Tenchi Muyo Fan Fiction ❯ Underneath it All ❯ Slipping Away ( Chapter 3 )

Disclaimer: I do not own Tenchi Muyo, but I do own a `slightly used' Toyota!

 

 

Underneath it All

By Ovrboost

 

All the world has closed her eyes, tired faith all worn and thin.

For all we could have done, and all that could have been.

 

Ocean pulls me close, and whispers in my ear.

The destiny I've chose, all becoming clear.

 

The currents have their say, the time is drawing near.

Washes me away, makes me disappear.

 

And I descend from grace, in arms of undertow.

I will take my place, in the great below.

-lyrics by Trent Reznor

 

A/N: I recommend downloading a couple songs for this chapter to serve as a background, hopefully enhancing the effect. “Oh Fortuna” by Carl Orff, and “Hymn to the fallen” from the Saving Private Ryan soundtrack. Anything else is of your own accord, of course, this is just some of what I listened to, while writing.

 

Chapter 4: Slipping Away

 

The dim moonlight played its way in soft lines through the darkened corridor outside of Yosho's chambers. All was silent, as a lithe figure made its way through the ship. The door was left open after all; it's too bad that the one holding all the keys had failed to notice. Ryoko reached out slowly, activating the turbo lift, all the while gazing back towards the room from which she had come.

 

Betrayal… Deceit… Anger… Trust… Lust… Lies… Tears… Rage… Apathy…

 

`Just like the others…' came the voice, echoing from within her mind. It was soft, yet spiteful, seething with hate.

 

`But you let him do it, you could have stopped him' came the retort in a kinder tone. `Did you like it?'

 

The door slid open with a slight hiss. Looking straight ahead, Ryoko crossed the threshold allowing the doors to slide shut before continuing her introspective.

 

`That's not the point, he used you. Now he will throw you away' seethed the first voice, successfully planting the seeds of doubt.

 

`No! …he wouldn't… not like this… not again…'

 

`What makes you so sure?' came the reply sounding smug, as if it had already won.

 

`I don't… know.'

 

Trust…

 

`I trusted him… he saved my life, the look in his eyes when he said he didn't want to hurt me again…'

 

`And how did he repay your trust?'

 

Betrayal…

 

`No! I… I let him do it…'

 

Deceit…

 

`He tricked you… now he will abandon you.'

 

`He wouldn't! He said he wouldn't hurt me again.'

 

Lies…

 

`No, he said `he didn't want to', but now he has what he wants, and now he doesn't need you anymore!' `How many times have we been down this road? How many times have the results been the same? How many times have you been raped?'

 

Tears…

 

`Leave me alone…'

 

Apathy…

 

`How many times are you going to allow it to happen again?'

 

`I don't know, and I don't care right now… Just leave me alone!'

 

Lust…

 

`You liked it didn't you?' the voice asked accusingly.

 

`WHAT DIFFERENCE DOES THAT MAKE?!'

 

`All the difference in the world.' a moment passes before the voice of treason continues; `Well… did you?

 

`Y…yes…' came the guilty reply.

 

`I thought so… But you know you're not finished yet, right?'

 

Anger…

 

`NO!'

 

`You have to… You have to make him pay for what he has done to you… TO US!'

 

`I… won't'

 

`YOU MUST!'

 

`N…no….'

 

`It's too late anyways; the choice has already been made for you.'

 

Rage…

 

A feral scream echoes through Funaho, awakening the prince from his restful slumber. Eyes fluttering open, he absently reaches his arm out for the woman whom he thought was still sharing his bed. Feeling nothing, he raised his head a bit. Looking around he saw no sign of the cyan haired beauty. Now rising from the bed, a worried expression plastered on his features, Yosho quickly dresses. An alarm klaxon sounds as the ambient lighting changes from its usual soft, soothing shades to an alarming, pulsating red.

 

“Oh Tsunami… what have I done?” clutching Tenchiken firmly in his right hand, Yosho sprints down the corridor. He could felt the deck plates shudder as his ship lurched suddenly to its side, sending the young prince into the wall with a resounding thud, a pained gasp emanating from his lips. Looking to his shoulder, his fears were confirmed as he saw his right arm dangling, dislocated from it's socket. Not a moment to spare, Yosho picked up Tenchiken with his left hand, and bit down on the hilt, before he forcefully re-set his shoulder, the wet pop sounding loud in his ears. Ignoring the pain, he drove on.

