====================
Flowering Potential.
====================
C&C can be sent to cobalt@elhazard.net . Flames should be writen down on pieces of paper
and burned. You'll feel a whole lot better.
Disclaimer: I do not own the series depicted within, but go buy it anyway.
Conventions:
~ ~ are used for thoughts and Telepathic communication.
The series is archived at http://www.lum.co.uk/cobalt/
#########
Chapter 6
#########
Tenchi felt a lot better that Funaho's and Misaki's ships were hidden away. The lecture
wasn't too long, and even Misaki had agreed that it was for the best. The ships were now
safely waiting in subspace, and the gang had helped out with the unpacking. The host and
Woman of the house had apologised about the poor arrangements, admitting that it might be
too crowded around here these days.
Funaho was more than aware that now was not a good time to try and get Tenchi to move to
Jurai.
Most of the gang had not seen the two Queens in anything other than their robes, but when
the two had come downstairs for an early dinner they were wearing the sort of relaxed Juraian
clothes Ayeka and Sasami usually wore these days. Sasami hadn't let Tenchi change, much
to her chagrin and everyone else's delight. This Tenchi was very nice to look at.
"This is delicious Sasami." Misaki complimented her daughter.
Sasami blushed.
"She enjoys it." Kiyone said, covering for the still blushing princess.
Ryo-Ohki was sat next to her friend in her younger humanoid form, munching happily.
Tenchi seemed to be looking at the little spaceship thoughtfully.
"What's the matter Tenchi?" Ayeka asked.
"Hum...? Oh, I was just...thinking." She smiled weakly. "Been doing that a lot the past
few days."
"I would have thought despairing would have been top of the agenda." Washu wryly noted.
"That too."
"What about?" Funaho asked. She wanted to know what went on in Tenchi's mind.
"Silly little things really. Like, is there any reason why Juraians seem to let their hair grow
so long?" She shrugged. "I told you it was silly."
"What made you ask that?"
"I just wondered, that's all. All the Juraians I've met seem to have done that. You must
spend a lot of time looking after it."
"Why were you looking at Ryo-Ohki?" Ryoko asked.
"Oh, I was wondering why she doesn't explode from eating carrots all the time. I kinda
figured it was due to the fact she has all that mass really."
Washu clapped. "Very good. That's exactly the reason." She beamed. "I'm rubbing off on
you. Next thing you know you'll be explaining how subspace portals work."
Tenchi's eyes went blank. "Radial space-time disassociation effect coupled with a high
energy focal point."
Everyone looked at her strangely.
Tenchi blinked and her eyes returned to their normal state. "Did I just say what I thought I
said?"
Washu nodded. "You explained how to create a subspace portal. Now I know I haven't
told you and everybody else here doesn't take much interest in subspace mechanics, which
begs the question. How did you know?"
Tenchi probed her mind for an answer. She didn't like the one she found much.
"I guess this was what Tsunami was talking about."
"Tsunami?" The Queens asked simultaneously.
"We...er...had a talk the day this happened." She said, pointing to herself.
"About what?" Kiyone probably didn't mean to sound like an interrogator, but she did.
"About...er...my...powers..." Tenchi knew she'd never get away without telling them
everything now.
Everybody's eyes, including Mihoshi and Ryo-Ohki, lit up like supernovas in interest.
"I know you don't like talking about them Tenchi." Sasami said gently. "But I don't think
you'll get away without telling us."
Tenchi could feel the intent gazes boring into her.
"Um...well, she said that my powers were...emergent."
Washu and Funaho felt a tingle of trepidation. They had been waiting for this.
"Anything else?" Misaki prompted.
"She said that they were either emerging slowly, when reacting to something or
spontaneously."
"OK, last question Tenchi." Washu promised. "What other powers do you have? We
know about the wings."
"Nothing much." Tenchi slumped. "I can talk to the Royal Trees now. I can touch
Tsunami's image as if she was really there. I have a general awareness of things around me,
sensing energy fields and such. And it seems some of what happens to me when I'm in
Lighthawk mode is becoming permanent."
"Could you explain that last one please?" Ayeka asked.
