Tenchi Muyo Fan Fiction ❯ Gravity of Love ❯ Cycle-1.1: Dreams ( Chapter 2 )

Disclaimer: I don't own Tenchi Muyo, but I'm saving my money and one day I will own it. So don't sue me because some day I'll be your boss. Oh yeah, I didn't create Tenchi Muyo either, some guys named Masaki Kajishima and Hiroki Hayashi did. I don't own the song Gravity of Love either. This song was written and performed by Enigma and is on their album, Screen Behind the Mirror. I'd like to thank them for helping to inspire this fic and I hope they don`t sue me (especially after I just plugged them). Any way on to the fic.

==============

Tenchi Muyo!

Gravity of Love

Cycle 1.1

Dreams

==============

Sasami was alone, standing waist deep in water.

There was no one there with her except for silence, darkness, and water.

Sasami tried calling out for the others, but she got no response. She was completely alone.

She spotted something out in the distance, a single spark of light flashed in front of her. Sasami ran towards it.

As she got closer she saw two figures facing each other. Eventually Sasami could make out whom they were. It was Tenchi and her sister. She breathed a sigh of relief. She wouldn't have to be alone now.

"Tenchi, Ayeka, I'm so glad I found you," she called out.

There was no response from the two. They just stood there facing each other, their faces completely expressionless.

"What is it, what's wrong?" Sasami asked. "Why won't you talk to me?"

Sasami felt the water around her begin to get warm. In fact everything started to get hot. She looked on in horror as Tenchi and Ayeka were on fire, their bodies completely wrapped in flame. Yet they didn't move.

"No!" Sasami screamed. She began throwing water onto her sister in a desperate attempt to quench the flames. It didn't work. Their clothes burned away.

"Sasami, get back!" someone yelled above her.

Sasami looked up. It was Ryoko!

Ryoko flew down to Tenchi and tried to shove him under the water. But Tenchi wouldn't move. Ryoko's sleeves caught fire. She plunged her arms down into the water, but when she pulled them back out they were still aflame. The fire quickly spread to consume her outfit, leaving her naked. Ryoko failed wildly as the flames began to consume her flesh as well. Her erratic motions had set the water itself ablaze. The flames had completely surrounded Sasami. She couldn't escape. She was trapped!

"No!" screamed Sasami. "No! Noo! Noooooooooo!"

* * *

Tenchi kissed Ayeka deeply as his hand gently caressed her thigh. She reciprocated desperately.

"Ayeka, I love you. I live and breath for you," he told her.

"I know," she whispered back. "I know you love me and I love you too. I love you with all my heart and soul."

He smiled that perfect smile of his. "What did I ever see in those other girls? How could I even think about them when I had the most perfect woman in the world right in front of me? Can you ever forgive me for making you wait so long?"

"Of course I forgive you," she said. "I love you and I will always be by your side."

Tenchi smiled again and returned to kissing her. He laid her down in the grass and began kissing her neck. His hands reached her for obi and he began to undo it.

"Tenchi, wait," Ayeka said. "It's not the right time. We should wait."

"But Ayeka, I've waited so long already," he begged. "The only thing I want is to be with you. I only want to show you how much I love you."

Ayeka swallowed nervously. Should she? It wasn`t proper to do such a thing before marriage. But she loved Tenchi and Tenchi loved her. They would be together for the rest of their lives, so why shouldn`t she?

"Show me," she whispered. Ayeka leaned up to kiss him.

Tenchi continued to undress her until he heard a voice.

"Ayeka?"

"What was that?" Tenchi asked as he sat up.

"It was nothing!" Ayeka said as she pulled him back down on top of her.

Ayeka was being shaken and voice kept repeating: "Ayeka."

* * *

Ayeka found herself being shaken awake. She was no longer lying in the grass with her beloved Tenchi; she was back in her room. `It was just dream' she told herself.

"Ayeka? Ayeka?" Sasami said as she shook her sister's shoulder.

At first Ayeka was angry that Sasami had taken her from that beautiful dream but then she saw that her younger sister was crying. Ryo-ohki hoped onto Sasami's lap and meowed sympathetically. "Sasami, what's wrong?" Ayeka asked.

