Tenchi Muyo! Witch World
Episode 11: Father Knows The Leprechaun
"Greetings, ladies," smiled Ginji, bowing.
Kiyone and Mihoshi bowed right back.
"So what brings you to this neck of the woods?" asked Washu.
"How could I not come and see for myself if it's true? You and Ryoko are the big talk of the entire witch community, worldwide. Aside from that, there are a lot of people interested in how you did it, you know. Bringing Ryoko back to life, I mean."
"I imagine so!" laughed Washu. "It's not something that happens everyday, now, is it?"
"And," continued Ginji, "I was also asked by my little friend to bring him here, as a favor."
Ginji turned and gestured at the open doorway. A little fellow stood there, who no one had noticed before, since all eyes had been preoccupied with Ginji. He was about three feet tall, and had a red beard. His clothing was dark, and he held a matching cap in his hands. And he looked unhappy.
"Moy name is Liam," said the little fellow. "And in case ye couldn't tell, Oi'm a leprechaun."
"Wow," said Mihoshi. "You're not quite the way I always pictured you guys to look."
"Oi know," said the sad little guy. "Ye were expectin' a green suit, smokin' a poip, maybe dancin' a wee jig on the way in, Oi suppose."
"Yeah, something like that," agreed Mihoshi.
"Well, that's not all of us, lassie. And Oi don't know if Oi'll ever be oop to dancin' ever again, after whot Oi've done."
"Aw, things couldn't be all that bad, could they?" asked Mihoshi, placing her hands on her knees, so that she could bend down look the cute little guy in the eye.
"The truth is...the truth is...ah, damn. 'Twas me whot ratted out yer daughter," said Liam to Washu, before dropping his gaze to the floor in shame.
Ginji said, "Just hear him out before you come to any conclusions about him. Liam's really not a bad guy."
Liam took a deep breath. "Oi was once a wealthy fellow, loik moy brethren. Pot o' gold and everythin'. Set fer loif, Oi was. Beautiful woif. Luvely children. Then it happened..."
"Oi was takin' moy usual stroll through the wood, when Oi was accosted boy a tall man with a sack. He grabs me boy moy arm and tosses me into it. Fairly dented moy skull, when Oi hit bottom. Well, he carries me to his hoidout, and he gives me the thard degree. He wanted moy gold, and would stop at nothin' t'get it. Oi knew Oi'd never see moy family ever again, unless Oi gave it to him. So Oi did."
"True to his ward, the man let me go. But now, Oi was broke. When Oi troid to explain to moy dear woif whot had happened, she told me she'd have no choice but to leave me and take the children with her, unless I got the gold back! Believe me, Oi troid. But the man who robbed me was long gone."
"Oi made oop moy mind that if Oi was about t'lose everythin' Oi hold dear, Oi might as well go to the pub and drown moy sorrows with the last few pieces o' gold Oi had in moy pockets. That was when this luvely witch came in. Loif o' the party, she was. Kept tellin' everyone it was her reberthdee, so Oi turned to one o' moy mates and asked whot her story was. And he told me she was the legendary Ryoko, the witch who was hanged boy the humans in Japan. 'But,' I says to him, 'she looks quoit loively to me for a hanged woman.' And he tells me, 'Aye, and that information might be warth a pretty penny to the Champions of Humanity, don'tcha think?'"
"Though it grieves me to admit it, that was when Oi knew what I needed to do. 'Twas a simple choice, Oi thought at the time. All Oi had to do was get in contact with the Champions, foind out how mooch this information was warth to them, and maybe, just maybe, Oi could get moy loif back."
"And so it t'was. Moy woif was overjoyed. She told me how proud she was t'be married to a leprechaun who stood oop fer himself, and took back whot was his. Oi didn't tell her the truth o' how Oi really got that gold. And it has been eatin' away at me ever since. 'Tis dirty money, even if it did allow me t'keep moy family. Roight now, Oi only wish there was somethin' Oi could do t'make oop fer the grief Oi know Oi've caused ye."
Washu did feel sorry for the little fellow. It was obvious that he was sincere in the way he felt about what he had done. And it must have taken a lot for him to work up the courage to face the music like this.
"Well, Liam, you did what you did for the sake of family. I can relate," said Washu. "And maybe, it's all for the best, in the long run. I mean, how long could I hope to keep Ryoko being alive again a secret? At least after the trial, whatever the decision, we can put all of it behind us, and not live like fugitives. Tell ya what, can you stay in town for a few days? You may be able to help our case by the time the trial rolls around."
"Sure, an' Oi'm willin'. Boot Oi am new t'this part o'the warld, and don't know any places here that would poot me oop. Other than that, if Ginji would be so koind as to send moy family a note explainin' t'them that Oi'm foin and expectin' t'be busy far a few days, that t'would be grand."
