Confession
It wasn't unusual for the girls to spend their free time in the lab. Usually they are there to watch TV, eat snacks, look at the latest magazines, read the latest manga, do homework, engage in small talk, basically do all the stuff that they could easily do in their own homes!
This time however the girls aren't here to do any of that stuff. The cheerful atmosphere no longer existed as the girls sat and waited to tell Professor Utonium something that they would rather keep to themselves.
"We're doing the right thing aren't we?" Miyako asked, voicing the question that was on Momoko's and Kaoru's mind, "I mean we should tell him, right?"
Momoko couldn't help cast her eyes down to the floor while she rubbed her own arm nervously. "We can't keep it from him forever. We'll have to tell him eventually."
"Besides, he can't really do anything about it." Kaoru's offhand remark received an odd look from Momoko and Miyako, who were unsure about what she was implying. "I mean it's not like he's our dad or anything!" she elaborated.
Even though they decide that it would probably be best to just tell the Professor about it and get it over with, they can't help but feel as if they were waiting for the Grim Reaper himself. This was probably due to the advice Ken gave when they consulted him about it.
"YOU DON'T TELL HIM ANYTHING! NOT EVER! NOT EVEN IF EVERYTHING TURNS OUT WELL AND YOU GET MARRIED! NOT EVEN IF EVERTHING GOES REALLY BADLY AND THEY BREAK YOUR HEARTS! NOT EVEN IF PAPA IS AT DEATH'S DOOR AND IT'S YOUR LAST CHANCE TO MAKE ANY LAST MINUTE CONFESSIONS! YOU MUST KEEP HIM IN THE DARK ABOUT THE ENTIRE THING!"
The girls couldn't quite understand why though. After all it's not as if the Professor reacted that badly to the story of Miyako's first love.
"Well you weren't around when Momoko told us that she might of been in love with that Sakamoto kid - da wan." Peach explained while shuddering at the memory. "He went ballistic!"
"If you tell papa that you're in love with monsters, EVIL monsters, he'll go postal for sure!"
Still. Even if Ken's right and the Professor does react that badly he'll surely react even worse if they don't tell him and he somehow finds out by himself!
Professor Utonium entered the lab with Ken and Peach behind him. "Hello girls." the Professor said cheerfully but his face melted into concern when he noticed the girl's downcast expressions. "Is something the matter?"
Momoko shook her head "No... We're fine... It's just... Professor we have something important to tell you." Ken and Peach were certain on where this was going and started to wave their arms franticly in a 'don't do it' motion.
"You better take a seat." Miyako said, taking hold of the Professor's hand. At this point Ken and Peach started to move anything that the Professor could throw, smash or use as a weapon in any shape or form.
With the Professor seated the girls exchanged glances, trying to figure out where to start. The girls worked out what they were going to say to the Professor ahead of time and it sounded so perfect before. But now at the moment of truth they couldn't get the words out. What they wanted to say no longer sounded as good as it did back then.
"Professor," Miyako finally began, "You know you mean the world to us. We would never intentionally try to hurt you."
"But you have to understand that we're not little girls and that we're not your responsibility," Momoko added. "And as much as we appreciate that you want to protect us, you should know when to let go."
Professor Utonium nodded, figuring out where this was heading. "Go on..." he said as he prepared himself for the worst. Ken and Peach were also prepared for the worst as they had flipped a table on its side and are now hiding behind it, using it as a makeshift blast shield.
The girls stalled for a while, unable to think of where to go from there. Kaoru shut her eyes tightly, clenched her fists and just blurted it out.
"Professor. We're in love with the Rowdyruff Boys!"
An outside observer would have described the Professor's face as 'priceless'. It looked as if his brain suddenly exploded. His hands started to squeeze tightly around the arm rests.
"Only with our counterparts! It's not like we're having a six way orgy or anything!" Momoko quickly explained, attempting to diffuse the situation. But it didn't seem to work and now the girls were trying to work out if they had enough time to join Ken and Peach behind the table!
Then suddenly, the Professor's grip softened and his expression became considerably brighter. "That's fine!" This got a rather audible 'ehhh?' from everyone in the room. "You're right, you're not little girls. And considering what the Rowdyruff Boys did to you in the past you wouldn't just randomly trust them without good reason. I'm just glad you decided to tell me about it."
The girls gave a sigh of relief. "And now if you'll excuse me," Professor Utonium said while getting up, "I have to go to storage room 'Z' for reasons completely unrelated to what you just told me." And with that the Professor left.
"I'm glad that's over." Miyako sighed with her hands to her chest.
"And you thought he would go postal," said Kaoru while playfully elbowing Ken.
"Girls, we better get going too," said Momoko. "We don't want to be late for our triple date!"
And so with a 'farewell' the girls left the lab leaving Ken and Peach who were still in disbelief at the Professor's reaction (or more accurately his lack of reaction)!
"Well, that went surprisingly well - da wan!" Peach said, breaking the silence.
Ken could only nod "Yeah, I never thought I would actually live to see the day when papa would approve of the girls dating! I guess he's more mature then we gave him credit for."
Ken and Peach started to make their way to the kitchen to make lunch. However Peach stopped when a horrid thought crossed his mind.
"Peach," said Ken when he noticed the digital dog's worried expression. "What's wrong? Is it a monster?"
Peach shook his head. "Storage room 'Z'... What do we keep in their anyway - da wan?
Ken brought his thumb and index finger to his chin while he pondered at that question. "Just the girl's spare costumes and our Pow..." Ken stopped mid-sentence when he figured out what Peach was thinking.
Their Powerpuff Boy Z costumes!
The Utonium Z battle suit!
"I don't suppose there's anyway for us to deactivate that thing from here is there?"