 

The red lights were randomly blinking on and off, creating a lazy strobe effect on Funaho's bridge, cutting the darkness that would otherwise be overwhelming. Long, black, gouges marked the walls, and deck plates, from where Ryoko's energy sword had been dragged. Small wisps of smoke came up from some of the deck plates due to the burgeoning electrical fires started after her blade cut through to the sea of electrical conduits and wires which ran beneath. The normally clear water that provides nutrients to the space tree, and the other foliage, was clouded from debris, and the breakdown of the water purifier. The ship was dieing, Ryoko knew this, and she smiled sadly to herself as she patiently waited for her prince… her betrayer.

 

Yosho stood stolidly in the turbo lift, the sound of his heavy breathing echoing loudly off the curved walls of the lift. He tested his right arm slowly, noting the daggers of pain that shot up his arm every time he moved it. His face set in a grimace, he reluctantly ignited his blade as the lift came to a jerking halt, a testament to the state of his beloved ship. The doors slid open slowly before him, allowing him passage. His breathe caught in his throat as he stepped onto the bridge, surveying the damage. Yosho could feel the pain emanating from the tree that he had been bonded to for more years than he wished to count.

 

“Ryoko, I know you're in here.” he stated plainly, trying no to let his voice convey his pain. “Why have you done this?” He was answered with a ball of plasma which he skillfully knocked aside, cringing as he heard it detonate, no doubt further dooming his ship. “ANSWER ME!” instead of another attack, his question was met with a dark chuckle. Yosho shifted uncomfortably, unable to determine where it was that the laugh was coming from.

 

“Don't act like you don't know… after what you did to me!” another strike exploded at Yosho's feet, punctuating the second half of her statement. “You bastard!” her breathing heavy, she continued; “I trusted you, and you RAPED ME!”

 

Before he could retort, Ryoko flew out of the darkness above him, bringing her sword down from over her head. Hastily, Yosho met her blade with his own, stopping it just inches from the top of his upturned face. Locking his eyes with her own, he could see the hurt, and blinding rage seething from her golden orbs. She showed a slight satisfaction, when he flinched from the heat radiating off the sparking blades burning his skin. A quickly as she had struck, she again disappeared into the shadows.

 

“And for this, you… will… pay…” energy blasts punctuated the last three words, as she appeared behind him amongst the confusion, slicing deep into his back, intending to harm instead of kill. Yosho screamed as he fell to his knees, his back arching reflexively from the pain. He squeezed his eyes shut trying to block out the pain, in doing so he left himself completely open. He instantly recognized the heat, opening his eyes, he saw Ryoko standing to his side, arm extended, holding her energy sword to his neck. Neither moved, and only the sounds of the dying ship could be heard.

 

The ship shuddered once more as it began its descent towards the surface, impacting the atmosphere. Being that its angle of reentry was too steep, the heat increased exponentially on the forward half of the ship, charring the enhanced wooden superstructure, causing new alarms to sound on the bridge, but neither of its occupants took notice. The vibrations continued to increase as pieces of the elegant warship began to break off, burning up in the atmosphere.

 

On the bridge, an electrical conduit decided it could hold no longer, and erupted into a shower of sparks, brightly illuminating it's surroundings. Yosho, still staring into the face of his would be assassin, saw the tear streaks marring her face, as it was thrust into the light by the sudden explosion. He could feel the warm liquid flowing out of his wound, causing his robes to cling to his backside, and he could feel Tenchiken vibrating with the power of his heritage in his left hand yet the only thing that seemed to warrant his attention was the overwhelming embodiment of sadness wrapped in a cloak of hate which stood to his right. “You said you trusted me?” he asked with a calm voice, denoting his acceptance of his fate.

 

Hesitating for a moment, Ryoko replied; “Yes…” her voice barely loud enough to be heard over the chaos.

 

“Then trust me when I say I'm sorry.” With that, Yosho extinguished Tenchiken, and closed his eyes in resignation; a single drop of salt water ran the length of his face.

 

Everything went dark.

 

In nearby villages, activity came to a halt, as every person, man, woman, and child stared in awe at the heavens. They watched in silence as the night sky was illuminated by the streaking, flaming mass as it fell to earth from the heavens.

 

 

A/N: One more chapter…