Sasami was up earlier than usual, cooking breakfast ahead. It was just the
day after Washu had given them those tablets, and she was already itching
to use hers for something.
"I have to save it for something really important." she kept telling herself. Of course, it wasn't working. She had already burnt the eggs she was frying, and there was a lot of black smoke pouring from the frying pan.
"Oh no, the pancakes!" But by the time she had put out the small fire, she might as well have said "Oh no, the pile-of-inedible-black-ashes-sitting-in- the-bottom-of-the-frying-pan!"
As she poured the ashes away, she sighed, and her hand went to the pocket which she had put the tablet. "Will I be like this until I use it? Maybe I'd better ask Ayeka to hold onto it for me."
She put the frying pan next to the sink, and went to find Ayeka. Only when she was halfway up the stairs did she realise how early it was, and that Ayeka wouldn't be up yet.
As she went back to the kitchen, she noticed Ryo-oki sitting on the couch in the living-room, trying to get the remote control to work, so she went and sat down next to her. "Did I wake you up, Ryo-oki? I'm sorry. Here, let me." Sasami turned on the television. But all they got was static fuzz.
"Meeeeoooow." Ryo-oki moaned.
"Ohhhhhhhhh." Sasami moaned, imitating Ryo-oki. She giggled. "Come on, you can help me keep an eye on the cooking. I can't keep my mind on it today."
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
After they had whipped up some half decent pan-cakes, they went back to the television to try again. But when they tried it, the static was still there.
"Oh well. We'll do something else, okay Ryo-oki?"
"Meeeeow." Ryo-oki was obviously still sleepy.
Sasami picked the dozy cabbit up and put her on her lap. "Why don't you go to sleep, huh? Then we'll play later. Besides, no one else is up."
"Meooow!" Ryo-oki purred gratefully. Then, almost instantly, she fell asleep, a little snoring bundle of fur on Sasami's lap.
"Aww, poor Ryo-oki." Sasami gently tickled her under the chin, and Ryo-oki unconsciously began to cuddle her finger.
"I wonder what it's like to be a cabbit." Sasami's free hand felt for her pocket again. "Aww, but it only works for a humanoid figure." So she sat for a few minutes, stroking Ryo-oki, before a thought hit her.
"Oh, wait! Ryo-oki has a humanoid stage! But...I really should save it." She pulled out the pill, and looked at it. "Then again, Washu did say that they'd expire in a year, and if I wait too long I won't be able to use it. And maybe if I use it real soon after it was made, it'll last longer!"
Decided, she stood up, sending Ryo-oki tumbling onto the floor.
"Meeeeeow." Ryo-oki struggled to her feet, still half asleep.
Sasami ran into the kitchen, and poured herself a glass of water. Okay, she thought, Washu said to take it with water, didn't she?
As she downed the tablet, Ryo-oki plodded in, still looking tired, and feeling rather annoyed that Sasami should wake her up twice in one morning.
Sasami looked at her with a gleam in her eyes. "Guess what, Ryo-oki!"
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Ayeka stretched, and opened the door of her bedroom. She had thought she'd smelt burning earlier, but now she wasn't so sure. She'd been asleep after all, and dreams could be powerful things. She put on a dressing gown, and went to see if anyone else was up. Well, of course Sasami would.she was always the first up.
Unusually, Ayeka was feeling quite perky.
"I must have slept well. though I didn't sleep any longer than usual." she murmured as she went down the stairs.
As she passed the living room, she noticed that the television was on, and that the screen was filled with static.
"Hmm? Ryo-oki, is that you?" But when Ayeka looked over the couch, only the remote was there. Shrugging, Ayeka turned off the television, and went into the kitchen to greet her younger sister.
"Good morning Sa-" Ayeka looked around. "Sasami?" Then she noticed the pan- cakes. "Oh, she's up then. And I can't have smelt burning, because these pan-cakes are fine. But I wonder where Sasami is?"
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
At first, Ryo-oki had been a little spooked about Sasami's new appearance. But then so had Sasami. Eventually, however, they had both loosened up, and were now playing together out by Funaho.
