Ryoko opened her eyes and wrinkled her brow as she sat up. She let out a grunt as she hit her head on the branch above her and rubbed the now sore spot on her head.
"Ouch," she muttered to herself as she came to her senses. She then reached up and snapped the branch from the tree and watched as it crashed to the ground. It wasn't exactly a small branch and it had taken down a few smaller branches along with it. Ryoko let out a sigh and rubbed her temples tiredly before looking up through the now thin branches. She then disappeared and found herself in the living room so she took the liberty of claiming the whole couch as her seat and closed her eyes with a sigh, seeing the couch was more comfortable than a branch in a tree.
"Miss Ryoko, must you always take up the whole couch?" Ayeka scolded as she walked into the room. Ryoko opened her eyes and looked up at the princess before snorting at her and closing her eyes again.
"It's not like there's not other seats, Ayeka," she mumbled. Ayeka let out a quick, irritated sigh and took the chair near the TV.
"I apologize for bursting in on you're conversation with Tenchi, but if you weren't so…rash, I wouldn't feel the need to," Ayeka said after a long silence.
"I expected it, so I didn't really tell him anything important," Ryoko muttered as she turned her head away. She really had wanted to speak with Tenchi, but she knew Ayeka would never allow that.
"And what's that suppose to mean?" Ayeka asked sternly. Ryoko sat up on her elbows and stared at the princess with a curious wrinkle in her brow.
"Ayeka, how many times have you actually spoken with Tenchi?" she asked suddenly.
"Ryoko, I live in the same house as he does. I speak to him every day," Ayeka said.
"No, I don't mean passing chat. I mean how many times have you privately spoken to Tenchi?" Ryoko asked as she sat up.
"You have no need to know that," Ayeka said as she stuck her nose in the air. Ryoko stood up and walked over to the princess before resting her hands on her hips and leaning over into the princess's face.
"Get away from me, demon!" Ayeka shouted as she recoiled. Ryoko stood up straight and disappeared from the room and allowing the princess to have the couch to herself.
***
Washu looked over at Tenchi, already feeling better now that the story was coming out. It had been so long ago and it wasn't as hard to speak of as she had expected it to be. Tenchi took a slow breath and glanced around the room again before looking out at the windows.
"What happened after that?" Tenchi asked after a moment's hesitation.
"Life went on as usual," she said simply.
"You mean he got away with it?" Tenchi asked.
"You forget that 'he' wasn't anyone I knew, Tenchi," Washu reminded him. It was true that she didn't know who that was at her window that night. She had blacked out so she had no idea whom it had been.
"You didn't try to find him?" Tenchi asked. Washu snorted and let out a sigh as she hung her head as Tenchi then settled himself once again, knowing that the story was about to pick up again.
"All I knew about him was that he had gray hair and golden eyes, so I kind of put two and two together…
**************************************************************************************
"Washu?" Mikollious asked as he saw her walking through the halls of the castle, aimlessly looking at the tapestries that hung on the walls with her hands folded behind her back. She spun around with a surprised look on her face before smiling respectively and bowing her head.
"Good morning, Mikollious," she said before straightening her posture and giving him an attentive look.
"Washu, I have a favor to ask of you," he said in a jolly, uplifting voice as he walked over, wrapping an arm around her and walking with her down the hall.
"And what do you want me to do this time?" she asked. He stopped and turned her until she was facing him and tilted his head as she diverted her gaze from him.
"Not to change the topic, but is something wrong?" he asked curiously. She then looked up at him and smiled before chuckling at him and shaking her head.
"No. Why?" she asked.
"Because you've been up at the same time as myself lately," he said as he raised an eyebrow at her. She stared at him for a moment with raised eyebrows but just shrugged her shoulders.
"I'm not really that tired I guess. Is it wrong of me to change my schedule?" she asked sarcastically as she smirked at him.
"You know, you've mentioned that several times in the past. You'd say that exact sentence and then I wouldn't see you the rest of the day. It's just not…you," he said curiously. Washu hesitated for a moment before smiling at him sweetly.
"What is it that you want me to do?" she asked and changing the topic as fast as she could.
"I was wondering if you could check up and make sure that the link between Kotuku and I is working properly," he said after a slight hesitation. He then gave her a confused look as she tensed before raising her head to stare down her nose.
