Chapter 1: No Need for an Orphan

Author’s suggestion:   Please listen to “Ayeka Bojo” while reading to capture the feeling of this story.

I remember the day my parents died. There was a huge fire and they were burned. I though escaped through the fire escape but it was blocked after my escape. I was so sad. Then the insurance agent told me I was to leave my home in the U.S, and I was to go live with my only living relative, my uncle Nobuyuki. He had a son, my cousin Tenchi Masaki. I loved my cousin Tenchi, he and I were so close for he had no brothers or sisters neither did I. So we were Very close. He treated me like a little sister, and I a loving big brother. I packed all of my remaining things, some clothing and some of my parent’s things. I made sure Mom’s locket was around my neck, in it was a picture of Mama and Dad holding me when I was only five. That was two years ago. Now I was seven. I boarded the plane on it’s way to Japan where Tenchi lived. I took more than one day and I slept heavily. Then I heard the announcement that we were going to land in Japan in five minutes. I got my things ready. Then it was time to leave the plane. I looked around and saw a very familiar face! I cried as I ran to the face. I leapt and wrapped my arms around Tenchi’s neck. I cried and cried. Tenchi realized who I was and hugged me “Shh, Marianna you’re safe now,” Tenchi said softly. A couple of minutes later we were on our way to the Masaki shrine. When I got there Tenchi rushed me to my room. It was large and had a huge window and viewed the Masaki lake. “Oh Tenchi it is wonderful!” I cried hugging Tenchi again. Then I saw the strangest lady I have ever seen! She was tall and had light blue spiky hair down to her shoulders. “Oh! Tenchi who is this?” she cried. “Oh Ryoko you remember me telling you about my cousin? Well this is she. Ryoko meet Marianna,” Tenchi said. I got to become very fond of Ryoko. I also became fond of the other girls, Ayeka, Sasami, Mihoshi, Kiyone and Washu. One night I had a horrible dream. I dreamed of my parents dying. I cried. Suddenly I felt a hand on my shoulder. I woke up crying “Mama, Mama!” I cried. Tenchi hugged me tight. “Marianna, it’s a bad dream wake up!” Tenchi said softly. I looked up at him with lonely, scared, sad eyes. “Oh Tenchi I hate it, being here in the dark all by myself!” I explained. Tenchi smiled “I can fix that.” A couple of minutes I had moved my things into Tenchi’s room. I was okay for now! After Tenchi tucked me in I fell asleep. The next morning I awoke very early. I got up and got dressed. (in another room ^-^) Then I walked around the Shrine territory. I decided to go up to the shrine building. On the way I saw a pillar. I read Japanese. It was the grave of my aunt Achika! I said a quiet prayer then I felt a hand on my shoulder, it was Katsuhito my grandfather. Then with calm words he led me back to the house. Tenchi met me saying how worried he was that I had gotten lost. Sasami had made a wonderful breakfast of waffles she got from my mom’s recipe book I had brought. One day Tenchi and I were gardening when I gasped. “Tenchi look!” I gasped. Tenchi walked over. He smiled. “Oh Marianna it’s an orange rose,” Tenchi explained. “Wow I’ve never seen it, it’s so beautiful, Tenchi!” I cried. Then I left to explore. Tenchi looked at the rose then at me. That night I had the strangest dream. I was standing on one side of the mirror on the other side, I saw a girl wearing light purple. In her hand was a light purple, light sword. Then the girl turned from me and fought a guy in a black robe. On the top of some stairs in a prison. Then I would awake. That night I was a little worried to go to sleep. I told Tenchi. “Well I was going to save this but now would be a good time to give this to you Marianna!” he said and took a handkerchief from his pocket. I took and opened it. It was the orange rose! I began to cry. “Oh Tenchi this is the best gift I have ever been given!” I cried. “Now Marianna this present does come with a promise! Repeat after me, I Marianna promise by this rose to find true happiness and to be happy, I promise this by this rose,” he said. I repeated this then I went to sleep. The next day was my birthday I turned eight! Sasami made me a wonderful cake. It was a white cake. I, was given gifts by every one. Washu, a watch, Ayeka and Sasami, had me a dress, Mihoshi, a doll, Kiyone, a young police dress up uniform, Tenchi gave me a bracelet that said “best” his bracelet said “cousins.” Then Grandpa gave me some shrine clothes, uncle helped too. Then slowly Ryoko approached me and knelt on her knee in front of me. She looked deep in my eyes. She gave me a big hug. “Oh Marianna, it’s only a little, but it’s special to me and I hope it’ll be special too you to,” she said to me softly. Then I was given a box. I slowly opened it and I saw a beam of light. I looked at it and I saw a silver chain. In the middle of it was an orange rose symbol. “Oh Ryoko I’ll treasure it forever!” I said. I hugged Ryoko tight. The others were astonished. The years passed. I turned nine, then ten, then eleven. I kept the promise of the orange rose. I wore Ryoko’s necklace on my neck every day. As I turned twelve the dreams I had continued. Tenchi and I grew ever so close and I continued to wear the bracelet he gave me. My once short brown, curly, hair was now long enough to put it up in a pony tail. Then one day as Tenchi and I were gardening a space ship appeared. It beamed down on Tenchi. I screamed as he was suddenly beamed up. “Tenchi!!!” I screamed. “Marianna remember the promise of the orange rose, Marianna!” he screamed. I ran inside to tell Ryoko, and Ayeka. Ayeka cried out loud. “Ayeka don’t worry, we’ll bring him back!” I said. “No Marianna we’ll all go,” Ryoko said. We all got ready and boarded Kiyone’s Yagami. We tracked the ship into deep space. Katsuhito was worried. He talked it over with the rest of the group. “Everyone I think it’s time to tell her, Ayeka do you agree?” he asked. “Yes, Yosho, it’s time,” Ayeka said.

Author’s notes:
Well sorry to leave you in a lurch like that every body. Will the heroines get Tenchi back? What will happen between Marianna and Ryoko, has Marianna finally softened Ryoko’s heart, what is the extra secret Yosho was talking about? Look for it in the next chapter, “No Need for Mysteries and Answers!” It’s unquestionably Mystery revealing! Mind you EVERY ONE ECEPT MARIANNA ARE NOT MINE. PIONEER OWNS TENCHI AND THE GANG. I MADE MARIANNA UP. Thanks
Mariel