"I don't know if I can actually explain it. When I'm like that, my mind seems to expand. I
just...understand. I don't know how else to put it."
"Then do you know why Mihoshi is such a bubblehead?" Ryoko and Ayeka asked at the
same time.
"Do I look like a god?" Tenchi asked tiredly.
"No," Came the response, "but you look like a goddess." Tenchi wasn't sure if it was
Washu, Sasami or Misaki who said it.
"How am I supposed to know the answer to that, when even Washu hasn't cracked the
problem yet?"
"What wrong with a little mystery in the universe?" Funaho smiled.
***
Dinner was long finished, and Washu was in her lab again. She had a companion, Lady
Funaho.
"How is the work on Tenchi coming?" The Queen asked.
"More slowly than I let on earlier." Washu admitted. "Tenchi wasn't the only one to get a
visit from Tsunami. For some reason she wants me to delay finding a way to change Tenchi
back." She shrugged. "Why I have no idea."
Funaho frowned. "Do you know why she finds this area so intriguing? In the past year, she
seems to have appeared here more times than on Jurai in several centuries."
"Simple. She's keeping an eye on Tenchi. She did bring him back to life, and I think she's
got plans for him. It's what she's got planed for her that I'm slightly worried about."
The redhead turned to a console.
"Here, have a look at this." She said, calling up some data.
Funaho studied it. "What is it?"
"Tenchi's current data. Now compare it to Tenchi's old data."
A second screen lit up with the other data. They both started to scroll upwards.
"They are both the same." Funaho observed.
"Precisely. Despite the fact that Tenchi is now abundantly female, absolutely nothing else
has changed. And yes, that does include Tenchi's attractiveness to women."
Funaho gave Washu a startled look.
Washu grinned. "I've already caught Ryoko daydreaming about her. She was as shocked
about it as you just were."
"Poor Tenchi."
"Oh, it gets better. Tenchi's effect got extended to men with the change."
Funaho groaned in sympathy.
"And Tsunami wants her to stay like that longer? How much?"
"Well, I predicted six weeks to find a cure. Tsunami wants her like that for three months."
Funaho sat back and pondered that.
"I ran a few models of Tenchi's current Visual-Psychological tactics profile."
Funaho raised an eyebrow.
"Her sex appeal. I made one tweak to the model from the original data and somehow
managed to increase it by 60 percent. She's about as sexy as the image Tsunami projects at
the moment. I developed a numerical value for sex appeal. An ordinary woman is 100. You
and Misaki are about 210. Tenchi is currently 245. Tsunami's image is 260. Don't you want
to know what Tenchi will be like with a value of almost 400?"
"I don't think that's a wise idea Washu."
Washu nodded. "You are right of course. But the value I changed was important. All it
would take is Tenchi acting attractive, instead of hiding herself."
"Lucky for us Tenchi's still male in mind."
***
Tenchi had managed to get totally away from the crowd inhabiting the house and was
soaking in the baths. Just to be on the safe side she had brought a spare towel, as well as the
one wrapped around her at the moment. She knew the inhabitants.
She was so relaxed she almost missed the door opening to let somebody in.
"So this is where you've been hiding." It was Ryoko.
Tenchi sighed and counted. Three. Two. One.
"What do you think you are doing Ryoko?" Ayeka yelled, coming in as well.
"Taking a bath with Tenchi." Ryoko replied innocently.
"You leave Tenchi alone."
"Why? We're all girls here."
Ayeka hesitated. "Well at least put a towel on, you exhibitionist!"
~ Please put a towel on. ~ Tenchi pleaded silently. She hadn't recovered from Sasami's
'lesson' the other day.
"Why should I? I'm not the undeveloped one."
Tenchi had had enough. "It's OK." She said. "I was going to leave anyway."
There was the patter of bare feet and two sets of hands held her in the water as their owners
got in.
"Don't leave because of us." Ryoko said, leaning her head against one shoulder.
"We didn't mean to interrupt." Ayeka added, leaning her head against the other.
Tenchi kept her eyes front. She had a sneaking suspicion that Tsunami was watching and
having a good laugh.
The two combatants glared at each other.
"Will you two stop it?" Tenchi hissed. "Be grateful I'm still here. I know you two can get
along."