"I can do that. I'm going to request that you and Kotuku come to my lab. I'm going to need both of you there," she said in a mannerly voice. Something about her attitude wasn't settling well with Mikollious but let it go for now. He would see her later.
"Thank you, Washu," he said. She smiled at him and nodded her head before walking off without another word.
***
Washu let out a sigh as she sat in front of her computer. She really had no motivation to do anything until Mikollious and Kotuku arrived. She then turned and floated over to the three small gems that hovered in the glass tube across the room. She stared at them and let the power they possessed filter into her mind and spark her curiosity. She wrinkled her brow and slightly tilted her head as she thought, trying to make sense of this. She was a goddess, yes, but why did she give it up? What were her reasons for becoming human and was there a way to return to being a goddess? If there is, how was she suppose to use these? She had experimented with the gems but had found no way to unlock their secret and that aggravated her. She was a genius, dammit! Why couldn't she figure it out?
"I wonder what it's like to be a goddess," she whispered to herself. She loved her life here, but her curiosity was slightly overpowering her love of this country at this point.
***
Kotuku let out a grunt as he opened his eyes to the sound of someone walking into the room.
"Kotuku. We need to go to Washu's lab," Mikollious bellowed as he stood over the still half asleep Clav. Kotuku looked up at him and blinked at him with a stupid look.
"Well, come on," Mikollious commanded as he clapped his hands before heading to the door. Kotuku let out a long, drawn out yawn and rose to his feet before following the King to the depths of the lab.
***
Mikollious was silent for the majority of the walk to Washu's lab before Kotuku spoke up.
May I ask why we're going to the lab? he asked.
"I want to make sure this link is working correctly. She's going to run some tests and figure out why it wasn't working the other day," Mikollious said. He then stopped and turned to see Kotuku stopped on the steps with a tilt in his head.
But its working fine now, so why should it really matter? he asked.
"Because I want to make sure it's not going to happen again," Mikollious argued.
Oh Kotuku said after a long pause with a slightly curious look on his face. Mikollious stared at him for a moment, wondering why he was so reluctant to go to the lab before shrugging his shoulders.
"Come on," he said after a moment before finishing the walk in silence once again.
***
Washu turned her gaze away from the gems as she heard footsteps approaching from the stairs and made her way back over to her laptop.
"Washu, can I have a word with you before you start this?" he whispered to her as he reached her side. She looked over at him and let out a sigh before nodding.
"Give us a moment. I'll call for you and you best answer," he said to Kotuku who was already running up the stairs. Mikollious looked back at Washu who was now facing him while sitting on a floating cushion with her arms crossed and a bored tilt of her head.
"What is it, Mikollious?" she asked impatiently.
"Don't lie to me, Washu. I know something's wrong and I want you to tell me," he said flatly.
"There's nothing to tell," she said in the same tone.
"I know you, Washu. You're like a daughter to me. I know for a fact you're not telling the truth," he said as he waved a finger at her. Washu stared at him for a moment before lowering her gaze and puckering her lips in thought.
"Honestly Mikollious, I don't know what to tell you. I don't remember what happened," she said as she finally gave in.
"You don't remember what happened?" Mikollious echoed curiously.
"It was the day I finished that pendant. I had retired to bed and remember seeing a pair of gold eyes in my windows, but very little after that," she said as she kept her eyes on the floor.
"How much is 'very little', Washu?" Mikollious asked as he tilted his head to see her face.
"Very little means a man with gold eyes and gray hair. That's how 'very little'," Washu finished. Mikollious thought of this before seeing a small connection.
"Does the link work when the Clav is not in beast form?" he asked after a long pause. Washu looked up at him with a blank look before biting her lip and looked back at the floor while shaking her head. Mikollious let out a snort and shook his head in angered disappointment before kneeling in front of Washu to see her face.
"Than I believe this is unnecessary," Mikollious said.
"I still think it would be a good idea. I do have to keep tabs to make sure it still working right," Washu said in a slightly uppity voice. Mikollious let out a sigh and nodded his head before calling the beast back in.
"How long should it take?" he asked as the beast entered the room. Washu turned away and typed at her computer for a moment before two chairs appeared in front of her.
