Vampire with Angel's Wings

An original work of Tenchi Muyo! Fanfiction by OzZMaN

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"Dreams die hard, and you hold them in your hand

long after they have turned to dust."

--Bowen, Dragonheart

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So cold, so dark was that God forsaken place. I lay there, over the millennia, withering away, slowly decaying, my body falling apart. But my spirit, the essence of my being, is all that keeps me from breaking, holding me together. But what of my body? This decaying, mummified body that lays in wait to be released.

God have mercy on the pitiful spirit who releases me, for he knows not the monster that I am.

I had a soul once, a tender heart, but it was stripped away from me, before my memories could even form, at the clutches of a madman. He took me, away from my mother, from my home, and took everything I had. He forced me to do those awful things, killing innocents and pillaging whole planets. I couldn't fight it though; what could I have done? He had total control of my body, over my mind, but not over my spirit and my heart. My heart knew what I was doing, and I was powerless to resist. Every second of pain that I caused, every life I destroyed, every beg for mercy and every plea that filled my ears left another scar on my heart. Now everyone hates me, knowing that it was Ryoko who did those awful things, Ryoko who killed my child, Ryoko who destroyed my hometown. I was under his control, what could I have done?

No, that's your wishful thinking. You could've fought him, but you didn't. I think you wanted to do the things you did.

NO! I would never hurt anyone intentionally, it isn't my fault I was born into this world as a demon, a creation; I just wanted to be loved and cared for.

Your punishment was to come; it was your destiny to live as a demon sleeping in a cave. Demon or not, your reality has come to pass. You were cursed from the start, and now look at you. Withering away in a cave, a forgotten memory in the folds of time, a terrifying memory, one tarnished by the deeds that your name carries.

My conscience began to eat away at me, as it had for so many years. I have grown accustomed to my pain; always smiling at grief, for it has consumed me, and taken every spark of life out of my broken body. I try to cry, but no tears come, for my body is dehydrated and dilapidated. I suppose my punishment is just. Not even death is harsh enough for a murderer like me, no, I must spend eternity sealed in a dungeon of hell where I can always hear my own cries of despair and anguish, where the memories of those lives I destroyed will forever burn through my battered mind. I will never grow older, I will never die, no matter how badly I long for it; I will simply lie there, motionless, trapped, in a void of nothingness and sorrow. The pain in my heart, the fire in my soul; will never bereave me, always looming over me like an evil plague, always there to provide incessant torture, for my spirit, for my mind….

Is a life like this truly worse than hell?

Even if I were to escape my eternal prison, where would I go? Who would I turn to? Everywhere I would go would be met with sneers and curses. I am known throughout the universe for the things I did, and my reputation will forever burn in the hearts of those whom I affected, with pure hatred and detestation. I have been here for seven hundred years already, every minute of every day reminding me of the destruction I caused. I remember the horrendous pain I felt throughout my entire being when Yosho defeated me, when he impaled his sword through my neck, breaking Kagato's hold over me, yet destroying my body at the same time. Just as I was finally freed of his terrible grasp on my mind, my gems were taken and my energy dispelled. I fell; spent, completely robbed of what little spirit I had left within me. I was locked away in this dreary place, never to see the light of day again. But, there was a time throughout this dreadful sentence that hope shown its rays down upon me, in the form of a small child.

Tenchi….

My will, my love, my hope. So innocent, so sweet, yet my dreams had only been alive for the few years he came to me. I was there, my spirit, the cave entrance being the threshold from which I could never escape. He would visit me, somehow sensing that I was there, despite the fact that I couldn't be seen. I watched him play, I watched him laugh, and I watched him cry. I was with him when his grandmother passed away, when his mother died; I put my hand upon his head. I tried to comfort him, but I could not hold him, nor whisper soothing words to him. How I longed to touch him, to feel his embrace! He was my glimmer of hope amongst a sea of guilt and sorrow, his very presence making my spirit awaken from centuries of torture. I had hoped that someday, he would return to me, to talk to me outside that cave, so I could look upon his beautiful face once more, but it was in vain. All good things had to come to an end, and over time, he came to my cave less and less, slowly growing away from me, and once again leaving my spirit empty and alone.

But sometimes I dream. Not the hellish memories of a life of death and destruction, or of my crimes against existence itself, but of starry nights and glowing moons. I dreamt of sharing such a scene with Tenchi, just him and I, alone under the stars. I would dream of a faraway land where we could be together, with no one to bother us. But then I would wake up, suddenly remembering where I was and what reality was to me for the rest of eternity, the dream having turned to dust. But somewhere, deep down, I kept that dream dormant within my soul……

Why must it forever be this way? This is simply too much…

How can the universe be so cruel? I was a prisoner of Kagato, forced to do his evil deeds, with no power over myself or my actions. I find it appalling and heart wrenching that I must spend eternity in this pit of hell for something that I could not fight against, a burning will that controlled my body. This is simply too cruel, too much for this withered piece of existence to handle. I pray for death, for every moment that my mind does not wander, I pray for an end to this misery. All I wanted in my life was to be set free of that madman's chokehold, and just when I thought that was about to occur, this is the reward I got. But maybe it is better this way. At least Kagato won't be able to use my body to hurt others, and at least they can live out their lives in peace, even at my expense. I suppose it is just punishment for my faults, my weaknesses; but death, death for me is all that can save this tortured spirit. I have remained in this battered state for seven centuries, and I feel I can take it no longer, but once again I am powerless, just as before. I cannot kill myself, nor can I break free of this cold prison that confines me.

But what lies beyond death? Another eternity within another universe encompassed by feelings and emotions of my past?