The glares stopped.
"Much better." Tenchi told them in a more normal tone of voice.
The two newcomers got the hint and snuggled up closer.
Tenchi took nice, deep, calm breaths. Was the universe tuning against her?
"Tenchi?" Ayeka asked. "What was Sasami going on about earlier?"
"Hum? Oh, your sister was just teasing me. She finds it immensely amusing for some
reason."
"Why is that?" Ryoko piped in.
"I think when Washu was making my new clothes, she got confused between me and you.
Some of it is...ah...how shall I put it? Overdone for my tastes." Tenchi shuddered at the
memory.
Ryoko had a sultry grin on her face. "You'll have to show us."
"Oh no."
"Come on Tenchi," Ayeka said, "Sasami can't have all the fun."
"She hasn't actually seen me in those...things." Tenchi told then as she got up.
The looks of disappointment were not enough to stop Tenchi leaving.
The two archrivals soaked in silence for a few minutes.
"Well Ryoko." Ayeka said slowly. "I think we..."
"... Might want to come to an arrangement?" Ryoko ventured.
"If we are willing to..."
"... Put aside our differences..."
"... We might be able to..."
"... Both have Tenchi." Ryoko finished.
In truth, both ladies had been considering the same idea for months.
"It might need a...little working out." Ayeka admitted.
"It does." Ryoko agreed. "But I think we may be able to agree on something."
"Oh?" Ayeka asked cautiously.
"We HAVE to know what Tenchi looks like in those other outfits."
Ryoko's predatory gleam was more than matched by Ayeka's.
***
For some unknown reason, Misaki and Mihoshi got on well together. They were watching
some of the galactic soaps on offer due to Washu's wall screen. Tenchi had noted when it
had turned up one day that a home cinema system didn't really suit the place. The ladies had
disagreed violently, and Tenchi had given in as long as it could be set to only receive local
area transmissions. Unfortunately for Tenchi, Washu took this to mean ALL transmissions
on Earth. Tenchi hadn't bothered to argue any more.
Kiyone and Minagi looked on in disbelief as the two viewers giggled hysterically at a
program from a third of the way across the galaxy.
"It's scary the way those two seem to go together." Kiyone observed.
Minagi nodded, transfixed by the pair.
"Where's Sasami by the way?" The space pirate asked.
"Probably teasing Tenchi again." The detective replied with a slight smile.
***
Tenchi found the two azure-hared imps waiting for her in her room.
"And what will today's amusement be, hum?" She said, looking at them with narrowed
eyes.
"You're becoming paranoid Tenchi." The two joined beings said in unison.
"You two could become a big hit on the music scene. I doubt there are many beings who
could duet with themselves."
"What's next?" Tsunami asked tiredly. "Fashion tips?"
"I think the two of you have enough of those. But maybe it's time for Sasami to let her hair
down."
"What are we going to do with you?" Sasami sighed, shaking her head.
"Leave me alone to get dressed?" Tenchi asked hopefully.
The two terrors exchanged a knowing look.
"Oh no." Tsunami told her. "You're not getting away that easily."
"I didn't think so." Tenchi admitted glumly.
Sasami walked over to grab the almost naked woman by the hand and drag her to the bed.
"Sit." The little princess told her.
"What am I? Your pet?"
"Just do it Tenchi." Tsunami drifted over and put her arm around the shoulders of the
woman. The image sat, pulling Tenchi down as well.
"What now? Haven't I suffered enough?"
"Not only are you getting paranoid, you are becoming depressive." Tsunami said severely.
"Maybe if you two hadn't decided to play mind games with me, I'd be coping better."
Tenchi retorted.
Tsunami slapped her face. Sasami gasped.
"Get a hold of your self." She demanded.
"How can I? What with one thing and another, I'm very much amazed that I'm just about
sane. I've been bounced around so much, up and down are a quarter turn to the right. You'd
have to kill me if I lost it."
"Will you two stop it?" Sasami yelled at the arguing pair.
Tsunami turned a surprised gaze at her other self.
"Perfect." Tenchi groaned. "Schizophrenia in action. The universe has gone mad. Mad I
tell you. Mad!" And with that she dropped back. She closed her eyes. "I want to wake up
from this nightmare now, thank you."
