Tenchi and all associated characters are the property of AIC and Pioneer LDC. Slayers is copyrighted to a lot of different companies and I won't list them all. I don't own any rights to either of them. Any other characters are property of their respective copyright holders, not me.
*****
The Game
Chapter 3
Meanwhile, Back in the Woods…
*****
The lab was dark and quiet as Ryoko and the two girls materialized. Ryoko suspected that Washu was going to make one of her grand entrances and decided that she needed to bring the little scientist back to reality. Preferably this one.
"Yo, Washu!" she called. "I know you're in here somewhere. I can smell you."
The lights suddenly popped on and Washu stepped out from behind a large piece of machinery.
"Smell me?" she raised her arms and sniffed. "No you can't. Your nose isn't that good; I should know, I designed it. And besides, I just took a bath a little while ago."
"Professor Washu!" exclaimed Sasami. "What are you doing here?"
Washu looked at Ryoko. "I thought you explained all this to them."
Ryoko shrugged, "Well, I would have, but you said I had to hurry. So I left out a few little details, sue me."
Washu turned back to the two girls. "Well it's true that I am Washu, but I'm not the same Washu that you know; although we probably have a lot in common. You must be Kawai Sasami. And you are…?" she prompted Misao.
"Amano Misao," the girl replied shyly.
"She's Pixy Misa," piped in Sasami. "She wanted to come too."
"Ah. But I thought Pixy Misa was your archrival. Why would you want her here?"
"Well, she was for a long time," Sasami explained to the scientist. "Now we're partners kinda. We're still rivals though, but we don't fight each other any more. She helped me save the Earth from Romio. So we're partners and rivals I guess. Sorta like our favorite comic characters from Dragon Magazine, Lina Inverse and Naga the Serpent."
"I see," said Washu with a blank look on her face, not really understanding at all. "Funny you should mention Lina Inverse…"
The red head turned and gestured behind her. "Come on out, Ryoko's spoiled our fun."
Princesses Sasami, Ayeka and Amelia stepped out from behind a different piece of equipment. Ryo-ohki was in her usual place on the little princess's head while Ay-ohki was perched on his master's shoulder.
Sasami and Misao both saw Ayeka at the same time. "Romio!" they exclaimed in unison, taking a step back.
Ryo-ohki and Rumiya both stuck their heads out at the same time. "What?" they both yelled.
Princess Sasami's eyes lit up. "Oh, how cute. Your Ryo-ohki can talk. Ours can only talk to Ryoko or Washu and sometimes Tenchi."
"But that's Romio," said Misao pointing a finger at Ayeka. "She's the evil one that tried to destroy Juraihelm and Earth."
Ayeka looked around quickly to see if maybe Misao was pointing out someone else. No one was evident.
Princess Sasami spoke up "No silly. That's Ayeka; she's my sister. She may be a bit demonic, but she's not evil."
Ayeka punched her sister on the shoulder and hissed, "Watch what you're telling people Sasami. They didn't need to know that."
Ryo-ohki hopped down from the princess's head and over to the other Sasami. She began to sniff around her feet. Satisfied that this really was another Sasami, she looked up and miya'd loudly. Ay-ohki joined his mate on the floor as the second Ryo-ohki also jumped down from his Sasami. Rumiya fluttered out onto Misao's shoulder to watch. The two brown cabbits tentatively examined each other. One of them looked up at Washu.
"You say he can't speak? Does he use telepathy or something?" he asked.
Washu crouched down to answer the cabbit. "In this form, pretty much, yes. But our Ryo-ohki's a she, not a he. As far as I know Pretty Sammy's, that's you son, is the only male Ryo-ohki in any of the Realities."
"I'm a 'she' here? That's disgusting." Ryo-ohki made a sour face.
The scientist laughed, "Actually you're a 'she' pretty much everywhere except in two Realities. Get used to it cabbit boy. Now, let's all go into the house and I'll explain what's going on here."
As they walked toward the portal Amelia pulled Washu aside. Something the new Sasami had said was bothering her.
"Little Washu, did Sasami say that she's heard of Lina and Naga the Serpent?" the princess asked.
Washu gave her a strange look. "Well, yeah. But to her they're just characters in a comic book."
"In this 'comic book' does Naga follow Lina around?" Amelia wondered.
