Just Another Day, part 2
By Kali
Author's forward: Ayeka and Ryoko get a little carried away watching a soap. While Washu comes to a realization.
"That man is such a pigheaded jerk!"
"Yeah!" Ayeka heartily agreed.
"How dare he force the adoption issue! He accuses Phillip of being a control freak, but he's being just as stubborn and pigheaded! What a hypocrite!"
"Huh? What are you talking about, Ryoko? Phillip is the control freak. Jim's just trying to protect his family."
"Are you watching the same show I'm watching!?" Ryoko and Ayeka yelled in unison. Each pointing a finger towards the other.
"Guys, look! Phillip's taking his shirt off!" Mihoshi piped in enthusiastically.
"Oooh, a love scene. I love those. Soooo romantic," Ayeka swooned.
"Not to mention, sexy!" Ryoko agreed. "Of course, the actor's great build definitively helps matters."
"Ooh, yeah. To be his wife. Lucky woman."
"Soooooo, Ayeka, are you saying that you might be interested in another man besides Tenchi?"
"I did not say that! All I said was that I admired the man's body," Ayeka said, but then pondered her words for a moment. She had, just 45 minutes earlier, accused a director of another soap of being 'booby cam' happy. "Oh my, did I...... what did I..... hmmmph! Well there is nothing wrong with admiring other people, and he's married, so it's a moot point. Besides, you were ogling him too!"
"That was soooooooo romantic," Mihoshi commented, her eyes misted over.
"Huh, it's over? What did we miss?" Ayeka asked.
"Well, Phillip told Harley that he was very sorry for the way he treated her, and promised to do anything in his power to correct his mistakes. And........" Mihoshi started. She proceeded to give Ayeka and Ryoko a very detailed description of the scene. Reciting the dialogue practically word for word, and describing the actors movements during the love scene to a tee.
"Well, at least with her around, we don't need to worry about setting the VCR to record," Ryoko commented. Ayeka nodded in agreement.
A photographic memory. Mihoshi has a photographic memory. Perhaps she isn't the idiot everyone thinks her to be, Washu pondered as she watched the three women, from a distance. Her eyes then focused on her daughter as she chatted with the Princess of Jurai. It's amazing how well Ryoko and Ayeka get along when they aren't fighting over Tenchi. Perhaps, it would be best if I got Tenchi's love? Then they wouldn't have anything to tear each other apart over. Or maybe, it would be better to let the three of them work it out on there own?
With the commercial ending, the girls' focus returned back to the television screen.
"Oh, we're back to Jim, the dimboy, and his arrogant, self-serving ways," Ryoko sighed. "Why can't he see Phillip's side of things?"
"You mean, 'Me, me, me' boy?"
"Hey! Beth is the 'Me, me, me' one. She just completely glosses over his past. All the pain and grief surrounding his adoption issues. What a selfish bitch!"
"You're just siding with Phillip, because you are as selfish, and self-centered as he is," Ayeka snidely commented.
"Ayeka!" Ryoko growled.
"Um guys, you do realize that you're talking about fictional characters, right?" Kiyone asked. Having entered the room to try and talk to Mihoshi about an upcoming Galaxy Police conference call. She hadn't wanted to get into the midst of a heated debate.
"Just what are you implying, Kiyone?" Ayeka asked.
"Yeah, I don't like that condescending tone. We watch, because it's a nice way to unwind after a hard day."
"A, you two never work. B, it's only one-forty in the afternoon."
"So?"
"'So'?!" Kiyone spouted, incredulous.
"Just because we don't work, doesn't mean we don't have hard days. We've had to fight enemies like Kagato, and others. Our life isn't as easy as you make it out to be."
"Ryoko's right, Kiyone. And despite what you may think, we have no trouble telling fiction from reality. That's Mihoshi problem, not ours."
"Maybe you're right. Maybe I've been hanging out with Mihoshi too long. Maybe....... oooh, who's he?"
"That's Phillip Spaulding. Sometimes bad guy, sometimes good guy, but all around major hunk of Guiding Light."
"Ooooh, he is good-looking. Is he, the actor I mean, married?"
"Yep."
"Darn."
"Phillip's currently being a control freak, and trying to steal his ex-wife's baby from her."
"What Ayeka's neglecting to mention, is that it's his baby too. I really fail to see how someone with as many issues regarding adoption as he has, is a selfish bastard for trying to keep his parental rights regarding the baby. I mean, geez, what planet are you from, that you can't see that?"