"I had another scary dream," Sasami told her.

Ayeka embraced her sister and brought her head onto her shoulder. "It's all right Sasami," she said as she stroked her sister's hair. "Everything will be all right. Why don`t you tell me about it?"

"W-well I was alone. B-but then I found you and Tenchi, but you both were on fire. A-and then Ryoko came and there was more fire…" Sasami began to wail loudly. "It was horrible, Ayeka! It felt so real!"

"Miya," Ryo-ohki said sympathetically as she nuzzled Sasami's stomach.

Ayeka hugged her sister tightly. "There, there," she cooed. "I guarantee that nothing shall happen to Lord Tenchi, Ryoko or myself."

"Ayeka, c-c-can we go see Tenchi?" Sasami asked.

Ayeka thought for a second. Would it be right to go see Tenchi in the middle of the night? It simply wasn't proper for a young lady to visit a young man's room so late at night. "Sasami, I don't know..."

"Please, I have to know that he's all right," Sasami pleaded.

Ayeka sighed. "All right, we'll go see Lord Tenchi. But we have to be quiet, we don't want to wake up Mayuka."

Sasami nodded. "Okay."

Ayeka took her sister's hand and led her down the hall. Ryo-ohki walked behind them. She made her way to Tenchi's door and knocked on it gently.

* * *

Tenchi watched Ryoko, Ayeka, Mihoshi, and Kiyone harvesting carrots. He watched them bend over, pull up a carrot, deposit it in the basket and then bend over again.

Tenchi knew this was a dream, nothing this good would ever happen to him in real life. But he was determined to enjoy it as much as he could before Mayuka decided to wake him up.

Unfortunately for him Mayuka began to wail.

* * *

Tenchi's eyes snapped open when he heard his daughter screaming. He also woke up to hear someone knocking on his door. He picked up his crying daughter out of her crib and walked over to the door. He opened the door to see Ayeka holding the hand of a crying Sasami. Sasami rushed over to him and buried her face into his chest. "What's wrong?" Tenchi asked.

"She had a nightmare," Ayeka explained. "Here, I'll take her Tenchi," she said as she held out her arms. Tenchi handed the wailing infant to Ayeka. "Shhh," Ayeka cooed, "It's all right little princess. I`m sorry we woke her up Lord Tenchi."

"No, it's all right," Tenchi said. "It wasn't you anyway; she's just hungry that's all." Tenchi was still the only one in the house who could tell what the baby's cries meant.

"Oh, if that's it than I will get you some formula little princess," Ayeka said, as she was about to take Mayuka downstairs to feed her.

Ryoko phased through the ceiling and narrowed her eyes as she saw Ayeka in Tenchi's room. "What are you doing here?" she asked.

"I could ask you the same thing," said Ayeka.

"I heard Mayuka crying," explained Ryoko. "Did the mean princess monster scare you sweetie?" she asked Mayuka.

"What was that!?" Ayeka said.

"Ryoko!" Sasami wailed as she let go of Tenchi and latched onto Ryoko.

"What's with her?" Ryoko asked.

"She had a nightmare," explained Tenchi.

"That's why we're in here, she wanted to see Tenchi," Ayeka said. "Now if you'll excuse me I have to go feed Mayuka."

"I'll go get the formula," said Ryoko as she teleported out off Sasami's arms.

Sasami's eyes widened when Ryoko left her. She slowly turned towards Tenchi. "Tenchi, can we sleep with you tonight?" Sasami asked.

Ayeka began to blush severely as Sasami asked this. "Sasami..."

Tenchi could feel himself blushing as well. This was different than the time that Washu and Sasami had slept in his room. They looked like young girls, while Ayeka was… mature. She would be there in his room, only a few feet away from him. He had indulged fantasies of her in his room to many times. He probably wasn't going to sleep very well tonight. "Um, well... I don't know Sasami."

"I have to make sure you're all right, and Ryoko too," Sasami protested. She looked up at him with those big, pink eyes of hers.

Tenchi sighed. "Well okay, we can all sleep in the same room tonight," Tenchi said. "But we can't do this every night, okay?" Sasami nodded.

