted, “they would have merged already if that were an option.”

Tenchi sighed and turned back to the almost lifeless body beside him. “Is Aeka here yet?”

“That's what I came to tell you,” Washu answered then turned to leave.

“What about you, Washu? Are you okay, I know this is hard for you?”

“Don't worry about me. I can cope on my end,” Washu sighed then perked up. “I can't be sad when you're going to need the number one genius, me, to figure something out.”

Tenchi smiled at Washu's brave front. The situation had to be just as tough on her as it was him. It's not everyday you find out that your identity is false, you're a goddess, and your sister and daughter might die. “Thanks, Washu.”

“No problem, Tenchi,” Washu replied as she left the room.

Tenchi turned to Ryoko and swept a wisp of her hair from her face. “Come back to me,” he said softly as he kissed her forehead. “Reika and I need you.”

 

“Why'd do it?” Ryoko asked as she floated in nothingness. “Why did you let her take my baby?”

“I could not stop her,” Tsunami answered.

“There's no telling what will happen when she matures,” Ryoko muttered. “She could become evil and Tenchi'd have to fight her. Is this some sort of sick game you're playing.”

“What could I have done?” Tsunami asked indignantly. “Her powers were equal to mine. We can not use our powers on one another, that's why we use…”

“That's why you use people. You pit people against each other to carry out your petty squabbles.”

Tsunami's eyes flashed. “That's not how it is. I care about…”

“Yourself,” Ryoko finished as she brandished her energy sword. “Fight me you bitch.”

Tsunami's mouth opened in surprise at the animosity that Ryoko held for her. “Now you hold on just a minute,” she yelled. “You got Tenchi drunk and slept with him with my body only being cold for a few months.”

Ryoko's eyes narrowed and she charged Tsunami. “That's not how it was,” she screamed as she brought her sword down.

Tsunami blocked the attack with a blue energy blade of her own. “Do you know how I felt to see that?” She pushed Ryoko back and stood breathing hard. They used to be so close, she even looked up to Ryoko. When did things change?

“Maybe if you had told Tenchi the truth, he wouldn't have even put himself in that situation,” Ryoko yelled back as she charged again.

“So you did do it out of spite?” Tsunami asked as she readied her sword. “You always wanted Tenchi for yourself. It just tore you inside that he chose me over you.”

Ryoko growled brought down her sword again. When Tsunami blocked it, Ryoko punched her and sent her flying back. “It was not like that,” she replied. “But at least I didn't let him think I was dead so I could watch him suffer.”

“You, bitch,” Tsunami screamed as she charged Ryoko and slapped her.

Ryoko smiled at her and held her cheek. “Got you where it hurts didn't I?” she asked as she started to circle her. It was hard to believe this was the woman that she once respected and watched grow up. “All this time you made it look like I was some kind of an over bearing monster when all the time it was really you and your manipulative ways screwing with our lives.”

“You're one to talk,” Tsunami growled, “Trying to get close to Tenchi and playing the helpless little leper that no one likes. He just felt sorry for you.”

“You'll pay for that,” Ryoko warned as she charged at Tsunami.

Tsunami turned into a pillar water and Ryoko passed through her. “You took everything from me,” Tsunami vented. She became solid again and charged Ryoko.

 

“What's going on?” Tenchi asked as he watched Ryoko seize from time to time.

Washu looked at the monitor and frowned. “They are fighting.”

“Over what?” Tenchi asked incredulously.

“Over you, most likely,” Washu answered. She balled her fists in anger. “Don't those two boneheads know that if one of them doesn't take over, the body will eventually die and take them both this time.”

“I wish I could get through to them,” Tenchi said helpless. “I love them both and I need them both.”

“I wish they could hear you,” Washu commented. “Perhaps that's it.”

“What's it?”

“If I can find away to get through to them, you can tell them how you feel,” Washu suggested.

Tenchi smiled. “I knew you'd find away, Washu.”

Her countenance brightened at the possible solution “No problem for a genius like me. I better get to work. I'll let you know if I come up with anything.” Washu ran out of the room to get started. She didn't know how much time they had left, especially with them fighting without a body. They were depleting their life forces staying outside of a body in this dimension

Tenchi nodded. He felt a sudden sense of hope. They would come out of this and everything would be okay. He started to think about Reika and sighed. Earlier this morning when he was giving her a bath, he noticed her reflection. It was a grown woman about twenty years old with long gray hair and a slim figure. Her eyes were closed as though she were sleeping. Tenchi smiled in pride at how lovely his daughter would become and how much she looked liked him and Ryoko. But he was also worried, what would happen when Reika and Tokimi merged into one form. Would she become an evil tyrant? “I'll never let her become that way,” he vowed. Reika would be her own person and he would have to trust himself to be a good father to her.