"Tenchi," Sasami sighed, "We're trying to help you."
"THEN CHANGE ME BACK!" It was a heart-wrenching cry.
Tenchi heard two steps then felt the impact of the little princess landing on her, forcing all
the breath out of her body.
Opening her eyes, she found the concerned face of Sasami looking down at her.
"I worry about you Tenchi." She said in response to Tenchi's questioning look. "This is
twice you have almost gone over the edge. Today."
"It may help if people didn't keep yanking me back to the start every day. I'm not going to
be, or ever will be, a woman. I'm just about comfortable with my form, and I think I can
survive six weeks. But I can't cope with you, or anyone else, trying to 'help' me. It isn't
working, and just pushed me closer to the edge."
"We love you Tenchi." Tsunami said simply. "That's why we were doing what we did."
"Now the question is," Sasami added, "Do you love us?"
Tenchi closed her eyes.
"I may never be able to answer that." She said faintly. "I simply...don't know."
The woman didn't open her eyes when Sasami got off of her. She heard the rustle of cloth,
and something flashed on the other side of her eyelids. She felt the pressure of two bodies on
top of her.
"Please tell me you are NOT doing what I think you are doing." She pleaded.
"You have the both of us all to yourself." Tsunami said to her ear. "What are YOU going
to do?"
"Either fainting, running or studiously ignoring what's going on sound good."
"Where's the fun in that?" Sasami asked into Tenchi's other ear.
Tenchi felt that fainting was the best option, and promptly did. She never heard the twin
sighs of disappointment.
***
It was that obscene time of night that is too late for night-time, and too early for morning
when Tenchi regained consciousness. She couldn't feel anybody else in her room, which
relaxed her enough to begin worrying about the weeks ahead. Sasami had always been the
level-headed lady of the house, followed by Washu. Now the young princess and her alter
ego were throwing themselves at her. It was only the fact that they had guests that stopped
the others. Probably.
~ Why can't I just have a normal life? ~ She asked silently.
Tenchi turned over and fell asleep.
Flowering Potential.
====================
C&C can be sent to cobalt@elhazard.net . Flames should be writen down on pieces of paper
and burned. You'll feel a whole lot better.
Disclaimer: I do not own the series depicted within, but go buy it anyway.
Conventions:
~ ~ are used for thoughts and Telepathic communication.
The series is archived at http://www.lum.co.uk/cobalt/
#########
Chapter 6
#########
Tenchi felt a lot better that Funaho's and Misaki's ships were hidden away. The lecture
wasn't too long, and even Misaki had agreed that it was for the best. The ships were now
safely waiting in subspace, and the gang had helped out with the unpacking. The host and
Woman of the house had apologised about the poor arrangements, admitting that it might be
too crowded around here these days.
Funaho was more than aware that now was not a good time to try and get Tenchi to move to
Jurai.
Most of the gang had not seen the two Queens in anything other than their robes, but when
the two had come downstairs for an early dinner they were wearing the sort of relaxed Juraian
clothes Ayeka and Sasami usually wore these days. Sasami hadn't let Tenchi change, much
to her chagrin and everyone else's delight. This Tenchi was very nice to look at.
"This is delicious Sasami." Misaki complimented her daughter.
Sasami blushed.
"She enjoys it." Kiyone said, covering for the still blushing princess.
Ryo-Ohki was sat next to her friend in her younger humanoid form, munching happily.
Tenchi seemed to be looking at the little spaceship thoughtfully.
"What's the matter Tenchi?" Ayeka asked.
"Hum...? Oh, I was just...thinking." She smiled weakly. "Been doing that a lot the past
few days."
"I would have thought despairing would have been top of the agenda." Washu wryly noted.
"That too."
"What about?" Funaho asked. She wanted to know what went on in Tenchi's mind.
"Silly little things really. Like, is there any reason why Juraians seem to let their hair grow
so long?" She shrugged. "I told you it was silly."
"What made you ask that?"
"I just wondered, that's all. All the Juraians I've met seem to have done that. You must
spend a lot of time looking after it."
"Why were you looking at Ryo-Ohki?" Ryoko asked.