"Mya!" cried Ryo-oki, leaping up onto Sasami's shoulder, then off again.
"Mya mya!" Sasami returned, giggling. This is fun!
Suddenly, Ryo-oki went running off through the trees. Grinning, Sasami gave chase. But even though they were both cabbits, it seemed that Sasami was slower when running on her two adult legs.
"Meeoow!" Wait! she cried. Obligingly, Ryo-oki jumped up onto a fallen log to wait. Sasami sat down next to her. "Mya meow meoow meeow mya mya meow?" How do you do that transforming thing?
Mentally, she caught Ryo-oki's message. Like this!
Sasami felt rather than saw how to copy Ryo-oki as she watched her turn to her toddler form. Concentrating, Sasami tried too. When she opened her eyes, she was definitely smaller.
"Meeeow?" she questioned.
Ryo-oki nodded approvingly, and then showed her how to transform back into the cabbit form. Sasami copied her. Now she was smaller still!
"Mya meow!" Thanks! Sasami said, feeling very pleased with herself. Seeing Ryo-oki off her guard, she jumped onto her back, crying "Mya-mya mya!" Catch me! Then she scampered on, followed by a delighted Ryo-oki.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
"I just can't understand where she could have gone to!" sobbed Ayeka.
"Don't worry, she'll turn up." Tenchi reassured her. He had been brought back from the carrot field to help find Sasami, but none of them could find the missing princess.
"Yeah, and besides, she's a lot stronger and mature than we give her credit for." Kiyone put a hot drink and a plate of warmed up pan-cakes in front of Ayeka. "Come on, eat something."
Ayeka looked up sharply, her face all teary and puffy. "How can you expect me to eat when my baby sister's missing? Not to mention the fact that she's the second princess of Jurai! This could start a riot up there! Think of the consequences!"
"Okay, Ayeka. Firstly, that really won't happen. Secondly, she'll be back in no time. Thirdly, starving yourself won't help one bit. So come on, eat something."
Reluctantly, Ayeka took a mouthful of her drink.
"Oh, Kiyone, you just don't understand!" Mihoshi piped up from the corner. "There's a poor little girl somewhere out there, she could be eaten by wolves, or monsters, or she might have been kidnapped, or dead somewhere already!"
Ayeka froze. Tenchi put his head in his hands, and Kiyone struggled to restrain herself from strangling Mihoshi.
"Mihoshi, it's probably best if you SHUT UP!" Kiyone hissed.
The door opened, and Ryoko and Washu came in.
Ayeka spun round. "Did you find her?"
Washu looked at the ground, leaving Ryoko to answer. "Sorry, Princess, but we couldn't find anything."
"Why should I trust a demon's word? It's probably you who kidnapped her, isn't that right!?"
"What? In case you've forgotten, Ayeka, it's you who I'd like to see hung, drawn and quartered, not Sasami!"
"So you're using her to get at me, is that it?" Ayeka was out of her seat now, despite Tenchi and Kiyone trying to pull her back down.
"Why would I do that? I'm already at you!" Ryoko yelled, starting forward, and pulling up her sleeves.
Washu held her back. "Okay, calm down. Fighting doesn't solve anything!"
"It gets Ayeka to shut up." Ryoko retorted, backing off anyway.
"Washu, did you notice anything at all?" Kiyone asked, finally managing to pull Ayeka back into her seat.
"There's not a trace of Sasami anywhere." Washu replied, shaking her head. "I think Ryo-oki's missing her too. She's been rushing around all over the place; it's amazing how fast she runs, popping up nearly everywhere simultaneously. It's like there's more than one of her, poor thing."
"Well, no one's found her yet, so what are we all doing here?" Ayeka was starting to sob again. "We have to find her soon!"
Washu scratched her head. "Was she acting strangely before she left?"
Ayeka frowned. "She was gone before I got up, so I don't-" She suddenly remembered what had woken her up. "Actually, I thought I smelt burning this morning."
"Oh, me too!" Mihoshi, who had fallen silent after her scolding, spoke up again. "Yeah, I smelt burning too! So, that means that.that.uh."