"I don't know. I suppose she could from the way Sasami said it, why? Do you know this Naga person?"
"No, not really. I've heard of her though. I just didn't know that Lina knew her." Amelia shivered as she remembered something else that was rumored about Naga the White Serpent, but she kept those thoughts to herself.
*****
In a far distant Reality, a very well developed woman, scantily dressed in a black leather outfit was making camp for the night along a forest trail. A cold wind suddenly blew through the trees. She sneezed violently. "Oh ho ho ho ho ho ho" the sound of raucous laughter rang out through the silent woods.
*****
The two Sasami's stared at each other across the room as did the two Ryo-ohki's. One of the cabbits kept muttering, "I'm a girl, I can't believe it, I'm a girl…" while the other was purring loudly and leaning against Ay-ohki.
Misao kept looking back and forth between the two Sasami's, unable to believe her eyes
Finally one Sasami couldn't hold it in any more. "Are you really an alien? Ryoko said you were all aliens." Sasami Kawai asked her counterpart.
"Well, at least she got part of it right," Washu muttered, glancing at her daughter.
"Hey!" said Ryoko to her mother in a low voice.
"Tee hee," Princess Sasami giggled. "That's the same thing Tenchi asked me the first time we met. Yep, I am. Are you really a Magical Girl?"
The other Sasami nodded her head, "Uh huh. I'm Pretty Sammy."
"How strange, Mihoshi told us a story about Pretty Sammy once…"
"And then I told you it wasn't real, didn't I?" Washu said. "I guess Mihoshi must have inherited something from me after all if she can sometimes divine what's happening in other realities. Anyway, the Reality Hopper is ready, shall we?" She gestured towards the closet door.
*****
Mara and Urd were at it again. Lightning bolts and plasma discharges lit up the sky over the camp as the goddess and the demon argued over some trivial matter.
"Urd Super Lightning Bolt," cried the goddess, pointing a finger at Mara. The result crashed down far from Mara but missed Xellos by mere inches.
"And that my dear Urd is why you are still a Goddess Second Class with a Limited license," said the Mazoku, brushing at the soot on his robes. "I think that will be enough for tonight, don't you?"
"You stay out of this," snarled the blonde demon. "Or send us home."
The master demon partially opened his eyes and glanced evilly at his former apprentice. "Soon Mara, soon. I want to see what Lady Washu has up her sleeve next. I wonder how she's enjoying Amelia's company?"
"Why don't you go and ask her yourself?" mumbled Zelgadis from across the campfire, toasting marshmallows with Gourry and Lina.
A sudden popping sound caused Xellos' smile to widen further. "I think we are about to find out anyway." He looked off into the darkness of the forest. "Whoever is out there, please come into the light. I promise you that you won't be hurt."
Two young girls of about eleven stepped out of the brush. They looked around appraising each person present. The head of a small brown animal peeked out of the blue haired girl's backpack, while a bluish-green bird looked out of the other one. Urd glanced at them for a moment then turned her attention back to Mara. Suddenly her head snapped back around and she gave them a closer look.
"Sasami?" she wondered out loud.
"Ah, then this is the Juraian Princess that will host Lady Tsunami someday soon. Why did Washu send her I wonder?" said Xellos, standing up and brushing himself off. "Welcome then cousin. Who is your friend?"
Urd looked closer. The symbol was missing from Sasami's forehead. "Um, you're not Princess Sasami, are you?"
The girl smiled and shook her head no.
"And I suppose that's not Ryo-ohki in your backpack then either."
"Yes I am," the cabbit spoke up. "And you must be the goddess Urd. I can tell by your symbols. Queen Tsunami sends her greetings."
Urd was taken aback at hearing the cabbit talk, then she realized what must have happened. Mara was clueless but Xellos was quick on the uptake as well.
"Queen Tsunami? Oh, I see," chuckled Xellos. "Very good Washu, very good indeed." He resumed his seat near the fire. "I can sense the energy in you. Both of you. You're not quite what you seem, are you?"
"Hey! Just what do you mean by that?" asked Sasami with a hint of anger.
Xellos stuck out both his hands in conciliatory way, "No offense meant. It's just that you both have a power beyond what a normal human child would have."
"Oh. Well then, I suppose so. We're both magical girls, aren't we Misao?" Sasami nudged her shy friend.