Ginji placed a hand on the little fellow's shoulder. "You can stay with me, Liam. Washu knows where to reach me, if and when we might be needed. And I can handle your message easily."
To the ladies, he said, "I know it's late, so Liam and I will be on our way. We just wanted to let you know you've got our support, if you need it."
"Thanks, Gin. I'll be in touch," said Washu, "Speaking of messages, is there anything you want me to relay to Ryoko?
"Yes," said Ginji. "Tell her I'm sorry I missed her, especially when she was out partying. I would've enjoyed celebrating with her. There's so much I want to say to her."
"I'm sure of that," said Washu.
Everyone went outside to wave goodbye, as Ginji and Liam hopped back on Ginji's impressive-looking upright vacuum cleaner (which had a diamond-studded saddle on the handle), and took off with an impressive roar into the night sky.
Going back in, Mihoshi, Kiyone, and Tsunami said their goodnights and went to bed. Washu lingered a little while longer, downstairs.
"I noticed you were being awfully quiet, Ryoko," said Washu. "He clearly wants to see you, but from your silence, I gathered that you weren't ready to see him. That's why I didn't press the issue."
"So," came Ryoko's voice. "You divorced him while I was dead. That's explains a few things. But it doesn't explain why? You two always looked like you had a lot of fun together."
"We did. The trouble with Ginji is, he likes to have fun with everybody, particularly those of the female persuasion. That gave me only two choices. Put up and shut up. Or try to nag him into being something he's not. I just wasn't up for either one. But just because our marriage didn't work out, it doesn't mean we still can't be very good friends, does it?"
Ryoko sighed. "I suppose not. But for me, you gotta admit, it's a little different. I'm tied to him by blood. Oh, I can't complain about when I was little. He and I had great times that I'll never forget. But ever since the time I was a teenager, he just lost interest. Like he found better playmates, or something. I didn't even see him at my execution. That really hurt. And, like you. he didn't visit me once when I was haunting this house."
"He didn't know you were haunting it, for the most part," said Washu. "I thought it best not to tell him. And don't judge him based on the fact that he couldn't bear to watch you being hanged. Some just don't have the stomach to watch something like that, and be powerless to stop it. Of course, he did eventually hear about the legend of the Kobayashi house, and he did confront me about that. I had to make him promise not to disturb you, so for the rest of the time, he was staying away as a favor to me. Even though he didn't like it one bit."
"Well, if he really wants to come visit me, go ahead and tell him how. I'll be waiting right here. He may have a lot to say to me, but I have no idea what I'm supposed to say to him."
vvv
Next morning, Kiyone sent Tenchi off to work after breakfast. Ryo-Ohki dashed off to school disguised as Sasami, ready to brave another day. Washu and Tsunami took their positions on the sofa to continue discussing their case, with Ryoko's voice occasionally chiming in.
Kiyone took Mihoshi grocery shopping. When they came back, they found the witches still hard at work debating the fine points of witch law, and the witch/human peace treaty.
It was after the groceries had been put away, that Mihoshi had begun to act a little strange. First, she patted all her pockets. With a more worried look, she patted them all a second time.
"Oh, no!" she said, giving the kitchen floor, dining room floor, and living room floor several frantic once overs.
As the witches continued talking, they tried their best to ignore Mihoshi as she kept pushing her hands behind and underneath the sofa cushions.
"Oh, no, oh, no!" she kept repeating.
She ran upstairs to her room, where she proceeded to root through her belongings in the closet. Then she rummaged through her bed and pillow covers, and even looked under the mattress.
"Oh, no!"
She ran back downstairs. And almost into Kiyone, who was looking her sternly in the eyes.
"Did you lose something, Mihoshi?"
"Um...well...yes," said Mihoshi.
"Well, tell us what it is," said Kiyone. "Maybe we can help you find it."
"Well...it's...um...my notebook."
"Your what?"
"My notebook, Kiyone! The one I write all my journalistic observations in."
"Including the most recent ones? About Ryoko, and everything that's happened here?"
Mihoshi nodded. "It's all in there."
"You have absolutely no idea where it is?"
"Well, no..."
"Do you have any idea what someone who finds it can do?" asked Kiyone. "Steal the idea for my book! Turn this house into a tourist stomping ground! We'll have to move again!"
"I know! I'm sorry, Kiyone!"
"Sorry doesn't feed the bulldog!"
Washu said, "Chances are pretty good that if a typical human finds it, it'll just get laughed at and thrown out. But, depending upon what exactly you wrote in it, Mihoshi, if it should be found by a witch, or one of the champions of humanity, something like that could be used as damaging evidence against us at the trial. We have to find that notebook!"
TO BE CONTINUED (Only two more episodes left!)