"She was distracted?" Kiyone finished Mihoshi's sentence. "But she managed a batch of pan-cakes."
"Well, how does that help!?" Ayeka was getting frantic now.
"Maybe she didn't get enough sleep." Tenchi suggested.
"She's always slept well enough before." Ayeka was obviously sceptical.
"Maybe," murmured Mihoshi, "she was excited about those pills. maybe she's already used hers."
Everyone turned to look at her.
"Or not." she shrugged.
"No, Mihoshi! That's a brilliant theory! What if she did?" Washu's face lit up.
"But who would she want to be?" Ayeka's question hung in the air.
"Let's go!" Washu dragged Ryoko out of the door, followed by Tenchi, Ayeka, and Kiyone. Mihoshi remained seated.
"Wow. I was only kidding."
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Sasami and Ryo-oki had been running all day. Now that the sun had gone down, they were back at Funaho, leaning against the large trunk.
"Mya, meow meeeeow meooow meeow!" That was sure fun! Sasami giggled.
"Meow!" agreed Ryo-oki.
They began to talk (or meow) about what they had done that day; how Washu and Ryoko had almost caught them, all the secret hiding places Ryo-oki had shown Sasami, Ryo-oki showing Sasami how to transform into each form, and altogether, how much fun they had had.
In the distance, they heard voice's calling their names.
Wow, everyone must be really worried, Sasami thought. But I'm having too much fun, and the tablet will last for ages yet. I'm not going back. Not now.
Suddenly, she had an idea. Wanting to keep quiet, she sent her idea mentally.
Hey, Ryo-oki! If you like racing, let's take it up a notch!
Liking the sound of it, Ryo-oki's ears picked up.
Sasami grinned. "Mya meow!" Let's go!
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
They had split up into teams of two; Ayeka had instantly grabbed Tenchi, and Washu had decided that Ryoko would be the most useful to her (bearing in mind that Tenchi had already been dragged off), which left Kiyone with Mihoshi.
"See anything yet, Mihoshi?"
"Uh, n-n-no, Kiyone. D-d-don't you think it's g-getting kinda dark?"
"Oh, Mihoshi! Come on, we have to find Sasami and Ryo-oki, now's not the time to get spooked out!" Kiyone lowered the carrot that she was carrying, and looked up in desperation. "Hey, look. Shooting stars."
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
"Myaaaaaaaa!" The cry rang across the sky. It was so sudden from the silence that Washu dropped the stick she was carrying. On the end of it, she had tied a carrot.
"Look, there they are! Up there!" she yelled.
"Yeah, like I can see them." Ryoko mumbled sarcastically. Washu had her carrying a huge basket of carrots, and the only view she had was of a wall of wicker.
"We need a ship to get to them unless they come down." Washu exclaimed to no one in particular. Ryoko answered anyway.
"Down from where?"
"We'd better find Kiyone and Mihoshi. We can use their Galaxy Police ships."
"Does that mean that I can put this down?"
"No, we'll need those for when they land."
"Damn."
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
"Look, Ayeka, there they are! They're in their ship form!"
"Sasami can't transform!" Ayeka had had just about enough. She was getting tired, despite her good sleep the night before, and was starting to wish that she'd eaten those pan-cakes after all.
Now she looked on with horror as she saw, what they thought to be, her sister flying across the night sky.
"How are we supposed to get her down?" Ayeka asked desperately.
"Well, I guess we wait for her to come down by herself. Come on, we can wait back at home. I'm sure there's a few pan-cakes going spare."
"Oh, Tenchi.that would be perfect. Well, nearly."
"What would make it perfect, then, Ayeka?" Tenchi looked down from Sasami and Ryo-oki to see that Ayeka had moved closer, and was staring at him.
"Well." She leant closer, and closed her eyes.
But the moment was spoilt by a large;
"MYAAAAAAAAAA!" from Sasami, a:
"MEOOOOOOOOOW!" from Ryo-oki, a:
"AAAAAAAAAAAA!" from Ayeka, and a loud crash.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Back at the house, Sasami was receiving a large scolding from Ayeka.
