The Days of Wind By Little Ryoko (a.k.a. Ryoke) Please send all C&C to ryokochan3@aol.com Disclaimer: Tenchi Muyo is property of AIC and Pioneer, I hold no rights to them. I'm too poor to be sued!!! Oh well, enjoy! ************** We are the Days of Wind The times of change We are the freedom across the river We are the Arctic nights and frozen snow We are the light at the end of the tunnel We are the days when the sky hangs low We are the Days of Wind The years of passage We carry the embers of fire We carry the tears of moontide We carry the sunlight, dripped in honey We carry the heart's deepest of fears We are the Days of Wind ************** The Past Aeka ran through the fire, struggling to see. The wind blew the hot ash and embers to her eyes, but a soft glow deflected them. The flowers around her burned like paper. Crumbling black into curls of smoke. The heat blew at her fingers, made her sweat so she could not see. Above the flames, the air wavered, flickered, as if it were dying. The images behind it warped and surreal. The palace is burning. Yosho. Where is he? She ran and ran, the flames licking at her heels and begging her to come back to them. Like lovers who are drawn from the bed before sunrise. She continued on. Ignoring the painful cries, explosions, and mournful wails that sang through the air. Clashing with quiet hiss of energy swords, the source of the sound she was struggling to get to. And suddenly the horror flew up before her. Surrounded by a wall of fire and smoke. Her tail twitching with glee. Her red eyes glowed like the embers of the fire, surveying her handy work. The wooden ships held off for as long as they could, the palace's diaphanous glow was weakening. The demon stood up, passed her fingers over her spiky cyan mane and leaped high into the air. The trails of dust floating for half a second in the air behind her. Aeka screamed and ran as fast as her burnt legs could carry her. She passed over dried brushes, their sides cutting at her. But she heard it, from afar. A war cry, then the quite fzzt-zap of a Juraian sword being activated. Aeka kept running, the hot air bringing tears to her eyes. Her hands groped in front of her, her mind struggling to see past the smoke, the fire. Suddenly she came to a clearing. The two warriors circled each other. Aeka stood at the side, watching in fear and silence, gripping her kimono. The demon flew around the warrior. He had a smile on his face; the look of someone who knows he's won a battle before it has even begun. The demoness closed her hands together. A burst of yellow light came surging forth. Without warning she faded away and reappeared behind him, but he was ready for her attack. He swung around, striking her leg. The Juraian energy crackling there for a second. She growled in pain as she flew farther away from him. She wanted him to think she was giving up. Floating away defeated. But no, this was a demon, and demons are hungry for the fight. Aeka tried to cry out, "Behind you!" but the ash and embers consumed her throat. She choked out a pitiful cry but it was too late. She had dematerialized behind him, ready to plunge her sword into his back. He turned and his hands flew behind him, blocking her attack. She growled in frustration as he turned striking at her, pushing her back towards the flaming wreckage. She was put on a defensive, her sword hissing as it struck his, dodging his every blow. But suddenly a cat like grin crossed her face as she swung her feet around. He tripped, only for a moment, but a moment was enough. She struck at his heart, but he moved too quickly and she missed, only hitting his shoulder. He hissed in pain but ignored the wound. The demoness circled around him, a cat toying with its supper. He watched her, staring into the horrible wicked nothingness that was the glow of her dull red eyes. She floated softly to the ground, holding her sword out in front of her, inviting him with the curl of her fingers. He did not take that bet. Instead, balls of lightning flew from his free hand racing towards the demon. The energy sword disappeared and she blocked them with the mere wave of her hand. The demon stared at her opponent; her red glowing eyes looking into his wine colored ones. She flew up, grinning, as if to prepare a barrage of energy blasts, instead a ship appeared above her. It gave a high pitched meow before a beam came forth and she transported aboard, the ship racing away, giving off a few last shots to the weakened palace, making it shake and rumble. Yosho shot a quick look at Aeka, who stood there stunned. He winked, once. Then he turned and ran to his own ship, calling it from the flames. Aeka's legs started to twitch. She ran again, calling him. Yosho... Yosho. Yosho!!! She ran to where his ship had already beamed him aboard. The winds blew far and fast as the ship took off. They flew in her face, past her tears. She held on to her kimono, her voice flying to the wind. "Yosho, please don't go!!! Take me with you!!!" But her cries went unanswered, the ship flew away, the winds dying down, carrying the leftover remnants of her heart. She stood alone, surrounded by the flames. A slight breeze picked up, blew across her face, carrying her tears to the winds of space. ************** The Present "Aeka!! Come on down, breakfast is ready!" Sasami called. "Coming!" Aeka replied. She walked down the steps slowly, carefully. Making an entrance, as a princess should. She walked into the dining room. As usual Nobuyuki and Kiyone were setting the table. And as usual they greeted Aeka with smiles, and as usual she walked back out to check on Sasami. Her sister was nothing more than a mere blur of blue-green as she flew through the kitchen. Checking the rice, making sure the tea was hot enough; Sasami could do it all. Aeka smiled as she turned back to the dining room. Everyone was already sitting down. Ryoko was of course sitting next to Tenchi, playing with his collar, teasing him. Tenchi's face was already red. Aeka sighed and was about to take her usual place on Tenchi's left side, but she decided not to. Instead she sat opposite to them, and Kiyone sat next to Tenchi. Ryoko even noticed this and stopped flirting with Tenchi. She looked at the princess suspiciously, but went back to teasing Tenchi as if nothing had changed. Only one minor