I love Washu/Ryoko fics! And this is probably my favorite of the whole bunch.
It's tough to figure out exactly what was going on between Ryoko and Washu, especially after finding that clip of Ryoko being strung up and tortured by Washu. They are complicated characters, and it takes quite a bit of ingenuity to guess how they would develop. You did a great job. I couldn't help but cry a little bit at the end.

AWW pore Ryoko and Washu.

There really needs to be more in depth Washu and Ryoko stories like yours; I really enjoyed the whole story. You put so much detail into it, I can picture everything as it goes along; Hope you bring forth more stories such as this one _. By the way, I absolutely loved the scenes with young Ryoko; you inspire me to continue my own fanfic.

That... was... so... beautiful!(nearly cries)

Loved your fic. It was very touching that I couldn't stop my tears from falling.

Very nice, very nice.

I always thought the Ryoko/Washu relationship was one of the most dynamic parts of the Tenchi universe, if only it had been explored more.

I want a re-do of that series so much, then I'll be able to get the DvD's :P

simply amazing

Well, I have to agree with the reviewer that said your characters were sort of OOC and that you mangled the group dynamic. It is a show that relies on the interactions of a strong ensemble cast of characters. You sort of threw that out the window, and I didn't think anyone was well IC, but Washu's approach to Ryoko and the whole scene with Ayeka's taunting seemed especially off.

However, it's cool that you wrote about Washu and Ryoko's relationship, which doesn't get as much development as it could in fanfics. Cute flashbacks, btw. Also, I liked Zero and Ryoko's internal discussion there, it made me laugh.

this was absolutely amazing! i was moved to tears at some parts. I love the image of ryoko and washu's relationship in ryoko's childhood. and how ryoko treated washu in the story was heart wrenching . excellent job -more tears- it was beautiful.

Well, since this was the prequel of the story you recently put up, and since its also older, I thought I would review this instead. It's placed in the OAV continuity with Yakage as a manga addition.

I'll admit I'm not a Ryoko fan so this story isn't targeted at me, nor do I think lengthy stories solely focused on one character really give good results. The anime is designed with Tenchi as the bicycle spoke everyone is attached too, however each character has/starts having an interpersonal relationship with all the others. Once one favorite girl is focused upon, it tends to throw things off in characterization like an unbalanced wheel with weights thown on one side.

This one story actually shares many themes and attributes of previous Ryoko/Washu stories that I don't find reconcile itself to the anime too well:

Unexplaind, Washu becomes the almost one-dimensional mother incessantly fixated only on the relationship between her and her daughter. No other relationships matter. The two do have an estangement, but in contrast to the story, Washu's approach to it seems to be a slow, guided, and often hands-off rehabilitation of her daughter towards society (and people around Ryoko) and Ryoko's self, and not just the bandaging of their intrapersonal relations to be recognized as the mother. Her provocative emergences as mother dearest seems to be like her provocations in anything else - challenging her targets - and her real moves misunderstood. She merged Ryoko with Zero for the explicit wish to get Ryoko in touch with Ryoko's "true" feelings. She bondaged up Ryoko in episode 13.5 to allow Ryoko to have empathy with Ryo-ohki feeling lost and alone a few episodes later and then take care of her. Ryoko herself having bondaged up Ryo-ohki for fish bait a little bit earlier, and other such neglect and Ryo-ohki having become a child recently herself.

Viewed in that fashion, and knowing Washu's own caring for Ryo-ohki, this can be seen as an action for all the people around her and not just one: her newfound family. Considering Washu's actions for Sasami (episode 9), Tenchi (episode 8), Ayeka (7,9) she could be viewed as acting as an ersatz mother to them all in one capacity or another.

Aeka, as typical, is denigrated into a minor, bitchy/snobby role here. The first encounter focuses on Washu noting on Aeka kissing up to her due to Ryu-oh, although it ignores that when Aeka originally asked, as soon as the Princess felt that Washu was yanking her chain about the matter, she promptly broke a pot over the scientist's head. Such chutzpah is what I think endeared Aeka to Washu in the first place and the two always treated each other with respect overall; with Aeka even volunteering to go after Ryoko/Zero in episode 10 and Washu thanking her. At the end here, we have Ayeka making fun of Ryoko calling Washu "mom" in her sleep and not letting it go, to the point of having Washu attack her. Which is odd, because this situation is just a blatant mirror of what Ryoko has done in episode 13 to Aeka when Misaki visited - except, unlike the earlier case, I feel here it is done solely to further the 'poor Ryoko' feeling, have OOC Supermom Washu swoop in as the selfless hero. It also ignores the entire dynamic throughout the OAV that tends to have Ryoko provoke/attack Aeka first and Aeka merely counterattacking when her emulated Funaho (dignified) guise can no longer be maintained and she has to let her Misaki-like nature through. Knowing this, Washu tends to stay out of it completely.

Ryoko tends to get the best treatment but it has the effect of distorting her character. She gets victimized and martyred by an explosion and Aeka for the purpose of eliciting sympathy in the audience and whitewashing the true rough spots in her character. That she also tends to lose interest in Tenchi is not uncommon in these stories, which has Tenchi invariably gain more interest in her in an interpretation that Tenchi treats her as he does because he is taking her attention for granted and not because of the way she goes about forcing his attention. He tends to be reciprocate positive attention and deflect negative although with a Japanese understanding what that constitutes, watching the anime with the japanese audio (english subtitles) helps simply with the honorifics used. Tenchi and Ryoko use no honorifics with each other IIRC, with Ryoko playing the part of the rude westerner (gaijin) while the other girls invariably follow protocol (Washu and Aeka most respectful) and get treated like guests they are in return.

This change in dynamic allows Ryoko to focus on the Washu relationship. It seems a bit like putting the cart before the horse - Ryoko spent years knowing and wanting to play Tenchi however only knows Washu by introduction (Kagato's ship). There's also the matter of her being a 5,0 year adult with another potential authority figure thrust upon her and suddenly wanting it.

She also becomes 'smart', somewhat intuitive to being Washu daughter, however this is counter to her shown actions (What is gas?, summoning a monster she can't control, etc), also the point of manipulating people easily (awkward with episode 7 showing her tricked by Sasami over a manga and Tenchi in general) and being able to play the violin. In moderation and equally distributed to all characters, these outside surprises wouldn't be bad in of themselves but it's like the others get cut down with their negative current actions and what elevates Ryoko aren't her actual actions but the outside, never-previously mentioned attributes and not what she does now.

that was amazing. You did a great job with this story! I really enjoyed it! Keep up the good work

*happy tears* This was good, really good. I'd love to read more fics like this.

I've been wanting to read something Ryoko/Washu related, and this one definitely quelled my thirst!

First of all, I want to say how wonderfully and smoothly you inserted all those heart-warming flash backs - bravo! You really nailed Ryoko and Washu's characters, and it was so realistic, the way you made them act and react. My only criticism is in regards to your ending - it ended almost TOO fast: personally, I found it a little hard to believe Ryoko would have such a quick change of heart, so if you ever plan to revise this lovely piece, maybe draw that phase out a bit? Just think of how long she's been fighting Washu off...

Otherwise, excellent work - keep writing! :D

In a word, AWESOME! I actually had tears in my eyes by the end of this. Great work!

That was so cute i love it!