Author's Note-No, Tenchi Muyo is not my property nor do I ever claim such a thing. All characters of TM belongs to and is the property of Pioneer (now known as Geneon) so don't sue me! Even if Pioneer does sue me, all they'll get is a crappy computer that belongs to a museum, college books, and a bunch of Anime DVDs!
      This is my first endeavor at making a fanfic, so please excuse these unskilled hands of mine at this laughably poor attempt to express the world I have oft imagined for my favorite character!


A Midsummer Night's Eve's Beginning

Chapter 1

      Ryoko sat upon the roof of the Masaki house staring blankly at the moon all the while trying to hold back her tears. The full moon looks breath taking, but that can do nothing to lighten her heavy heart. "Tenchi...," Ryoko whispers softly to herself. Unable to hold herself back anymore, tears began to gently trickle down her cheeks to her chin where it falls in sparkling drops by the moonlit night to her pale, silky legs. The weather is pleasantly warm and the night is as beautiful as it has ever been. To Ryoko though, she doesn't feel any of that at the moment. She can only feel a pain tugging at her heart. Tenchi...he has made his choice clear to her and everyone else. He doesn't need her anymore, nor does he seem to appreciate her presence anymore. Other than that, it truly is a magnificent midsummer night.

Recap-A few hours ago:

      Dinner time at the Masaki residence is always rather interesting. Sasami made the meal as always and as typical of Sasami's cooking, they are very delicious. It was the festival of the festival of the dead so Sasami only made vegetable tempura. Tenchi, still worried about Mayuka's sudden disappearance, had hastily eaten his dinner without even so much as bothering to savor the exquisite flavor as only Sasami can make it. Without even waiting for everyone else to finish, Tenchi got up to go out again in search of Mayuka.
      "Don't bother," Ryoko, still eating, tells Tenchi without even looking at him. "She'll come back in good time."
      "How do you know Ryoko?"
      "Why are you worrying so much about that girl? You said it yourself, that girl was only bothering you Tenchi!"
      A little bit irritated, Tenchi replies to Ryoko "Aren't you worried about her just a little bit Ryoko? She could be in trouble. She's probably lost somewhere out there. Don't you...even feel sorry for her?"
      "Sorry? Look, she may have you fooled, but I definitely know that she is up to something and I am not about to fall for it!"
      "I don't know," Ayeka cut in, "I also feel something sweet about gentle about her. I don't know Ryoko-I just don't know what to think of her."
      At that moment, the door opens and grandpa Katsuhito walks in announcing to the rest of the household that he has located the missing guest and has brought her back to the household with him. Everyone at the table except Ryoko got up to greet grandpa and, most especially, Mayuka at the door. Tenchi being the one worried the most about Mayuka, was naturally the first to get there and say hello to them. Poor Mayuka was a bit dirty and shaking and had obviously been crying for a while, at least that's how she seemed to Tenchi.
      As they all abandoned their dinners to welcome Mayuka back home, Ryoko just sat there and continued eating her dinner. The flavor is lost to her and she just can't taste how wonderful Sasami's cooking is. She just sulks there and wonders what is wrong with these people that she is living with. Can't they feel the subtle tinge of danger that is emanating from Mayuka? Is she...wrong? She just keeps on thinking to herself as she bites on a piece of sweet yam tempura.
      Suddenly, Mayuka switches from a scared fragile mode to really, really pissed of mode as she ran into the dinning room passing Tenchi, Sasami, Kiyone and Mihoshi. Dashing full speed towards Ryoko, it's obvious that she has that angry gleam in her eye. Ryoko looks to see Mayuka running straight for her with one hand raised up high and tries to stand up just in time to intercept Mayuka's hand with her face.
      "I hate you!" Mayuka yelled at Ryoko. "I hate you, I hate you I HATE YOU! I know that you want to get rid of me!"
      "Yes. Damned right! You're in my way kiddo! You got it? You're in my way!" Yelled Ryoko back as she pushes Mayuka down.
      Before the two girls could do any real damage to each other, Tenchi had managed to wedge himself in between the two combatants. Ryoko was seriously pissed off now though. She was trying to irrationally trying to claw her way through Tenchi to get to the equally enraged Mayuka. Nothing seem to be able to separate the two combatants and words alone can't seem to reach Ryoko now. In a move that surprised everyone, Tenchi, without warning, slaps Ryoko in the face and Ryoko, caught unaware by the slap from Tenchi, fell on her butt as the shock of betrayal gleamed through her eyes.
      Tenchi began explaining his reasons why he believes that it was perfectly alright for Mayuka to stay. He explains to Ryoko why he was willing to welcome Mayuka into the household. To Mayuka, he explains that he doesn't see her as the daughter he claims herself to be. It means that she is just as important as the rest of the girls.
      "Yeah right..." Ryoko said as she begins to teleport away and her body becomes more transparent. "Just as important as everyone else except Ryoko who only gets in the way. I'm sorry. I guess I went to far."
      A little while later, underneath Funaho's branches, Ryoko sits on the shores of Funaho's mini island. She shows a sad, somewhat confused look as she ponders her situation and the reason why she is still staying there. The fireflies surrounding the pond emits a cool green glow that flickers on and off. In the moonlight, they are a sight to behold but all of that is lost to Ryoko. deep in her own thoughts, Ryoko disturbs the surface of the water and watches the ripples gently spreading as far away from her as possible. She knows that Mayuka will only end up hurting Tenchi-she believes it to be the case. Then again, maybe she really is just jealous-that she is being selfish with her own feelings. Before she could finish her train of thoughts though, Ayeka approaches her from behind.
      "Miss Ryoko? Do you mind if I join you for a while?" Ayeka asks as she stands there wearing an evening Jurain dress while clasping her hands together.
      Ryoko turns her head to the left as she acknowledges the Jurain Princess' presence. Half heartedly, she replies to Ayeka's question. "Sure, yeah, go on ahead."
      "I have to admit," Ayeka confesses to her rival/worst enemy/best friend, "that I am jealous. It just hurts me so that it becomes unbearable for me to look at Tenchi. I believed myself to be mature enough to handle a situation such as this. I believed myself to be strong enough that if ever were Tenchi to fall in love with another woman, that I could just return to my home-to Jurai and never say a word. Strange isn't it, Miss Ryoko, that I'm telling you all this?"