The fact that both Ryoko and Ayeka would be in his room tonight made Tenchi very nervous. It was breeding grounds for a fight. Well, at least Ryoko was less likely to try anything with Ayeka here.

"What's going on?" asked Mihoshi as she stepped in the open door.

"Sasami had another nightmare," Tenchi explained.

"See, I told you it was nothing," said Kiyone.

"Well, how do you know it wasn't something serious?" replied Mihoshi.

"W-where would you like us to sleep Lord Tenchi?" Ayeka hesitantly asked.

"You're all sleeping here tonight?" asked Mihoshi. " Good, we'll sleep here too."

Tenchi sighed to himself. There would be so many beautiful girls in his bedroom tonight and there would be absolutely nothing he could do about it, not like he would do anything about if he could anyway

"We're not sleeping here tonight," said Kiyone.

"But what if they need us?" asked Mihoshi.

"We live in the same house. Trust me, if they need us they'll be able to find us," explained Kiyone.

"But Kiyone..." Mihoshi whined.

Kiyone sighed. "Fine, fine, we can stay here tonight," she turned to Tenchi. "If that's all right with you."

"Yeah, that's all right I guess," said Tenchi.

"Okay, come on Mihoshi lets go get our futons," Kiyone said.

"Yeah!" cried Mihoshi.

Mayuka disappeared from Ayeka's arms. "Hey," Ayeka shouted.

Ryoko appeared with Mayuka in her arms sitting on the edge of the bed. "Finally you're with the one you like best, right?"

"She does not like you best," countered Ayeka.

"Yes she does," smirked Ryoko. "Because she knows that I'll be her real mommy one day." Mayuka stopped crying as Ryoko began to feed her.

Ayeka growled.

"What's the matter princess, does the truth hurt?" teased Ryoko.

"The truth might, but your lies don't," said Ayeka.

"Pretty cocky, aren't we?" asked Ryoko.

Tenchi could sense a fight coming. "Please girls, don't start this up again."

They turned a way from each other.

Ayeka smiled wickedly. "Very well," she said. "Where would like me to sleep tonight Tenchi?" She blushed.

Tenchi blushed as well. He hadn`t thought of that. " I-I g-guess the b-b-bed would be all right," he managed to say.

"What!?" shouted Ryoko. "Tenchi, you're not going to let her sleep in your bed with you, are you?!"

"No, of course not," explained Tenchi. "She's going to share with it Sasami, I'll just sleep on the floor."

"I don't like this," said Ryoko as she handed Mayuka and the bottle to Tenchi. "And I'm going to sleep here too tonight so she doesn't try anything funny with you." Ryoko phased through the wall to get her futon. Tenchi sighed to himself and continued to feed his daughter.

"Tenchi, you don't have to sleep on the floor. I will gladly sleep on the floor and you can sleep in your bed," Ayeka said.

"No Ayeka," complained Sasami. "I have to sleep between you and Tenchi so I can be sure that you're both all right."

"Sasami, I'll be right here in the room with you," explained Ayeka. "I'll be right here if you need me."

"No, it's all right Ayeka," said Tenchi. "You can have the bed tonight I have no problem sleeping on the floor. I'll just get my futon out the closet."

"You're sure it's all right Lord Tenchi?" asked Ayeka.

"Yes of course," said Tenchi. Tenchi moved Mayuka onto his shoulder and began to burp her.

"Well, all right, if you're sure," said Ayeka. She lifted the covers off the bed and slipped in. Sasami followed her. Ayeka wrapped her arms around her little sister. Ryo-ohki snuggled up against Sasami's stomach.

Mayuka burped. "There all better?" Tenchi asked his daughter as he laid her into the crib. Tenchi walked over to his closet and retrieved his futon and laid it on the floor next to the bed.

Ryoko returned with her futon crumpled up in her arms. "Tenchi, I'm back," she sang. "Now, why don't we push our futons together and..." Ayeka began grinding her teeth together.

"No Ryoko," complained Sasami. "I need you to sleep at the foot of the bed tonight so I can make sure you're safe."