"Not too long. I just need you to sit there, and Kotuku to sit there," she said as she pointed to a seat on either side of her. They took their seats and let out a gasp of surprise in unison, seeing they were now strapped down to the chairs. Mikollious had heard the stories about how royalty were taken as hostages before being killed and all that jazz. This wasn't helping his view on those stories.
"Um…Washu?" Mikollious asked wearily as he felt a cap rest on the top of his head.
"Trust me," Washu piped in while typing at her laptop. Mikollious swallowed hard and fidgeted in his seat as much as he could before letting out a nervous chuckle.
"Are you sure this is a good idea? I mean, why the restraints?" he asked nervously. Washu looked up at him and chuckled before tilting her head at him.
"I can't have you squirming around while going through your mind," she said.
"Going through our mind?" he asked nervously. Now he knew why he shied away from this place. It was kinda creepy now that he thought about it.
"Well, it's not like I can shine a light in your ear and tell you what's wrong," she joked as she finished pulling up the last few data files.
"I see," Mikollious said as he glanced over at Kotuku, who was staring at Washu with a straight face.
"This doesn't bother you?" Mikollious whispered to his servant in a stern tone. Kotuku snapped his head over and gave him a curious look with raised eyebrows before lowering his head at being caught.
Sorry. I wasn't listening he said. Mikollious glared at him before shaking his head and remaining still through the rest of the process.
***
Washu shook her head and scratched her eyebrows as she looked around for what she needed. She then stopped and tilted her head before making a slight change in plans. That's why she loved being so smart. She had the king and his servant in front of her like zombies and had access to their minds and thoughts. She already knew that Mikollious was right. The link was most likely fine. She turned to Kotuku and stared at him for a moment before feeling a shiver run through her. Just the mere sight of a Clav sent shivers down her spine lately. The more she looked at them, the creepier they became. She then regained her composure and surfed his mind as though she were surfing the web but stopped when she found what she had been searching for and let her thoughts go.
***
"Mikollious, what do you plan to do?" Washu asked as she stopped him before he left the lab.
"Well, I plan on punishing him for this," Mikollious said in a stern voice.
"Yes, but what do you plan to do?" she asked.
"Don't worry about it, Washu. I'll deal with this," he said.
"I think we should look into this a little more," she said in a small voice. Mikollious turned and gave her a curious look before smiling and taking her shoulders in his hands again.
"What did you find?" he asked. She took a deep breath and shook her head as she walked back over to her laptop.
"Exactly what I thought I would find, but there's something I don't understand about it. Something seems…odd."
"Odd?"
"It was almost as if he wasn't aware of what he was doing," Washu said in a distant tone.
"He still did it, and I'm not going to let him get away with this," Mikollious said as he left the lab.
***
A woman walked into the kitchen, cleaning up as she went and humming a simple tune to herself as she worked. She walked around the corner and let out a shout of surprise and jumped as she saw a blue dress, worn by the scientist of the castle flowing out from behind the door to the refrigerator. Washu popped her head around the corner of the fridge and looked at the woman with a confused look on her face.
"M-miss Washu? If you needed something, I would've been more than happy to retrieve it for you," the woman said as she bowed to the redhead who stuck her head back into the fridge with an annoyed look.
"It's okay. I can do it. Stand up straight," she mumbled dryly, thinking of how the woman bowed to her as though she was part of the royal family. This woman has seen her in here a lot, either eating or getting something to eat, and had always insisted that she fix Washu's meals. It's been almost three days and the results were still being processes, so she figured she'd get something to eat, like usual. After telling Mikollious about what had happened, or what she remembered of what happened, he has been requesting that she be treated with respect. She felt she didn't really deserve the respect she was now getting, seeing she was only a servant. She did his bidding and that was it. It wasn't like she really had a say in anything, but it didn't really matter. She was hungry and let it slid. She wanted food and she was going to find something that appealed to her, even if it took her all day. She then smiled and left the fridge to grab some uncooked rice and a pot.
"Please, miss Washu. Let me do that for you," the woman said as she walked over to the scientist who was now filling the pot with water.
"I've got it. Just continue your cleaning," she said, her irritation growing at the woman's persistence as she proceeded to deal with her rice. She placed the pot on the stove before staring at the woman as she tried to take over for her.