"How could you? Putting me through all that worry, and-"
"Mya!" Sasami protested. Ayeka only hesitated for a moment.
"I don't know what that means, but if that was an objection, be quiet! We were all worried sick, and you were off having a good time! I mean I'd expect that sort of behaviour from some people, but you!"
Sasami bowed her little cabbit head. She wanted to explain to them that she was sorry, and that she hadn't meant to scare them. But it all came out in 'meows'. Luckily, Tenchi jumped to her defence.
"Now Ayeka, calm down. She wasn't hurt, and obviously knew how to look after herself. And I'm sure that she didn't mean to scare you."
"Meow!" Sasami agreed.
"See? She only wanted to have some fun."
Ayeka seemed to soften, even though she struggled to maintain her frown. "Well she.but.I mean."
Feeling she should contribute towards her defence a little more, Sasami meowed pitifully. Ayeka frown melted away, and she ran over and clutched her somewhat bewildered sister in a tight hug.
"Oh, I forgive you! I'm so glad you're safe, Sasami!"
"Meoooow." cried a rather winded Sasami.
Washu intervened, and prised Ayeka from Sasami. "Heh, okay now. I'm all for family reunions, but funerals aren't that great."
"Myaaaa." moaned Sasami gratefully.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Sasami spent the night in her own room, locked up, just in case. Even so, Ryo-oki came in as she usually did to get settled on Sasami's bed.
Sasami was very glad to see her. She wanted to talk to someone who could understand her. Knowing she had to keep quiet, she called Ryo-oki mentally.
Today was fun, wasn't it? Except I kinda wish we could go outside for a little longer. Still, I guess I'm tired...
Gently, her head folded onto her chest, and her ears drooped to rest on the bed. Ryo-oki, not wanting to disturb her, slipped out quietly.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
That morning, when Sasami woke up late, she was back in her human form. Though she was disappointed, Sasami figured that it was for the best, after all the havoc she'd caused. Sighing, she went downstairs to cook breakfast. It had been fun while it had lasted.
"I have to save it for something really important." she kept telling herself. Of course, it wasn't working. She had already burnt the eggs she was frying, and there was a lot of black smoke pouring from the frying pan.
"Oh no, the pancakes!" But by the time she had put out the small fire, she might as well have said "Oh no, the pile-of-inedible-black-ashes-sitting-in- the-bottom-of-the-frying-pan!"
As she poured the ashes away, she sighed, and her hand went to the pocket which she had put the tablet. "Will I be like this until I use it? Maybe I'd better ask Ayeka to hold onto it for me."
She put the frying pan next to the sink, and went to find Ayeka. Only when she was halfway up the stairs did she realise how early it was, and that Ayeka wouldn't be up yet.
As she went back to the kitchen, she noticed Ryo-oki sitting on the couch in the living-room, trying to get the remote control to work, so she went and sat down next to her. "Did I wake you up, Ryo-oki? I'm sorry. Here, let me." Sasami turned on the television. But all they got was static fuzz.
"Meeeeoooow." Ryo-oki moaned.
"Ohhhhhhhhh." Sasami moaned, imitating Ryo-oki. She giggled. "Come on, you can help me keep an eye on the cooking. I can't keep my mind on it today."
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
After they had whipped up some half decent pan-cakes, they went back to the television to try again. But when they tried it, the static was still there.
"Oh well. We'll do something else, okay Ryo-oki?"
"Meeeeow." Ryo-oki was obviously still sleepy.
Sasami picked the dozy cabbit up and put her on her lap. "Why don't you go to sleep, huh? Then we'll play later. Besides, no one else is up."
"Meooow!" Ryo-oki purred gratefully. Then, almost instantly, she fell asleep, a little snoring bundle of fur on Sasami's lap.
"Aww, poor Ryo-oki." Sasami gently tickled her under the chin, and Ryo-oki unconsciously began to cuddle her finger.