"You mean like Lina here?" Gourry wondered drowsily from his place at the edge of the fire. His latest marshmallow attempt turned black and fell off the stick into the flames. He watched in resignation as it slowly formed a little marshmallow cinder. "She's a magical girl too. Can you cast spells and summon things like her?"
Lina smacked him on the top of the head. "Since when am I a girl? I'll have you know that I'm a lady!" Gourry didn't respond, as he was now unconscious.
"There'd be some here that disagree with that last statement," muttered Mara.
Lina stood up and whirled on the demoness, dropping her own stick in the dirt. "What? I heard that, demon. Any time you wanna start again, I'm ready."
"Oh yeah? How's about RIGHT HERE, RIGHT NOW!" Mara stuck her tongue out at the sorceress.
Lina's face turned bright red. She held both her hands out in front of her and power began to flow between them, forming an energy ball.
Xellos smiled, Oh, well played Lady Washu, well played indeed. He stood up again and stepped between the two prospective combatants. "Ladies, ladies. And I use the term very loosely with both of you. Now is not the time for this. I promise you that you will have a chance to settle your differences at a later date. For now though, we have guests to make welcome."
Lina gave Mara an evil glare and dismissed the glowing ball. Then she settled herself next to the still unconscious Gourry, picking up her stick and putting four marshmallows on it in compensation. Mara grumbled and sat down near where Xellos had been sitting. She snapped her fingers and a stick with five marshmallows on it appeared in her hand. She grinned at Lina. Urd took a seat next to Mara and gestured for the two girls to join them.
*****
Deeper in the woods a shadowy figure with spikey hair and feral eyes watched the proceedings around the fire. When everything was settled she relaxed herself against a tree trunk and pulled out a small device. Speaking a few words into it quietly, she held it up to her ear to hear the response. She nodded then said, again quietly, "Give Tenchi and Ayeka my love and tell them I'll see them in a few days. And don't worry mom, I'll be careful."
Ryoko put Washu's Interreality Communicator away and stretched out her legs comfortably. Her Ryo-ohki clambered up into her lap and looked into Ryoko's eyes. She miya'd gently. The pirate smiled, "Oh, don't worry about them, they'll be fine. And anyway, we're here to keep an eye on 'em, aren't we?"
The cabbit nodded her agreement then curled up in a ball on her master's lap. Both drifted off to sleep as yet another argument broke out in the camp, this time between Lina Inverse and the goddess Urd.
*****
To be continued
*****
Author's Notes
I haven't had Sasami and/or Misao transform Pretty Sammy and Pixy Misa yet. They haven't had any reason to. Don't worry, they will.
Ryo-ohki's reaction to finding out he's a girl here is pretty much the same as Tenchi's was in "The Great Cabbit Search". It's intentional. At least Ryo-ohki didn't pass out when he found out.
If anyone knows if Amelia's long-lost sister has an actual name, please tell me. I'm at a point where I need to know and despite all my searching I haven't come across it yet.
I'm thinking of creating an e-mail notification list for updates/new pieces. Any interest?
Review Responses
Alighthawk – Yep, four. Unless you count Pretty Sammy as a part of Tenchi that is. I may throw in a couple more at some point. Then again, maybe not, things seem to be going well enough as is.
Blackbird – I've only seen one Cowboy Beebop episode so I know absolutely nothing about it. I normally don't stay up that late because I work the next day. I liked what I saw though.
Agent_86 – Ah. Kenny Rogers, "The Gambler". And that's one of the few CW songs I can stomach. It'd make a nice theme song for this piece too.
Meekachu – No, a poker game, sort of. And as far as theme music, I normally don't even give it a thought. But see my response to Agent_86, either "The Gambler" or "Doolin' Dalton" by the Eagles.
Tanis – Yes, Naga is good! But in order to do that I need to resolve whether or not she's really Amelia's long-lost sister. I think she is. As you can see, I'm working on it.
Dennisud – Like I said in my e-mail, Xellos & Washu? Yuck. Washu has it bad for Yosho remember? And Xellos likes Filia. As far as the three-way marriage, I'm not sure. The only kind of relationship like that in Slayers would be the Lina-Gourry-Sylphiel one. And we certainly don't want to give Gourry any ideas, not that they'd stick with him for long anyway. I don't think it's going to be an issue, but I'll cross that bridge if and when I come to it.
BobR
01/19/2002