"You really shouldn't be-"
"I understand your concern but stop! If you consider me royalty, than continue with your work like I'm not here. Understand?" Washu shouted with a wrinkled brow before closing her eyes in annoyance at this woman's insistent nature. The servant drew her head back and stared at the redhead for a long time before continuing her work, humbled into silence.
***
Kotuku looked up to see Mikollious staring out at the far wall with an angered look on his face.
Has Washu told you if everything's okay? Kotuku asked.
"You don't need to know that, Kotuku," Mikollious snapped as he kept his gaze on the far wall. Kotuku let out a sigh and slowly rose to a sitting position. He saw Mikollious watching him out of the corner of his eye and tilted his head.
What have I done, Master? he asked.
"Don't mock me, Kotuku," Mikollious snapped as he looked over at the beast. Kotuku stared at him with a straight face, not feeling any fear of this man trying to stare him down.
"Staring contest?" Washu asked as she stood in front of the throne with a bowl of rice in her hands and a small smile on her face. Neither of them had noticed her standing there.
"What is it, Washu?" Mikollious asked.
"I need Kotuku in the lab for a while. There's some data I still need to get," she said as she pointed her spoon at the Clav who was still staring at Mikollious.
"I can't allow that, Washu," Mikollious said as he shook his head.
"Well, you're going to have to. Come on, Kotuku," Washu said as she turned towards the direction of the lab. Kotuku looked over at her before back at the King with an uncertain look on his face. Mikollious looked over to see Washu waiting for Kotuku by the entrance to her lab and let out a sigh as he closed his eyes while nodding his head.
***
Washu hadn't expected Mikollious to give in that quickly. She had expected a good long debate about it, but was left with only a yes, which didn't phase her much. The debate would've been nice, but she had gotten what she wanted. She sat at her laptop and smiled at Kotuku as he sat in his seat with his eyes diverted.
"What are you thinking, Kotuku?" she asked as she tilted her head as it rested in her hands.
I'm wondering why you have me here again Kotuku said.
"Because I need something from you," Washu said. Kotuku looked up at her and held a stare for a long while before looking away again.
"Why do you think you're being punished like this?" Washu asked suddenly.
I don't know he answered softly. Washu just shrugged her shoulders before going through his mind for the second time. The first time, she had only glanced at it quickly, but this time she was going to take her time. She called up his memory from that night and found the same thing she had before. He had been visiting with Tashacca and truly hadn't heard Mikollious calling for him, but if she searched in his subconscious, she found that he really had gone to her quarters, but his conscious wasn't aware of that. That's what confused her. As if he had no idea he had done what he did. Washu pinched the bridge of her nose as her body shook and brought Kotuku back to his senses before standing by the bottom of the steps while waiting for him to collect himself.
Get everything you need? he asked while rubbing his head as Washu nodded.
"Yes, Kotuku. I would like to ask you something, though," she said as she tilted her head curiously.
What is it?
"After you went to visit with Tashacca, where did you go?"
I patrolled the hallways he said in a mechanical voice, as though that's what he had been programmed to say. Programmed…
"You sound unsure."
That's what happened. I went to see her and made sure everything was right before heading for bed he said in the same tone. Something about this definitely wasn't right, but Washu had no idea how to find out what had caused this black out. It was obvious he didn't remember. She had never known him to lie in the past, but this wasn't exactly something he would come out and confess about. Washu stared at him for a moment before he tilted his head at her with a genuinely confused look.
Is something wrong? Are you unhappy with what I told you? he asked innocently. Washu took a sharp breath and felt like grabbing him around the neck and shaking the truth out of him, but he was truly baffled by her questions and reaction to his answers. She then let out a sigh and shook her head before looking down at the floor.
"No, I'm not angry with you, Kotuku. Tell Mikollious I would like to speak to him," she said as the beast passed her. She walked over to her laptop and typed around, not really accomplishing anything. After a few moments, she heard the heavy footsteps of Mikollious entering the lab and turned to see him and Kotuku standing in the doorway.
"What is it, Washu?" he asked. She looked at the Clav and then at Mikollious with a straight face.
"Alone?" she asked, as if he should've gotten that idea in the first place.