"I wonder what it's like to be a cabbit." Sasami's free hand felt for her pocket again. "Aww, but it only works for a humanoid figure." So she sat for a few minutes, stroking Ryo-oki, before a thought hit her.
"Oh, wait! Ryo-oki has a humanoid stage! But...I really should save it." She pulled out the pill, and looked at it. "Then again, Washu did say that they'd expire in a year, and if I wait too long I won't be able to use it. And maybe if I use it real soon after it was made, it'll last longer!"
Decided, she stood up, sending Ryo-oki tumbling onto the floor.
"Meeeeeow." Ryo-oki struggled to her feet, still half asleep.
Sasami ran into the kitchen, and poured herself a glass of water. Okay, she thought, Washu said to take it with water, didn't she?
As she downed the tablet, Ryo-oki plodded in, still looking tired, and feeling rather annoyed that Sasami should wake her up twice in one morning.
Sasami looked at her with a gleam in her eyes. "Guess what, Ryo-oki!"
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Ayeka stretched, and opened the door of her bedroom. She had thought she'd smelt burning earlier, but now she wasn't so sure. She'd been asleep after all, and dreams could be powerful things. She put on a dressing gown, and went to see if anyone else was up. Well, of course Sasami would.she was always the first up.
Unusually, Ayeka was feeling quite perky.
"I must have slept well. though I didn't sleep any longer than usual." she murmured as she went down the stairs.
As she passed the living room, she noticed that the television was on, and that the screen was filled with static.
"Hmm? Ryo-oki, is that you?" But when Ayeka looked over the couch, only the remote was there. Shrugging, Ayeka turned off the television, and went into the kitchen to greet her younger sister.
"Good morning Sa-" Ayeka looked around. "Sasami?" Then she noticed the pan- cakes. "Oh, she's up then. And I can't have smelt burning, because these pan-cakes are fine. But I wonder where Sasami is?"
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
At first, Ryo-oki had been a little spooked about Sasami's new appearance. But then so had Sasami. Eventually, however, they had both loosened up, and were now playing together out by Funaho.
"Mya!" cried Ryo-oki, leaping up onto Sasami's shoulder, then off again.
"Mya mya!" Sasami returned, giggling. This is fun!
Suddenly, Ryo-oki went running off through the trees. Grinning, Sasami gave chase. But even though they were both cabbits, it seemed that Sasami was slower when running on her two adult legs.
"Meeoow!" Wait! she cried. Obligingly, Ryo-oki jumped up onto a fallen log to wait. Sasami sat down next to her. "Mya meow meoow meeow mya mya meow?" How do you do that transforming thing?
Mentally, she caught Ryo-oki's message. Like this!
Sasami felt rather than saw how to copy Ryo-oki as she watched her turn to her toddler form. Concentrating, Sasami tried too. When she opened her eyes, she was definitely smaller.
"Meeeow?" she questioned.
Ryo-oki nodded approvingly, and then showed her how to transform back into the cabbit form. Sasami copied her. Now she was smaller still!
"Mya meow!" Thanks! Sasami said, feeling very pleased with herself. Seeing Ryo-oki off her guard, she jumped onto her back, crying "Mya-mya mya!" Catch me! Then she scampered on, followed by a delighted Ryo-oki.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
"I just can't understand where she could have gone to!" sobbed Ayeka.
"Don't worry, she'll turn up." Tenchi reassured her. He had been brought back from the carrot field to help find Sasami, but none of them could find the missing princess.
"Yeah, and besides, she's a lot stronger and mature than we give her credit for." Kiyone put a hot drink and a plate of warmed up pan-cakes in front of Ayeka. "Come on, eat something."
Ayeka looked up sharply, her face all teary and puffy. "How can you expect me to eat when my baby sister's missing? Not to mention the fact that she's the second princess of Jurai! This could start a riot up there! Think of the consequences!"
"Okay, Ayeka. Firstly, that really won't happen. Secondly, she'll be back in no time. Thirdly, starving yourself won't help one bit. So come on, eat something."
Reluctantly, Ayeka took a mouthful of her drink.