      "Don't be foolish," Ryoko, with tears streaming down her lovely face, answers back. "You worry too much. Tenchi isn't like that. He'll never break your heart. Your sister-Sasami would probably laugh if she sees you like this."
      "Honestly Miss Ryoko?"
      Ryoko now standing up, tears all wiped away, tries to project the image of strength for Ayeka's sake. Although, she may seem like she is perfectly in control of herself, Ayeka still notices a twinge of pain that Ryoko seems to feel. Ryoko herself still has quite a bit of self-doubt but tries to be cheerful for Ayeka.
      "Don't go all weepy on me now princess. It bothers me. With all this commotion, I refuse to play the part of the helpless little girl. I just...I just want to have fun. You know, they all love you so much that if you don't go back soon, you'll probably have a search party looking for you."
      Almost as if she has been cued, Sasami's voice is heard from a distance yelling out Ayeka's name.
      "See? Didn't I tell you or what?" Ryoko asks Ayeka who has turned her back on Ryoko to summon Sasami towards her. Ryoko takes this chance to teleport away and Ayeka doesn't even notice until Sasami gets to her and asks if she has seen Ryoko.
      Ryoko, sitting on one of Funaho's branches, watches the royal sisters walking away. A sorrowful expression fills her face as a deep pang of sadness penetrates the very depths of her heart. She just can't help but feel a little jealous of the deep emotional bonds the two sisters share with each other. Ayeka and Sasami have each other, Mihoshi and Kiyone relies on one another, Washu has her research, Yosho, Noboyuki, and Tenchi have their respective duties and the bonds with each other that only family ties can bring and Ryoko-well, who does she have? True that there is Ryo-ohki always by her side through out all this time, but it just doesn't seem enough.
      I've sulked here long enough, thought Ryoko to herself as her body slowly vanishes from the branch that she is sitting on. Almost at the same moment, she reappears on the Masaki house's rooftop. She doesn't hear the noise that usually accompany people having fun so that means that they must have finished playing with the fireworks already. It doesn't matter to Ryoko anyway, after all, she did want to be left alone to her thoughts to sort things out. Ryoko sits there bending her knees close to her chest, cradling her legs with her left arm and stroking her left cheek. In the pale moonlight, Ryoko and her surrounding almost looks as if she was a painting that was given life.
      "What am, just what exactly am I doing here? I don't, I don't belong here. Tenchi...his kindness and gentle nature is what attracted me to him in the first place, but nowadays, it almost feels as if he doesn't want me around anymore, only he's too kind-hearted to do something about it. Maybe it's about time that I seek a goodbye to this part of my life.
      Sitting there, Ryoko hears a noise as someone is attempting to reach the rooftop. "Damn it!" Ryoko thinks to herself. "Can't I just be left alone? I just want some time to myself to sort out what I should be doing!"
      Ryoko was about to teleport once more, this time to her cave. Before she could though, Tenchi's head popped up from the side of the house. Just like a deer caught in a headlights, Ryoko sat there as Tenchi walked over to her and sat beside her.
      “I’m sorry about before. It’s just that she seemed so desperate and needed my help that I just had to help her out.”
      “I...know,” replied Ryoko softly
      “She keeps calling me her daddy and it’s really strange, and that sword she used-I wonder what it really was. Maybe it really was the Light Hawk Sword?” asked Tenchi jokingly.
      “It’s not the Light Hawk Sword! I sure as hell can tell you that!” Ryoko snapped back at him in an impatient and rather annoyed tone.
      “Jeez, I was just joking...” replied Tenchi apologetically.
      “It’s just that I’m worried about you Tenchi.”
      “You shouldn’t worry so much Ryoko, I didn’t know you were such a worrier. Come on, it’s starting to get cold out here. Let’s go back inside.”
      “No, I...Tenchi?”
      “Uhm, yes Ryoko, what is it?”
      “Is there something wrong...with me?”
      “Huh?”
      “It’s just, it just seems that I’m always the farthest one from your mind. I just don’t seem to mean much to you. Each day, you seem to be walking farther and farther away from me. It feels as if everyone else has taken a larger part of your heart-as if everyone else is so much more important to you than I am right now. I feel as if I’m always chasing after your shadow. It feels as if I’m being left all alone again.”
      “That’s not true Ryoko! You’re just as important to me as everyone else is!” exclaimed Tenchi.
      Touching Ryoko’s chin, he gently forces her to look into his eyes. Ryoko, staring back into Tenchi’s brown eyes with those beautiful golden, cat-like eyes of hers, replied softly and almost crying, “Liar! You’re afraid of hurting someone’s feelings as always aren’t you? That’s alright though, after all, it is that gentle side of yours that made me love you in the first place.”
      “No, really Ryoko, I...” but before he could finish, Ryoko leans forward and kisses him. It was a soft gentle kiss with a hint of sadness. That moment when their lips touched, underneath the silvery moon-it seemed to last forever. And when it was over, Ryoko, standing up, looks at Tenchi with a whimsical half smile and places her slender pointer finger upon hi lips.
      “You say that I am important to you Tenchi? Prove it to me then-prove to me how much I am worth to you! Give me my only wish. Give yourself to me alone for a single night. For tonight only, I want you to care only for me, to think only of me, to love only me. If only we can, for a night, be inseparable-together as one, then I won’t ask for anything else, won’t bother you with anything else, or need anything else. Please Tenchi...what do you say to my request?”
      “Ryoko? What...what are you saying? Are...you sure about this? With me?”
      As if a response, Ryoko offers her hand and helps him get up from where he sat at the edge of the rooftop. With the starry night sky as the background, an unsaid understanding passed between the two of them. A touch, a sigh, a little warmth as Tenchi gently holds her so close. It was all that was needed to fulfill a long lived longing deep within Ryoko’s heart. Suddenly, the image of two lovers sharing a tender moment on the rooftop began to fade away like a candle flickering away when Ryoko teleports the two of them into Tenchi’s bedroom.
      In the darkness








