Untitled
Author's note: This story sort of wrote itself one day. I was on IRC in the #TenchiFF
chatroom and feeling quite depressed so I started writing of the top of my head. Or
freestyling as I like to call it. This comes from the actual chat logs with a little
editing, of course. BTW: I encourage all aspiring Tenchi Fan fic writers to visit the
channel. It's on DALnet and very worth you time.
Warning! Ad-lib commencing in 5...4...3...2...
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As I look back on that time, I see how truly happy my life had been.
Back at the house, everyone I'd loved was there and I can't remember a sad day when I
was there. Sometimes I'd find myself smiling and laughing for no reason at all.
But when I remember all of the good times, I must recall the one terrible moment
The moment I realized I had to leave.
It wasn't really her fault; it was mine, I guess
I should have known it could never work between us. We were of two different worlds;
she, being a Princess.
I had created a whole fantasy world where we could be together.
Wait, that's not right.
Let me start from the beginning.
That night, is so clear to me. The stars were so bright they were seared into my memory.
It was a hot summer night, so the windows of the house were open to the breeze.
I was sitting by my window, staring out at the lake, when she walked into view.
She'd abandoned her usual heavy robes for a light kimono with a pink floral pattern.
I'd noticed her before of course. In the baths, at the breakfast table, doing her chores;
but that night, with the light of the lanterns dancing off the waters and the tiny
lightnings of the fireflies illuminating her features she seamed strangely ethereal.
I briefly wondered what she could be doing out at this hour when...yes. She was searching
the heavens. Her gaze fixed on a section of sky that I recognized as the general direction
of Jurai. Jurai's star, however, was much too far to view from Earth. The look on her face
was of deep longing. It was so intense it seemed to cause her physical pain.
In that moment something phenomenal happened.
In that moment she dropped the mask of calm dignity she so often wore.
She laid aside the mantle of Royalty that weighed so heavily upon her shoulders.
In that moment she allowed her true self to emerge.
In that moment, Aeka Jurai wept.....
It wasn't easy to see her like that; so vulnerable.
I wanted to turn away, *needed* to, but I couldn't.
There was something about the way she wept. It was so bitter. So primal....So....*real.*
It was such a private moment, and yet, I felt she was sharing herself with me.
Her very soul.
To gain even a fleeting glance at that part of her intrigued me to no end.
After what seemed like ages, she regained her composure and hugged her arms about herself.
It appeared she was prepared to leave when she suddenly turned back toward the lake.
The wind had died down and the various animals had ceased their noisy progress.
The entire area remained silent as if awaiting some cue or signal.
And that is when she opened her mouth and began to sing.
It was an ancient melody. A lullaby sung by mothers to their daughters since the infancy
of the Empire. With her sweet voice, Aeka began slowly, as if unsure of herself, but gained
strength as she went on. Into the second stanza, the forest slowly came back to life, as
the cicadas chirped, and frogs trilled, and other animals chimed in.
Fireflies began to circle her almost in time with the tempo. The wind began to pick up
fluttering her kimono around her legs and causing the trees to gently sway.
All of a sudden, I could see the rainbow lights of Funaho dazzle the sky as she leant her
voice to the natural orchestra. All the while Aeka sang. Her voice strong and clear rising
above the tumult. With her hair flying free in the air she looked almost....no....she WAS
angelic. At least to me...
With a suddenness that caused my heart to stop the song ended. It ended as it had begun,
soft and timid.
The wind gusted, rippling the lake and ruffling the trees' leaves. It sounded like hearty
applause. Aeka bowed to the imagined audience and turned to leave.
It was that moment that she first noticed me.
Our eyes met and I could see it.
That thing. The part of her I longed to touch.
In that moment I knew...
I knew her so intimately, and I knew that she saw me in the same light
Two people searching for so long for that intangible feeling.
Then...she smiled.
And in her sad smile I knew...
I knew that I was irrevocably in love.
I knew that no matter how long I searched I'd never find a soul like hers.
I also knew...that this love couldn't go anywhere.
Because her heart belonged to another.
In her I saw so many possibilities that would never be realized.
So many warm embraces.
So many nights sitting and talking about nothing and everything.
Though in that moment I knew she'd never intentionally hurt me, I also knew that I
couldn't stay.
It just wouldn't work.
Though we would never speak of this out loud there would always be that question of what
could have been.
So I smiled back, I left the window, and I packed my bags.
There wasn't much since I kept most of my things aboard my ship.
As I walked down the stairs for the last time memories came flooding back. Of times,
opportunities I had to tell her how I felt.
But no....
I knew I couldn't do that. As I left the house she met me at the door. The private smile
now gone, she wore a guarded look. The two of us stood like that for a time as yet unknown.
I don't know what was going through her mind, but I swear I saw her eyes fill with unshed
tears...As were mine.
Before we could ruin the moment with half-hearted words and gestures, I ran out the door.
I boarded my shuttle and without a backwards glance, I ordered a take-off.
I set the auto pilot to take me out because my vision was blurred with hot tears
As the Earth receded in the background I wept bitterly.
I ripped gashes in my useless damnable uniform and screamed "WHY?!" to the black void of
space.
Out of breath and out of fury slump to the console in defeat.
"Yukinojo," I command. "Take us out."
-END-
It had to be said.
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