"Oh, I was wondering why she doesn't explode from eating carrots all the time. I kinda
figured it was due to the fact she has all that mass really."
Washu clapped. "Very good. That's exactly the reason." She beamed. "I'm rubbing off on
you. Next thing you know you'll be explaining how subspace portals work."
Tenchi's eyes went blank. "Radial space-time disassociation effect coupled with a high
energy focal point."
Everyone looked at her strangely.
Tenchi blinked and her eyes returned to their normal state. "Did I just say what I thought I
said?"
Washu nodded. "You explained how to create a subspace portal. Now I know I haven't
told you and everybody else here doesn't take much interest in subspace mechanics, which
begs the question. How did you know?"
Tenchi probed her mind for an answer. She didn't like the one she found much.
"I guess this was what Tsunami was talking about."
"Tsunami?" The Queens asked simultaneously.
"We...er...had a talk the day this happened." She said, pointing to herself.
"About what?" Kiyone probably didn't mean to sound like an interrogator, but she did.
"About...er...my...powers..." Tenchi knew she'd never get away without telling them
everything now.
Everybody's eyes, including Mihoshi and Ryo-Ohki, lit up like supernovas in interest.
"I know you don't like talking about them Tenchi." Sasami said gently. "But I don't think
you'll get away without telling us."
Tenchi could feel the intent gazes boring into her.
"Um...well, she said that my powers were...emergent."
Washu and Funaho felt a tingle of trepidation. They had been waiting for this.
"Anything else?" Misaki prompted.
"She said that they were either emerging slowly, when reacting to something or
spontaneously."
"OK, last question Tenchi." Washu promised. "What other powers do you have? We
know about the wings."
"Nothing much." Tenchi slumped. "I can talk to the Royal Trees now. I can touch
Tsunami's image as if she was really there. I have a general awareness of things around me,
sensing energy fields and such. And it seems some of what happens to me when I'm in
Lighthawk mode is becoming permanent."
"Could you explain that last one please?" Ayeka asked.
"I don't know if I can actually explain it. When I'm like that, my mind seems to expand. I
just...understand. I don't know how else to put it."
"Then do you know why Mihoshi is such a bubblehead?" Ryoko and Ayeka asked at the
same time.
"Do I look like a god?" Tenchi asked tiredly.
"No," Came the response, "but you look like a goddess." Tenchi wasn't sure if it was
Washu, Sasami or Misaki who said it.
"How am I supposed to know the answer to that, when even Washu hasn't cracked the
problem yet?"
"What wrong with a little mystery in the universe?" Funaho smiled.
***
Dinner was long finished, and Washu was in her lab again. She had a companion, Lady
Funaho.
"How is the work on Tenchi coming?" The Queen asked.
"More slowly than I let on earlier." Washu admitted. "Tenchi wasn't the only one to get a
visit from Tsunami. For some reason she wants me to delay finding a way to change Tenchi
back." She shrugged. "Why I have no idea."
Funaho frowned. "Do you know why she finds this area so intriguing? In the past year, she
seems to have appeared here more times than on Jurai in several centuries."
"Simple. She's keeping an eye on Tenchi. She did bring him back to life, and I think she's
got plans for him. It's what she's got planed for her that I'm slightly worried about."
The redhead turned to a console.
"Here, have a look at this." She said, calling up some data.
Funaho studied it. "What is it?"
"Tenchi's current data. Now compare it to Tenchi's old data."
A second screen lit up with the other data. They both started to scroll upwards.
"They are both the same." Funaho observed.
"Precisely. Despite the fact that Tenchi is now abundantly female, absolutely nothing else
has changed. And yes, that does include Tenchi's attractiveness to women."
Funaho gave Washu a startled look.
Washu grinned. "I've already caught Ryoko daydreaming about her. She was as shocked
about it as you just were."
"Poor Tenchi."
"Oh, it gets better. Tenchi's effect got extended to men with the change."
Funaho groaned in sympathy.
"And Tsunami wants her to stay like that longer? How much?"
"Well, I predicted six weeks to find a cure. Tsunami wants her like that for three months."
Funaho sat back and pondered that.