Ryoko sighed. "All right, I'll sleep at the foot of the bed."

Ayeka stopped grinding her teeth together as Ryoko moved her futon.

Mihoshi and Kiyone returned with their futons in neat, little bundles. "Tenchi, can I sleep next you?" Mihoshi asked.

"Um, sure, I guess," mumbled Tenchi.

Ayeka began grinding her teeth together a new as Mihoshi laid her futon next to Tenchi's. Ryoko shot up and glared angrily Mihoshi.

"What's the matter little Ryoko?" asked Washu as she stepped into the door wearing her sleeping attire and carrying her futon. "If you're worried about being lonely than don't worry because I'll sleep next to you."

"That's not what I'm worried about," Ryoko grumbled to herself.

"What was that?" asked Washu as she laid her futon next to Ryoko's.

"Nothing," Ryoko said angrily.

"Good, then lets all get some sleep," said Washu. "Kiyone, would you please get the lights."

Kiyone hit the light switch and laid her futon in the remaining spot next to the door.

"Sweet dreams everybody," Mihoshi called out.

Tenchi closed his eyes and began to drift off into sleep.

* * *

Tenchi was in a circular room; everything in it was made of gleaming, white marble. There were six pillars in the room but all of them where damaged. Above him was large dome with an oculus that let the light through. Beneath each of the pillars there was an engraving but he couldn't make out what the words were. There didn't appear to be any exits in the room, just a solid marble wall.

Tenchi stepped toward the first pillar this one looked like someone had punched a hole through it. The engraving beneath it said "KIYONE." Tenchi stepped toward the second pillar. This pillar was least damaged; there were only a few cracks in it. When he touched it, the pillar sifted slightly. The engraving beneath it read "MIHOSHI." The third pillar looked like some had cut a large hole into it. The inside of the hole appeared to be completely smooth. Tenchi reached inside and felt the smoothness with his hand, when he did he swore he could hear a girl weeping. He looked down at the golden plate and read the name: "AYEKA." The next pillar looked like there were actually two pillars twisted together, both of which had deep cracks running through them. The plate beneath this pillar said "SASAMI." The next pillar was very damaged. There were numerous deep cracks running through it. It looked kind of fragile. A few more cracks might cause it to fall over. Though it looked like some of the cracks had glue in them and iron plating held it together. The plate beneath this one said "RYOKO." The final pillar appeared to have been hit with sledgehammer multiple times, this one read "WASHU."

"You can't fix them all," a voice said behind him.

Tenchi spun around toward the source of the voice. When he saw whom it was he couldn't believe his eyes.

It was his mom! Just like he remembered her before she became sick. She stood before him in that Kimono that she wore on special occasions, the one that Ryoko had ripped the arms off of.

"Mom," whispered Tenchi.

"No, you can't possibly fix all of them; some of them have problems that you do not have a solution to," explained Achika.

"Mom, what are you doing here?" asked Tenchi.

"Why I'm helping you pass your next test of course," said Achika.

"My next test?"

"Tenchi, look up at the dome," she commanded.

Tenchi looked up and saw that his name was engraved in to the marble of the dome. One of letter of his name was above each pillar.

"You need them," commented Achika. "If just one of them should leave you, you would fall and be destroyed. It's a shame that the next test may make one or more of them leave you.

"You shouldn't rely on these poor girls so much," she said in a chiding tone.

"What are you talking about mom? What test?"

"Tenchi, tell me something, why haven't you fallen in love with one of them yet?"

"What?" Tenchi was taken a back.

"They're all worthy girls and they all love you, each in their own way, so why not?"

"Um... I don't know."

"Are you afraid to love someone?"

"No."

"Then why won't you let yourself fall in love? Why let these poor girls suffer?"

"I don't know. They're all just so… pushy."

"I don't think it's that at all," explained Achika. "I think you really are afraid to fall in love. You're afraid that if you love them that they'll leave you. That's my fault really, I abandoned you when you were young."

"No mom, you didn't abandon me, you got sick that's all," Tenchi said quickly.

"It doesn't matter how it happened the point is that I left you when you needed me. That's why you won't let yourself fall in love, you're afraid that if you love one of these girls they'll leave you."