"Oh, Kiyone, you just don't understand!" Mihoshi piped up from the corner. "There's a poor little girl somewhere out there, she could be eaten by wolves, or monsters, or she might have been kidnapped, or dead somewhere already!"
Ayeka froze. Tenchi put his head in his hands, and Kiyone struggled to restrain herself from strangling Mihoshi.
"Mihoshi, it's probably best if you SHUT UP!" Kiyone hissed.
The door opened, and Ryoko and Washu came in.
Ayeka spun round. "Did you find her?"
Washu looked at the ground, leaving Ryoko to answer. "Sorry, Princess, but we couldn't find anything."
"Why should I trust a demon's word? It's probably you who kidnapped her, isn't that right!?"
"What? In case you've forgotten, Ayeka, it's you who I'd like to see hung, drawn and quartered, not Sasami!"
"So you're using her to get at me, is that it?" Ayeka was out of her seat now, despite Tenchi and Kiyone trying to pull her back down.
"Why would I do that? I'm already at you!" Ryoko yelled, starting forward, and pulling up her sleeves.
Washu held her back. "Okay, calm down. Fighting doesn't solve anything!"
"It gets Ayeka to shut up." Ryoko retorted, backing off anyway.
"Washu, did you notice anything at all?" Kiyone asked, finally managing to pull Ayeka back into her seat.
"There's not a trace of Sasami anywhere." Washu replied, shaking her head. "I think Ryo-oki's missing her too. She's been rushing around all over the place; it's amazing how fast she runs, popping up nearly everywhere simultaneously. It's like there's more than one of her, poor thing."
"Well, no one's found her yet, so what are we all doing here?" Ayeka was starting to sob again. "We have to find her soon!"
Washu scratched her head. "Was she acting strangely before she left?"
Ayeka frowned. "She was gone before I got up, so I don't-" She suddenly remembered what had woken her up. "Actually, I thought I smelt burning this morning."
"Oh, me too!" Mihoshi, who had fallen silent after her scolding, spoke up again. "Yeah, I smelt burning too! So, that means that.that.uh."
"She was distracted?" Kiyone finished Mihoshi's sentence. "But she managed a batch of pan-cakes."
"Well, how does that help!?" Ayeka was getting frantic now.
"Maybe she didn't get enough sleep." Tenchi suggested.
"She's always slept well enough before." Ayeka was obviously sceptical.
"Maybe," murmured Mihoshi, "she was excited about those pills. maybe she's already used hers."
Everyone turned to look at her.
"Or not." she shrugged.
"No, Mihoshi! That's a brilliant theory! What if she did?" Washu's face lit up.
"But who would she want to be?" Ayeka's question hung in the air.
"Let's go!" Washu dragged Ryoko out of the door, followed by Tenchi, Ayeka, and Kiyone. Mihoshi remained seated.
"Wow. I was only kidding."
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Sasami and Ryo-oki had been running all day. Now that the sun had gone down, they were back at Funaho, leaning against the large trunk.
"Mya, meow meeeeow meooow meeow!" That was sure fun! Sasami giggled.
"Meow!" agreed Ryo-oki.
They began to talk (or meow) about what they had done that day; how Washu and Ryoko had almost caught them, all the secret hiding places Ryo-oki had shown Sasami, Ryo-oki showing Sasami how to transform into each form, and altogether, how much fun they had had.
In the distance, they heard voice's calling their names.
Wow, everyone must be really worried, Sasami thought. But I'm having too much fun, and the tablet will last for ages yet. I'm not going back. Not now.
Suddenly, she had an idea. Wanting to keep quiet, she sent her idea mentally.
Hey, Ryo-oki! If you like racing, let's take it up a notch!
Liking the sound of it, Ryo-oki's ears picked up.
Sasami grinned. "Mya meow!" Let's go!
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
They had split up into teams of two; Ayeka had instantly grabbed Tenchi, and Washu had decided that Ryoko would be the most useful to her (bearing in mind that Tenchi had already been dragged off), which left Kiyone with Mihoshi.
"See anything yet, Mihoshi?"