“Get well soon,” he whispered as he kissed Ryoko on the forehead, “so we can raise her together.” He got up and left the room reluctantly. He promised the girls that he would take breaks and not ignore his own health. He hated being away just in case she woke up, but he knew he had to take care of himself or he would be no good her when she woke up, besides Reika needed to see her daddy as well.

Aeka stood outside the room quietly. “Any change?” she asked Tenchi as he left the room.

“Not for the better,” Tenchi answered, “but Washu is working on a way for us to communicate with them.”

“That is good, but why is she getting worse?” Aeka asked.

Tenchi sighed. “They are fighting with each other.”

“Sasami and Ryoko?” Aeka asked in disbelief. “They are fighting?”

“Yes,” he confirmed.

Aeka stood in shock. She couldn't believe what she had just heard. Sasami was the last person that Ryoko would ever pick a fight with and malice of any kind just was not in Sasami's nature. How could this be? She could understand Ryoko and her fighting over something, but those two? “I will look after her,” Aeka commented.

Tenchi nodded his head and walked downstairs to visit with Reika.

Aeka walked into the room and sat down beside Ryoko's body. “Why?” she asked softly. “Why do this when you know he loves the both of you?”

As if to respond, Ryoko's body shook slightly. “I think I see what Tenchi means.” Aeka picked up a towel and wiped the small trickle of blood from the corner of Ryoko's mouth. “I can not believe you are doing this to us. Miss Ryoko, you and Sasami stop it! You should know better and, Sasami, you are a Juraian princess and a goddess,” she scolded sternly as she folded her arms.

She was about to continue on when she realized what she was doing. She sat down with her head in her hands and started to cry. The whole situation was heart wrenching. It was only a little more than a year ago that she lost her sister and here she was about to lose her again. Not only would she lose Sasami, but Ryoko as well. After all they went through, class A criminals stalking and attacking them, learning about Earth customs, simply growing up and the both of them had the audacity to turn everyone's life upside down again. Aeka stood with tears streaming down her face. “I won't have it!” she screamed. “I won't! You will not do this to us again! It was so hard for us to move on. Think about Tenchi. Think about Reika not knowing her mother.” Aeka dropped to her knees and cried by the bedside.

 

Downstairs Tenchi held Reika as she drank her bottle.

“What was that?” Mihoshi asked as she heard Aeka's muffled yell.

“I think Aeka is getting some thing's off her chest,” Tenchi replied as Reika finished her bottle. He placed her in a vertical position and proceeded to pat her back so she would burp. He imagined that there would be a lot of catharsis going on the next few days as everyone dealt with the situation in their own ways. He would just have to be strong for the other girls. Now was not the time for him to break down, they needed him, Ryoko and Tsunami needed him, Reika needed him. “That's a good girl,” he whispered as he kissed Reika's forehead.

She smiled at her daddy's face and reached wildly for his face. Tenchi moved his face closer and Reika touched his nose. Reika was very interested in Tenchi. She refused to eat or cooperate with the girls if Tenchi was not around. She demanded as much of his attention as she deemed possible, but Tenchi did not mind. She was his little girl and he cherished the moments they spent together. It gave him a break and provided him a sunny spot amongst the current gloom. Reika had the habit of making everyone feel better, the girls adored her. She was an extremely happy baby and minded rather well for being only two months old. It was though she understood what was going on.

Tenchi continued to rock Reika in his arms still she started to breath softly indicating her slumber. “I'll take her, Tenchi,” Mihoshi offered as she took the baby from him.

“Thanks, Mihoshi,” Tenchi yawned. He didn't realize he was so tired until Reika went to sleep.

“Kyone's warming up dinner in the kitchen,” Mihoshi said as she walked up the stairs to put Reika in her bassinet.

“Okay,” he said as he started for the kitchen. It had been a long day.

“I was just about to bring you this,” Kyone remarked as she held a tray of food.

“Everything looks good, Kyone, thank you,” he commented as he took the tray and kneeled at the table.

Kyone smiled and kneeled across from him. “How is she?”

Tenchi swallowed the delicious vegetables. “No real change,” he answered. “Washu is working on away for us to communicate with them. I hope she can finish it on time.”

“I know she will,” Kyone replied as she squeezed his hand in support.

Tenchi smiled in reassurance and finished eating. He drank the last of his tea when he casually looked up and saw an apparition walking down the stairs. “Oh, no,” he sighed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

© 2001 Devon Masterson.

Another Bond Girl Production

I think we know who belongs to who, Tenchi characters belong to the wonderful creators, who let me borrow the characters for fun and imagination. Everybody else is a figment of my wonderful imagination.