"Jurai."
"It was a rhetorical question, Ayeka."
"I knew *that*, Ryoko. I just didn't like your tone."
"The point I'm getting at, is that it isn't right to force someone into giving up their parental rights!"
"No. No, it isn't right. It's never right to force a parent against his, or her, will to give up a child," Washu commented softly, her voice quivering slightly.
"Miss Washu? I'm sorry, I did not mean........."
"I know..."
"Wa.......... um........Mom, are you okay? I mean this stuff with Mihoshi and all........"
"Yeah, I'm fine. I mean, I find my long lost great-granddaughter...... or is that great-great granddaughter?" Washu shook her head firmly. "No, that doesn't matter. What matters is, I promised myself that if I ever found my family, that I would accept them, for who they were. I wouldn't judge them based on 'social status', or anything else, like I was. And what do I do?"
"It's okay, Miss Washu..... I mean great-grandma........or......"
"Just call me Washu."
"But that's disrespectful, and I don't want to be disrespectful......."
"Please," Washu begged. "Or if you must, just call me 'mom'."
"But you're my......." Mihoshi started, clearly confused.
"Please?"
"Not wanting to acknowledge your true age, Miss Washu?"
"I'm too young to be a grandma."
"When pigs fly," Ayeka groaned.
"That can be arranged," Washu responded.
"Okay, 'Mom'. Hey Ryoko! Does this make us sisters now?"
"Mihoshi!" Kiyone groaned, and headed off back towards their ship for the 'call'. If her superiors had any questions regarding Mihoshi's whereabouts, she'd just say she was indisposed. It was even the truth.
"No, she's still you're great-aunt," Washu stated calmly. She was determined to establish a relationship with her new found family. If that meant tolerating idiotic questions, so be it.
"Oh, so it's okay for you to deny your age, but not me," Ryoko complained.
"Ryoko, don't talk back to your mother. It's rude," Ayeka scolded.
"Ayeka!" Ryoko exclaimed, then muttered under her breath, "Hypocrite."
"What did you call me, Ryoko?"
"What do you think, Princess?"
"Not again!" Mihoshi wailed.
"Some things never change," Washu observed. "And that's a good thing!"
"Hey, lunch is ready!" Tenchi called out as he entered the room. "Sorry, it's so late, but Sasami and I just got back from the store."
"All right!" Mihoshi giggled. "My stomach was growling up a storm!"
"Mihoshi, if you would please sit by me, I have some questions regarding our family."
"Sure, Mom! I'd be happy to!"
"'Mom'?" Tenchi questioned. Looking at Washu in disbelief.
"Long story," Washu shrugged.
Tenchi sighed. Well, at least Washu's starting to accept the truth.
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The following day, things were more or less back to their usual grind.
"Okay, now Ryo-Ohki, I want you to give this note to Tenchi," Ayeka requested, as she knelt before the floppy-eared cabbit sitting before her. The cabbit, who was eyeing her with a rather strong look of disdain.
"Miyaa," Ryo-Ohki said in refusal.
"I'll give you a carrot."
"Miyaa!" Ryo-Ohki repeated, still steadfast in her stance. She remembered the last time Ayeka had promised her carrots for delivering something to Tenchi. She had forgotten all about her, and her poor little tummy, had to go hungry.
"This time, I promise. On my word, as Sasami's sister. I'll even give you a carrot in advance," Ayeka assured the skeptical cabbit.
"Miyaa?" Ryo-Ohki asked, as she started to regard Ayeka with her hopeful, carrot-hungry gleam.
"Uh-huh," Ayeka nodded.
"Miyaa! Miyaa!!" Ryo-Ohki happily agreed. Romping around Ayeka in circles.
Ayeka giggled, as the cabbit rubbed up against her. "You really are something else. As pure as the morning dew. How could I ever have possibly hated you?"
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Fresh on the start of her mission for Ayeka, Ryo-Ohki barely heard the call of her mistress, until she was right on top of her. Literally.
"Ryo-Ohki, I need you to do me a favor."
"Miyaa?" Ryo-Ohki asked, dropping Ayeka's note. Fortunately, the letter fell, writing side down, so Ryoko didn't see who it was addressed to. Otherwise, her mistress might have gotten quite angry. Not a sight, Ryo-Ohki enjoyed. She preferred seeing her smiling, and joyful.
"I need you to deliver this to Tenchi."
"Miyaa," Ryo-Ohki mewed softly. Not another note. Please, not another note, she mewed.