That which would serve me justice now will forever serve me as such, even in death. The only thing to release me of this emotional torture is the death of my spirit, not my body. My body is already dead, for it is my spirit alone that keeps it the way it is. If my spirit were erased from the fabric of the universe, I would be set free. I would cease to exist, which is both a blessing to myself and to all those I hurt. But, for some reason, there is something I've attached myself to that I can't seem to let go of…

Tenchi….

Who is this boy that has a fast hold on my heart? I am a demon, unable to feel emotions, a machine, a creation. Why do I feel this way? Some part of me cries out for him, begs for him not to abandon me. But he can't see me this way, not like this. I am a dried up, decayed mummy, a hideous mutation of life, of which the sight of I would never wish bestowed upon any person, especially Tenchi. He has left my side though, grown older, and forgotten about me. Now I am nothing but a gleam in the depths of his memory, a light once burning that is now extinguished. The few years of peace that I found with this boy have left my spirit just as he left me. But then I hear a rhythmic sound, coming from the outside of the cave, heading this direction.

Footsteps?

Yes, footsteps, coming closer. I pray that it isn't Tenchi, for he will run away upon seeing me, horrified at the sight that will greet his eyes. He will turn away from me once again, and thus will only cut another deep scar within my cold heart.

The footsteps are growing closer, become louder in my head. I hear a yelp, then a sliding sound, then a thud. Whoever it is slid down the crystal staircase, and they must be in my chamber now…

I divert my eyes over to the sound, and the images they receive make my heart stop in fear and anticipation.

Tenchi...

Standing proud, fearless, but uncertain, looking in my direction, is my lost hope. I silently scream for him to turn and leave now, before he can see this pathetic fossil that is me.

Then his eyes meet mine, and I know now he can see my twisted, rotten visage.

But he doesn't run.

Why? Why don't you turn and run from this monster, Tenchi?

He slowly makes his way towards the pool in which I lay. His eyes change from uncertainty to…..compassion?

No, I must be dreaming, stop this, I know it isn't real, it's too cruel!

But then I see his hand, reaching out, towards mine.

He......he..wants me to take...his hand?

My mind races with anticipation and confusion; I am baffled as to why he is being so kind to this evil demon whom I know he's heard so much about.

Mustering all my strength, I slowly extend my bony, decayed hand towards his own. Not until I touch my hand in his, feeling the sensation of his skin against mine do I realize that this isn't a dream; this is reality. I had almost forgotten what it was like to feel the touch of someone else…

His hand is strong but gentle, and the feeling of his hand against mine overwhelms me. I slowly raise my head out of the water and gaze into his eyes.

So tender, so delicate...

I see affection, adoration, compassion; written all over his features…

How can this be happening? How can he be feeling compassion for a monster like me?

The emotions are flooding me, overtaking me, drawing me further into confusion and fear.

He slowly reaches his free hand out towards my face, attempting to remove the mask that I wear to hide my hideous expression.

No, I don't want you to see me like this…

I dodge the invading hand and lower my head in shame.

How I wish I could speak to you now, Tenchi…

I take hold of his shirt with my other hand, fearful he will leave me.

Please don't leave me Tenchi, I beg of you…

I hold him fast, so he won't run away. I simply wouldn't be able to bear him leaving me a second time. But, instead of resisting, he takes his other hand and helps the rest of my mummified body out of the liquid. I collapse in his arms, my strength gone, my feelings overtaking me. I cry dry tears, not knowing which gods to thank for this miracle, for my happiness.

He's here for me, he remembers…everything……he wants to stay…with me.

I hear him whispering soothing words to me, telling me that I no longer must be trapped in this horrid place, that if only he'd remembered sooner. I feel him softly stroking my hair, his chin resting on top of my head. I wrap my arms tightly around his waist, my happiness and joy overwhelming me. All the years of desolation, of self-hatred, and of despair, have culminated into the one thing that I truly wanted…and now here he is, in my arms and myself in his. I guess it is possible after all to change one's destiny, to rearrange the stars of fate. I was once a demon, a monster, a vampire if you will, that people hated, and that I myself hated. But part of that creature's creation was through my own emotional pain, and today I have been reborn. I was born an oni, and thus I will always be one in the flesh, but my spirit has finally been set free of that awful curse. I suppose that bleakness of sorrow and darkness has finally left my tortured spirit, and been replaced with joy and hope, and out of the darkness the light appears, and grows, forming a pair of angel wings. Soon I will be regenerated, both physically and emotionally, and all it took was his loving hands to rescue me from this cold, dark prison. But the emotional scars of the past still run deep, and only time will slowly suture them. I have something to look forward too, instead of always dreading every second that passed by, counting the hours until the universe came to an end, and my spirit along with it. My hope is renewed, my spirit is free, and I look to the day when I can walk, when I can talk, and when I can share my dreams with Tenchi. The one sincere dream I ever had is coming true within his arms, blossoming into a thousand more to come as the future arrives.

I love you Tenchi……now and forever…

My mind silently whispers to him that which I know he cannot hear, but somehow, I believe he can feel my thoughts and my emotions, for he holds on to me tighter, yet still being gentle with my fragile and weak frame. I respond by pulling him closer to me, taking in the beauty of his warmth and the reassurance of his embrace. Dreams come and go, and many turn to dust, but those that stay alive with hope, even in the deepest forgotten realm of a lost soul, will come true. I beheld mine in the palm of my hand, the very moment I took hold of his.

I close my eyes and see the edge of forever, as the dawn of a new day and a new life arises.

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Well, here's my second Tenchi+Ryoko fic. This one actually took quite longer to finish up on than I originally expected. I thought it would be nice to change the first episode of the OVA to fit Tenchi & Ryoko's relationship. Let me know what you think. Send all comments to [email protected]. Thanks for reading!