"I ran a few models of Tenchi's current Visual-Psychological tactics profile."
Funaho raised an eyebrow.
"Her sex appeal. I made one tweak to the model from the original data and somehow
managed to increase it by 60 percent. She's about as sexy as the image Tsunami projects at
the moment. I developed a numerical value for sex appeal. An ordinary woman is 100. You
and Misaki are about 210. Tenchi is currently 245. Tsunami's image is 260. Don't you want
to know what Tenchi will be like with a value of almost 400?"
"I don't think that's a wise idea Washu."
Washu nodded. "You are right of course. But the value I changed was important. All it
would take is Tenchi acting attractive, instead of hiding herself."
"Lucky for us Tenchi's still male in mind."
***
Tenchi had managed to get totally away from the crowd inhabiting the house and was
soaking in the baths. Just to be on the safe side she had brought a spare towel, as well as the
one wrapped around her at the moment. She knew the inhabitants.
She was so relaxed she almost missed the door opening to let somebody in.
"So this is where you've been hiding." It was Ryoko.
Tenchi sighed and counted. Three. Two. One.
"What do you think you are doing Ryoko?" Ayeka yelled, coming in as well.
"Taking a bath with Tenchi." Ryoko replied innocently.
"You leave Tenchi alone."
"Why? We're all girls here."
Ayeka hesitated. "Well at least put a towel on, you exhibitionist!"
~ Please put a towel on. ~ Tenchi pleaded silently. She hadn't recovered from Sasami's
'lesson' the other day.
"Why should I? I'm not the undeveloped one."
Tenchi had had enough. "It's OK." She said. "I was going to leave anyway."
There was the patter of bare feet and two sets of hands held her in the water as their owners
got in.
"Don't leave because of us." Ryoko said, leaning her head against one shoulder.
"We didn't mean to interrupt." Ayeka added, leaning her head against the other.
Tenchi kept her eyes front. She had a sneaking suspicion that Tsunami was watching and
having a good laugh.
The two combatants glared at each other.
"Will you two stop it?" Tenchi hissed. "Be grateful I'm still here. I know you two can get
along."
The glares stopped.
"Much better." Tenchi told them in a more normal tone of voice.
The two newcomers got the hint and snuggled up closer.
Tenchi took nice, deep, calm breaths. Was the universe tuning against her?
"Tenchi?" Ayeka asked. "What was Sasami going on about earlier?"
"Hum? Oh, your sister was just teasing me. She finds it immensely amusing for some
reason."
"Why is that?" Ryoko piped in.
"I think when Washu was making my new clothes, she got confused between me and you.
Some of it is...ah...how shall I put it? Overdone for my tastes." Tenchi shuddered at the
memory.
Ryoko had a sultry grin on her face. "You'll have to show us."
"Oh no."
"Come on Tenchi," Ayeka said, "Sasami can't have all the fun."
"She hasn't actually seen me in those...things." Tenchi told then as she got up.
The looks of disappointment were not enough to stop Tenchi leaving.
The two archrivals soaked in silence for a few minutes.
"Well Ryoko." Ayeka said slowly. "I think we..."
"... Might want to come to an arrangement?" Ryoko ventured.
"If we are willing to..."
"... Put aside our differences..."
"... We might be able to..."
"... Both have Tenchi." Ryoko finished.
In truth, both ladies had been considering the same idea for months.
"It might need a...little working out." Ayeka admitted.
"It does." Ryoko agreed. "But I think we may be able to agree on something."
"Oh?" Ayeka asked cautiously.
"We HAVE to know what Tenchi looks like in those other outfits."
Ryoko's predatory gleam was more than matched by Ayeka's.
***
For some unknown reason, Misaki and Mihoshi got on well together. They were watching
some of the galactic soaps on offer due to Washu's wall screen. Tenchi had noted when it
had turned up one day that a home cinema system didn't really suit the place. The ladies had
disagreed violently, and Tenchi had given in as long as it could be set to only receive local
area transmissions. Unfortunately for Tenchi, Washu took this to mean ALL transmissions
on Earth. Tenchi hadn't bothered to argue any more.
Kiyone and Minagi looked on in disbelief as the two viewers giggled hysterically at a
program from a third of the way across the galaxy.