"I'll give you tons of carrots, and I'll even be civil to Nagi so you can spend some quality time with Ken-Ohki, next time he's in the solar system."
"Miyaa?!" Ryo-Ohki asked, incredulous. Ryoko had been trying to get her to stop moping over Ken-Ohki, find another fish (or cabbit, as it were), in the milky way, as she always liked to put it. But now, now she was willing to be open minded? "Miyaa! Miyaa!" Ryo-Ohki romped around Ryoko in glee.
"Good, girl, Ryo-Ohki! Now be sure to deliver this to him, by 7 p.m. Okay?"
"Miyaa!!" Ryo-Ohki exclaimed, still filled to the brim with happiness barely contained.
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It wasn't until she reached Tenchi's door, that she realized the potential complications of delivering both notes. Ryo-Ohki didn't know what to do. She liked both of them. Adored both of them, actually. Even when Ryoko fed her peppers, she never could stay mad at her. She was her mistress, and something more. They had a kinship that stretched back for centuries. But, Ayeka was Sasami's sister, and to betray Ayeka, would be to betray Sasami.......... "Miyaaaaaaaaaa!" Ryo-Ohki wailed, tears starting to stream out of her tiny little eyes.
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Must concentrate! The test's tomorrow. If I don't pass it, Grandpa will have my head. Or at least, he'll force me to........ Wait, what's that noise? Crying? Mixed with mewing? Ryo-Ohki?! Tenchi focused on the sound of the crying cabbit. He found her sitting just outside his bedroom doorway. Two envelopes, one pink, the other powder blue, laying in front of her. "Ryo-Ohki? What's wrong?"
"Miyaa, Miyaa!" Ryo-Ohki visibly brightened at the sight of Tenchi. She didn't have to betray either of them now.
"Are those for me?"
"Miyaa."
"They're from Ayeka, and Ryoko, aren't they?" Tenchi asked, already knowing the answer. He picked them up, and weighed both envelopes in his hand. It felt as if the weight of the world was on his shoulders.
"Miyaa," Ryo-Ohki admitted, studying Tenchi's solemn expression. She hated to see him hurting like this.
Tenchi sighed, "I don't know what I want. Or, who I want. I just need some air to breathe. To think. The last thing I want, is to hurt either of them."
"Miyaa."
"Yeah, they're both great. Each special in their own way. But there are complications, too. I know marrying relatives is acceptable on Jurai, even encouraged. But here on earth, well......... Then there is Ryoko. To say we didn't meet under the friendliest of terms, is an understatement to say the least."
"Miyaa."
"I just need to think. We all need to look at this situation with a clear head. Of course, with Dad and Grandpa encouraging things, that's a bit hard to do. But Mom, she would understand. I wish..... I wish she were here.
"Miyaa," Ryo-Ohki added, with a sympathetic undertone.
"You're a good listener, you know that, Ryo-Ohki?"
"Miyaa!"
"C'mon, let me get you some carrots for your trouble," Tenchi said, as he smiled down at the cabbit.
"Miyaa, miyaa, miyaa!" Ryo-Ohki exclaimed, as she lovingly romped around Tenchi's feet.
"You know, you haven't used your humanoid form much lately, Ryo-Ohki. Why is that? You don't like Washu's language lessons?"
"Miyaa," Ryo-Ohki shrugged. She had found it hard to grasp the pronunciation of the words, so far only being able to say her own name, 'carrot', and a few other words, including 'Tenchi' and 'Sasami'. Washu had been very patient and understanding with her. Motherly, in fact. But ,she still felt a little strange about the whole thing. Her OS had been programmed with the ability to translate hundreds of different languages throughout the galaxy, but actually speaking those languages, was another matter entirely.
"Would you like me to help out? I have an English test tomorrow, but I think we could study together. Don't you?"
"Miyaa!" Ryo-Ohki exclaimed. But then the realization hit her, what about Ryoko and Ayeka? Her eyes started to well up with tears again, and she pointed her paw towards the envelopes lying on the floor.
"Don't worry, Ryo-Ohki. I'll talk to them first. Tell them how I feel. Then we can study, okay?"
"Miyaa!!"
Disclaimer: All Tenchi characters are the property of their respective creators. The soap Ayeka, Ryoko, Kiyone, and Mihoshi were watching, Guiding Light, is the property of P & G Productions. This little fan fic is meant as pure, harmless fun, and as such no profit is being made from it.