Implementation
"Ryoko, now that the table is set will you go get everyone for lunch?"
"Will do Sasami." Ryoko replied as she began her new task.
Out in the living room Mihoshi was watching television. "Miss Mihoshi, Miss Kiyone I am sorry to interrupt your entertainment, but lunch is prepare, please confer to the dining room." The polite and cordial sounding voice of Ryoko greeted an astonished Mihoshi and Kiyone as they turned to see the very clothed Ryoko.
"Uh, okay…." Replied Mihoshi.
"Thank you for your compliance. I shall see you at the table I must continue alerting the rest of the family members, please feel free to go to the table now." Ryoko left the stunned pair in silence.
"Well now that was different." Said Kiyone as Ryoko's figure slipped out of sight.
"Yeah…" was the only reply a shocked Mihoshi could give.
After having serving summons upon Mihoshi and Kiyone, Ryoko set about finding Washu for lunch.
"Mother Dear, lunch has been prepared and the family is being assembled, please do us the honor of gracing the table." Ryoko said to the scientist's back.
"Sure, little Ryoko. I'll be out shortly." The scientist spoke without ever removing her eyes from her screen. "Oh and Ryoko?"
"Yes Mother?"
"Do you think the Real Ryoko will ever talk to me the way you do?"
"In time and given time I'm certain she will. She loves you more than she even knows. Just give her time and be patience. Oh yeah… and no experiments!!! She wants you to be the mother she never had, not the demented scientist that created her. You know she'd kill herself if she knew I was telling you this."
"Yeah, but what's the point in having you here if I can't ask you the kinds of questions that she won't answer?"
"Simple, I do the job that I was designed to do. Well, I have to get going and tell the rest of the household about lunch. Bye mother and like I said be patient."
"Soon my little Ryoko, soon I'll be everything you ever wanted me to be, but for now I need more information." Washu spoke to herself as she watched her daughter's back disappear into the depths of the lab.
Walking up out of the lab, Ryoko turn to the stairs. Climbing the stairs Ryoko faced Ayeka's bedroom door. Softly she rapped on the door. No reply. Slightly harder this time Ryoko knocked on the door. Still no reply. Worried Ryoko questioned the door.
"Lady Ayeka are you in there? Lunch is prepared. Lady Ayeka are you okay? Is anything the matter?" Ryoko stood outside the door silently growing worried about the lack of movement or response from the room.
"Lady Ayeka are you okay?"
"Yes, Miss Ryoko I am fine." Ayeka replied from her hiding spot behind Ryoko.
"AHHH!!" Ryoko screamed and jump about three feet in the air before turning to stare daggers and the giggling Ayeka. "That wasn't funny, Lady Ayeka." Ryoko said between clenched teeth.
"Well, maybe not funny for you, but for me, that was hysterical." Ayeka managed to squeal out the words before a round of real guffaws pealed from her mouth.
"Well, I'm glad you had your entertainment for the day, now if you don't mind I must go inform Lord Yosho about lunch, good day Lady Ayeka." Ryoko turn on her heel and with her head high marched down the stairs, through the house and out the door. Ayeka's laughter followed Ryoko all the way to the tree line.
Arriving at the shrine Ryoko looked about for Yosho. Finding Yosho seated next to Tenchi on one of the logs near the training area Ryoko, hesitated before approaching the men.
"Hello Lord Yosho and good afternoon Lord Tenchi I have come to inform you that lunch is prepare and is waiting for your arrival. Please do not tally too long as Sasami will be upset if the meal is served cold." Having said her piece Ryoko bowed to the men and turn on her heel setting out on the path home.
Tenchi and Yosho turned and looked at each other then turn to the sinking image of Ryoko's back then turned to look at each other again. Mouths open wide in shock both were for a moment too stunned to speak.
Regaining his sense first Yosho turned to Tenchi, "So are you happy, Ryoko has obviously conformed to your wishes. Now maybe life will be the way you hope it would be." Realizing that nothing of the sort would probably happened Yosho waited for Tenchi's response.
"She didn't look right that way…" the quiet realization was spoken so softly Yosho was unsure if he had actually heard it.
"I do not understand Tenchi. She has given you what you have asked for and now you don't like it?" Yosho spoke with a slightly smug grin on his face.
"But she looks so different…"
"It's what you wanted. It's what you asked for."
"But I didn't mean for her to change that much!"
"Yes, you did. You asked that she not pressure you, that she be calmer, more sedate. Well, that my dear boy is the result. Deal with it."
"Yes, I guess your right." Tenchi said with a sigh of resignation. "It can't be so different I mean this is STILL Ryoko after all. I might as well enjoy it while it lasts." His confidence returning Tenchi tried to reassure himself that what he had just seen was going to be the solution to all his problems.
"Well, shall we go Tenchi? You heard what she said if we're late Sasami will be upset with us."
Arriving at the table Tenchi noticed that something seemed different. Brushing off the sense that something was wrong Tenchi sat down for lunch.
"Wow, you're all here! Lunch won't get cold." Sasami said to the full table. Looking around at the table Sasami noticed a change in the seating arrangement. "Ryoko why aren't you sitting next to Tenchi?"
"I decided that in order to preserve the peace of the meal it would be more prudent of me to place some distance between Lady Ayeka and myself, besides I have been wanting to talk to Miss Kiyone and Lord Yosho and now is as good a time as ever." Ryoko simply replied waiting to be served.
"Finally the demon-woman admits Tenchi and I are made for each other." Ayeka spoke; silently praying Ryoko wouldn't rise to the bait.
"Take my sitting over here anyway you wish Lady Ayeka, but the truth of the matter is that I have grown so weary of the bickering; that I find the company at this end of the table much more soothing." An indifferent Ryoko replied as she calmly and delicately ate her lunch.
The resounding clatter of dishes, as jaws dropped around the table caused Ryoko to look up from her food.
"Yes?" Ryoko questioned the group.
One by one jaws returned to their normal positions and the family continued to eat in a disconcerting silence. Finally after a few moments conversation started at the table and a peaceful atmosphere filled the room.
"Tenchi did you hear me?" Ayeka questioned Tenchi for the third time.
"Huh, umm, no? I'm sorry Ayeka I guess my mind was wandering."
"Wonder what you were thinking about, hey Tenchi?" Washu waggled an eyebrow and nudged Tenchi in the ribs with her elbow.
"Nothing like that Little Washu." Tenchi began to blush at the implied innuendo in Washu's actions.
"What is that suppose to mean Mi…Little Washu?" Ayeka questioned sharply.
"Nothing Ayeka. Oh, and you're getting better at those saves." Washu waggled a finger at Ayeka.
The meal continued uneventfully with calm, cheerful conversation going around the table. Not once during the entire meal did Ryoko look at, refer to, or mention Tenchi, which surprised most of the members at the table. Once the meal was finished Ryoko rose from the table collected everyone's dirty dishes and set about cleaning them along with Sasami. Again the table clattered with the sound of jaws dropping.