"It's scary the way those two seem to go together." Kiyone observed.
Minagi nodded, transfixed by the pair.
"Where's Sasami by the way?" The space pirate asked.
"Probably teasing Tenchi again." The detective replied with a slight smile.
***
Tenchi found the two azure-hared imps waiting for her in her room.
"And what will today's amusement be, hum?" She said, looking at them with narrowed
eyes.
"You're becoming paranoid Tenchi." The two joined beings said in unison.
"You two could become a big hit on the music scene. I doubt there are many beings who
could duet with themselves."
"What's next?" Tsunami asked tiredly. "Fashion tips?"
"I think the two of you have enough of those. But maybe it's time for Sasami to let her hair
down."
"What are we going to do with you?" Sasami sighed, shaking her head.
"Leave me alone to get dressed?" Tenchi asked hopefully.
The two terrors exchanged a knowing look.
"Oh no." Tsunami told her. "You're not getting away that easily."
"I didn't think so." Tenchi admitted glumly.
Sasami walked over to grab the almost naked woman by the hand and drag her to the bed.
"Sit." The little princess told her.
"What am I? Your pet?"
"Just do it Tenchi." Tsunami drifted over and put her arm around the shoulders of the
woman. The image sat, pulling Tenchi down as well.
"What now? Haven't I suffered enough?"
"Not only are you getting paranoid, you are becoming depressive." Tsunami said severely.
"Maybe if you two hadn't decided to play mind games with me, I'd be coping better."
Tenchi retorted.
Tsunami slapped her face. Sasami gasped.
"Get a hold of your self." She demanded.
"How can I? What with one thing and another, I'm very much amazed that I'm just about
sane. I've been bounced around so much, up and down are a quarter turn to the right. You'd
have to kill me if I lost it."
"Will you two stop it?" Sasami yelled at the arguing pair.
Tsunami turned a surprised gaze at her other self.
"Perfect." Tenchi groaned. "Schizophrenia in action. The universe has gone mad. Mad I
tell you. Mad!" And with that she dropped back. She closed her eyes. "I want to wake up
from this nightmare now, thank you."
"Tenchi," Sasami sighed, "We're trying to help you."
"THEN CHANGE ME BACK!" It was a heart-wrenching cry.
Tenchi heard two steps then felt the impact of the little princess landing on her, forcing all
the breath out of her body.
Opening her eyes, she found the concerned face of Sasami looking down at her.
"I worry about you Tenchi." She said in response to Tenchi's questioning look. "This is
twice you have almost gone over the edge. Today."
"It may help if people didn't keep yanking me back to the start every day. I'm not going to
be, or ever will be, a woman. I'm just about comfortable with my form, and I think I can
survive six weeks. But I can't cope with you, or anyone else, trying to 'help' me. It isn't
working, and just pushed me closer to the edge."
"We love you Tenchi." Tsunami said simply. "That's why we were doing what we did."
"Now the question is," Sasami added, "Do you love us?"
Tenchi closed her eyes.
"I may never be able to answer that." She said faintly. "I simply...don't know."
The woman didn't open her eyes when Sasami got off of her. She heard the rustle of cloth,
and something flashed on the other side of her eyelids. She felt the pressure of two bodies on
top of her.
"Please tell me you are NOT doing what I think you are doing." She pleaded.
"You have the both of us all to yourself." Tsunami said to her ear. "What are YOU going
to do?"
"Either fainting, running or studiously ignoring what's going on sound good."
"Where's the fun in that?" Sasami asked into Tenchi's other ear.
Tenchi felt that fainting was the best option, and promptly did. She never heard the twin
sighs of disappointment.
***
It was that obscene time of night that is too late for night-time, and too early for morning
when Tenchi regained consciousness. She couldn't feel anybody else in her room, which
relaxed her enough to begin worrying about the weeks ahead. Sasami had always been the
level-headed lady of the house, followed by Washu. Now the young princess and her alter
ego were throwing themselves at her. It was only the fact that they had guests that stopped
the others. Probably.
~ Why can't I just have a normal life? ~ She asked silently.
Tenchi turned over and fell asleep.