Something about his mother's words struck Tenchi. The thought of choosing one of the girls had always made Tenchi feel uncomfortable. He thought it was because of the way the girls acted but maybe it was because he might lose the girl he choose.

"Mm, I was right wasn't I?" Achika told him.

"Yes," replied Tenchi.

"You can't let your fears control you," explained Achika. "You are dealt with the

cards you are given in life. Sometimes you win and sometimes you lose."

"But what if it does happen?"

"Then you must live through it. It will hurt you, more then you can possibly imagine, but you are stronger than you think."

"But... which one should I pick?"

"It doesn't matter."

"It doesn't?"

"No, what matters is that you allow yourself to fall in love. You haven't let yourself do that yet."

Tenchi remained silent for a few minutes. "If I fall in love with someone besides Ayeka and Ryoko won't that hurt them?"

"Yes."

"So I should pick one of them."

"Not necessarily."

"Huh?"

"You want me to pick for you but I can't do that, only you can find out who you love."

"How will I know when I'm in love?"

"Don't worry you will know."

"But how?"

"When you can't deny the knowledge that you are in love."

"Okay."

"I have to go now, but don't worry I'll be with you always. Remember that what ever happens I'll always be proud. And take good care of little Mayuka."

"No, wait! Don't go mom!"

"I'm sorry, I have to go. I'm breaking the rules right now just by being here."

"W-will I ever see you again?"

"Yes, one day, but not for a long time."

"…oh."

"Don't worry, I'm in a very happy place right now and you'll be fine. You can stay here a little while longer to think about things if you like."

A bright, white light enveloped her. It was so bright that Tenchi had to close his eyes. When he was finally able to open his eyes she was gone, and he was alone.

Tenchi stood there for a second thinking about what his mom had said. He hadn't let himself fall in love because he was afraid to. Because of that he had hurt the girls. He laughed to himself. No matter what happened he would hurt someone. "Tenchi, what kind of pit have you dug yourself into now?" he said to himself.

Tenchi leaned up against the marble wall and sighed. He didn't really know that much about the girls. He never really spent any time alone with any one of them. It was simply too hard in a house full of so many people. The only girl that had opened up to him was Ayeka that one time in the cabin, an event that seemed like yesterday and a lifetime ago at the same time.

But his mom didn't say that he had to fall in love with one of them. He just had to open himself up to the possibility of love. That meant he couldn't be afraid anymore. He couldn't run away from Ryoko anymore, he just had to be patient with her. That would be hard for him; she could be pretty aggressive. He also would have to try not to be so embarrassed around Ayeka. He would just have to force himself not to be so shy around women anymore.

`Gods, this is going to be hard,' he thought to himself.

* * *

"Did we do the right thing?" Achika asked.

"Yes," said Tsunami. "It was necessary for him pass the next test. He must grow or he won't be ready for it."

"I'm just worried that we're forcing him to do something he's not ready for."

"We're not forcing him to do anything," Tsunami explained. "The decision is entirely his, we're just pushing him in the right direction."

"I don't like it here," Achika told her.

"I know it's painful for you to be here. You should probably return now."

"All right, I'm going back now. Please tell me how things turn out."

"I will, don't worry everything will turn out okay for him."

"Mm, Thank you for letting me see him again. Tenchi be strong," Achika whispered as she faded away. "And don't make the girl that you love wait any longer…"

* * *

Tenchi blinked the sleep out of his eyes. `What a dream,' he thought to himself. `Only it didn't seem like a dream it seemed like it was real.' Tenchi sat up. He looked over at his bed. Sasami had already awakened and she had left the room without anybody noticing. Ayeka was still in his bed however, murmuring in some strange language in her sleep. On the other side Mihoshi slept snoring loudly, her body sprawled out all over her futon.

Ayeka woke up and caught Tenchi smiling at her. She blushed. "What is it?" she asked.

"Nothing, I had a good dream that's all."

Authors Notes: Yeah this is first chapter. If you have any questions or stuff send them to hmanduck@aol.com

Thanks for taking the time to read my fic.

Dave ^_^