annoyance was out of the way. Aeka sipped at her tea, and noticed Tenchi was watching her, ignoring Ryoko. Aeka almost laughed out loud, but she held it in. Lunch came and Aeka was sitting on one of Funaho's thicker roots, quietly murmuring. The tree replied with a gentle swish as it reached down to her with one of its branches. Aeka leaned against the tree, feeling a pulse of energy beneath its bark. She sighed at looked up at the sky. Her heart was stirring something inside of her; she could feel it pumping emotions through her. Tenchi. Tenchi. Tenchi. That's what it said. For the longest time she had tried to convince herself that Tenchi wasn't worthy. He's only a boy. He is nice and all but he is so indecisive it would take him years to make up his mind between Ryoko and myself. Aeka used to think the decision between her and a monster woman like Ryoko would have been easy enough for a fool to make. But she noticed the demon. The way he stopped complaining about her hanging around him. And ever since that Zero incident, Ryoko's been milder, more attractive to a man like Tenchi. Aeka sighed again. She was a princess, bound by royalty, duty, and politics. All the things she hated the most. She was to be a mask, untouchable to farmer boy like Tenchi. What was he? Man? Boy? The distinction blurred in her eyes. Aeka felt a sharp pang in her heart and whimpered. If she was going to do anything, she had better do it soon. Love was something she thought she could never have again. But fate has funny ways to make life a little more interesting. Suddenly she noticed someone was watching her. She looked up to find Tenchi staring at her. He quickly looked away and walked on. Aeka gave a puzzled look but continued to lie against the tree. Murmuring softly, the tree swaying its branches in reply. ************** The Future Aeka held her side in pain. Sweat poured down her face, her hands already burning from energy spent. She rose and walked towards her opponent, waiting for him to strike. But Ryoko was impatient, she flew towards the being, giving off her war cry, a ball of dark energy forming in her hands. She struck, but the being only raised an arm and banished the ball of dark lightning with a wave of his hand. It was war after all. Bodies of the former royal guard lay in pitiful bloody circles around them. And before charging in here, she made a promise to herself. She would not be the damsel-in-distress, the princess held captive. She would free Tenchi at any cost. Even if it meant he was accepting Ryoko as his savior and leaving her in the sidelines to watch. And cry. And mourn. The palace was a shamble. Ryoko was keeping the enemy busy with a barrage of energy attacks. A sword fight was too risky with his kind of power. Ayeka ran past the entrance hall to the main throne room, skipping over bodies, feeling her stomach flip up and down. A few were still moving, clinging to life, threads of blood trickling down their chins, some still with a firm grip on their useless swords. She ignored them with a heavy leaden feeling in her chest. As she weaved her way through the path of bodies, ignoring the sounds of energy being thrown and deflected behind her, she remembered what brought her here. An enemy was rising on Jurai's borders. Small skirmishes broke out, and then bloodlines were drawn. Members of the Council sided with the enemy, carrying most of the officials with military power with them. There was word of a new rising power. A true king of Jurai. One that wasn't tainted with the desire for off-worlder blood. A King of Jurai should marry only of Juraian royalty, of the many bloodlines that branched throughout the systems. The people who sided with Emperor Azusa claimed that marrying an off-worlder would strengthen the ties between worlds. But then the enemy began sneaking back and forth between the border, making bold raids at outpost stations. They were finally taking a military stand. Jurai's area was vast; the areas fringing the border were short on news and trusted the traitors who came to them with rumors and imaginary stories. All turning a hateful eye towards the King of Jurai. And soon enough, all out battles were taking place; the Galaxy Police was caught in a political bind and stayed out of this war between powers. But the leader was shrouded in mystery. A charismatic lord who rose into power, riding on sly compliments and strategic invasions. The major planets of each system were being conquered one by one. And finally, a small ship had made it through to Jurai, to take the final blow. Of course Washu was keeping tabs on the war. The royal guard escorted Aeka and Sasami home. But the members of the Masaki household soon became worried and hurried to join the fight. They arrived just as the "True King" arrived, only in time to see Azusa dead at his feet. The leader knew he had to eliminate his enemy, strike it so hard it would not have enough to rise against him. So he kidnapped Tenchi, the leading male heir. Ryoko and Aeka, each putting behind their differences in order to achieve a higher goal were flying through the palace in order to save Tenchi. Aeka hoped and prayed in her heart of hearts that maybe he came for her. Maybe that was one reason. But she looked at Ryoko, who showed such determination, trying very hard not to cry, and let her thoughts fly to the wind. Aeka opened the doors to the throne room where Tenchi lay battered and bruised. She ran to him, to try and free him. Blood pounding in her head, the sounds of war all around her. Tenchi. Tenchi. Tenchi. That's what it said. ************** To be continued... ************** AUTHOR'S NOTES: Well, this is a five part series that leads the sequence of events from the past, present, and future. This first installment, The Days of Wind explores the point of view of Aeka. Her past shows her pain of being left behind, in her present she contemplates her feelings for Tenchi, and her future reveals the inner strength she always knew she had. I know that these chapters/parts are very short but it's not too long a story to tell. I hope you enjoyed and read the next installment, The Days of Water. Comments, questions, rants, raves, flames, bombs, threats, reviews, critiques, should be sent to ryokochan3@aol.com. Also (shameless plug) be sure to read my other epic fic, Hands of Fate!