"Uh, n-n-no, Kiyone. D-d-don't you think it's g-getting kinda dark?"
"Oh, Mihoshi! Come on, we have to find Sasami and Ryo-oki, now's not the time to get spooked out!" Kiyone lowered the carrot that she was carrying, and looked up in desperation. "Hey, look. Shooting stars."
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
"Myaaaaaaaa!" The cry rang across the sky. It was so sudden from the silence that Washu dropped the stick she was carrying. On the end of it, she had tied a carrot.
"Look, there they are! Up there!" she yelled.
"Yeah, like I can see them." Ryoko mumbled sarcastically. Washu had her carrying a huge basket of carrots, and the only view she had was of a wall of wicker.
"We need a ship to get to them unless they come down." Washu exclaimed to no one in particular. Ryoko answered anyway.
"Down from where?"
"We'd better find Kiyone and Mihoshi. We can use their Galaxy Police ships."
"Does that mean that I can put this down?"
"No, we'll need those for when they land."
"Damn."
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
"Look, Ayeka, there they are! They're in their ship form!"
"Sasami can't transform!" Ayeka had had just about enough. She was getting tired, despite her good sleep the night before, and was starting to wish that she'd eaten those pan-cakes after all.
Now she looked on with horror as she saw, what they thought to be, her sister flying across the night sky.
"How are we supposed to get her down?" Ayeka asked desperately.
"Well, I guess we wait for her to come down by herself. Come on, we can wait back at home. I'm sure there's a few pan-cakes going spare."
"Oh, Tenchi.that would be perfect. Well, nearly."
"What would make it perfect, then, Ayeka?" Tenchi looked down from Sasami and Ryo-oki to see that Ayeka had moved closer, and was staring at him.
"Well." She leant closer, and closed her eyes.
But the moment was spoilt by a large;
"MYAAAAAAAAAA!" from Sasami, a:
"MEOOOOOOOOOW!" from Ryo-oki, a:
"AAAAAAAAAAAA!" from Ayeka, and a loud crash.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Back at the house, Sasami was receiving a large scolding from Ayeka.
"How could you? Putting me through all that worry, and-"
"Mya!" Sasami protested. Ayeka only hesitated for a moment.
"I don't know what that means, but if that was an objection, be quiet! We were all worried sick, and you were off having a good time! I mean I'd expect that sort of behaviour from some people, but you!"
Sasami bowed her little cabbit head. She wanted to explain to them that she was sorry, and that she hadn't meant to scare them. But it all came out in 'meows'. Luckily, Tenchi jumped to her defence.
"Now Ayeka, calm down. She wasn't hurt, and obviously knew how to look after herself. And I'm sure that she didn't mean to scare you."
"Meow!" Sasami agreed.
"See? She only wanted to have some fun."
Ayeka seemed to soften, even though she struggled to maintain her frown. "Well she.but.I mean."
Feeling she should contribute towards her defence a little more, Sasami meowed pitifully. Ayeka frown melted away, and she ran over and clutched her somewhat bewildered sister in a tight hug.
"Oh, I forgive you! I'm so glad you're safe, Sasami!"
"Meoooow." cried a rather winded Sasami.
Washu intervened, and prised Ayeka from Sasami. "Heh, okay now. I'm all for family reunions, but funerals aren't that great."
"Myaaaa." moaned Sasami gratefully.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Sasami spent the night in her own room, locked up, just in case. Even so, Ryo-oki came in as she usually did to get settled on Sasami's bed.
Sasami was very glad to see her. She wanted to talk to someone who could understand her. Knowing she had to keep quiet, she called Ryo-oki mentally.
Today was fun, wasn't it? Except I kinda wish we could go outside for a little longer. Still, I guess I'm tired...
Gently, her head folded onto her chest, and her ears drooped to rest on the bed. Ryo-oki, not wanting to disturb her, slipped out quietly.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
That morning, when Sasami woke up late, she was back in her human form. Though she was disappointed, Sasami figured that it was for the best, after all the havoc she'd caused. Sighing, she went downstairs to cook breakfast. It had been fun while it had lasted.