      When he held me so close-when he gently wrapped his arms around me as I felt the warmth of his beating heart...I think it was then that it hit me. He could never have eyes only for me! That same gentle nature of his that made me fall in love with him in the first place-it also prevents him from loving only me, or at least, seeing me as something more than just a mere friend.
      That was then that I realized that it could never be. Were we ever meant to be together? I believed that once upon a time. I had hoped for it and believed with all my heart that it would happen, but that was a long, long time ago. Now, I know that it was never meant to be. Tenchi, my beloved, I had loved you with all of my heart and had hoped to share all of my happiness with you. For you, I found the strength to live on and for you alone, I could welcome death. I will search for my happiness elsewhere and hope that you find yours as well someday. With this, in my heart of hearts, I bid farewell to you my dear Tenchi, my best friend, my comrade, my confidant, my shinning star, my guiding light, soother of my sundered soul, warmth of my heart and most importantly of all, my first love. And so, I thank you from the very bottom of my heart and say goodbye to this piece of my soul and close this chapter of my life.

Chapter 2

      Since the time she left behind her old life in the Masaki household, a year has already passed. It was about four months later that she knew she was feeding a pair of Jurain royalties in her. The first indication (which she totally missed by the way) was the morning sickness. The queasiness that occurred in the morning she mistook as having drunk way too much alcohol the night before. Due to the fact that Ryoko herself never needed to eat food, she never craved anything strange. As a matter of fact, before she came to the Masaki residence, she never ate on a regular basis. With all the nourishment she needed taken from the jewel on her left wrist. She can’t even taste the food she ate only ate to be polite to everyone else. The first true indication that she recognized that made her think that something was out of the ordinary was the fact that she seems to be draining more energy from the jewel than she normally does.
      It was during the season of snow when a pair of brilliant stars shone into Ryoko’s life and pulled her away from the shadows that she walked in and towards the light. In a city embraced gently by winter’s gray arms,