"What you have to say can be said in front of him," Mikollious said. Kotuku looked up at him before looking between the two with a confused look. Washu stared at him with a harsh, narrow glare and nodded her head as Mikollious gave in, sending Kotuku up the stairs.
"Thank you," she said before standing up and walking over to him.
"What is this about, Washu?" he asked.
"He did it, yes, but I would like to do some further research on it," she said.
"I cannot allow that, Washu," he said as he shook his head. "You have told me yourself that he had done it, so he should be punished. There is no excuse for what he did to you."
"But Mikollious-"
"No, Washu. I already have it arranged for his execution so there's no time for you to do more test," Mikollious shouted before leaving the lab all together. Washu let out a sigh and saw that he wasn't going to listen to her.
***
Washu had thought about what Mikollious had said all last night and the majority of this morning. She had woken up late and hadn't made her way down to her lab until well after sunrise. She had known today was Kotuku's execution, but she had stayed in bed instead of attending. She knew he did it, but it wasn't his fault, or at least she didn't this it was. He was unaware of what he had done. Almost as if someone had controlled him. The results had shown damage done to the link, but it was if someone had intentionally damaged it. Everything was so…confusing about this, and Washu didn't know where to begin.
***
Mikollious walked into the dinning room to find Washu sitting at the far end of the table while munching away on something, like usual.
"I swear, I find you in here more often than not. You eat enough for two people, Washu," Mikollious chuckled as he took a seat next to her.
"Everything went well, I presume?" she asked as she picked at her food.
"Yes. That's what I came to tell you," Mikollious said.
"Are you sure you made the right decision?" she asked after a moment's silence.
"Why do you ask?"
"Because he wasn't aware that he had done it. I had found that someone had tampered with your link, but I'm clueless as to who it was," Washu said as she raised her head up to stare at him.
"He still did it," he said after a long pause.
"Yes, you're right. He did," Washu said as she started eating again. Mikollious was being extremely difficult and if she continued this debate, she would most likely find herself screaming at him.
"You said the link had been tampered with. What do you mean by that?" Mikollious asked after a long silence.
"Someone had intentionally damaged it so they could take control of Kotuku themselves," Washu said flatly.
"Take control of him?"
"I found his memories of that night, but not in his conscious. I found them in his subconscious. He had been controlled," Washu said as she put her meal down. She suddenly didn't feel so hungry. Mikollious watched as she slowly rose to her feet to pace back and forth with her eyes closed and an uncomfortable look on her face.
"Is something wrong, Washu?" Mikollious asked as he rose to his feet.
"I'm just not feeling too good. Nothing to concern yourself with," she said as she stopped her pacing. She stood still for a moment before swiftly leaving the room, causing Mikollious to give Tashacca a confused look due to her abrupt exit.
***
Washu walked into her lab and let out a sigh as she sat on her cushion. It never failed. She always got sick at the same time, every day. She's known about this since a few days after that night and had done several different tests to make sure, and she was right about it, and she was. She was pregnant. As if things weren't bad enough. She could easily dispose of the child, but she couldn't bring herself to actually do it. It wasn't her fault nor was it the child's. She let out a growl and finally began the long journey to her room in order to get some sleep.
***
"Washu?" Paradise asked as she saw Washu crossing the throne room. She stopped and hung her head before turning to the queen who had joined her.
"Yes, Paradise?" Washu asked as she slightly bowed her head.
"Is something wrong? You look flustered," Paradise said as she tilted her head.
"I'm fine. Everything that's happened lately is taking it's toll on me," Washu said. Paradise then rested a hand on her shoulder as Washu turned to leave and turned the scientist to face her once again.
"I believe there is something you are not telling us, Washu," she said.
"Like what?" Washu asked.
"I'm not stupid, Washu, so don't treat me like I am," Paradise said sternly. Washu then bowed her head and closed her eyes as she heard the tone in Paradise's voice.
"Please forgive me, majesty. I meant nothing of the sort," Washu said. Paradise couldn't help but chuckle at how quick Washu was to apologize. Paradise straightened her and smiled as she let out a slow sigh.
"Washu, I know what it's like to expect a child, so don't think you're alone" she said softly. Washu stared at her for a moment before letting out a sigh and hunkering her shoulders.
"I don't want it, but I can't get rid of it. I don't have it in me to dispose of it," Washu admitted, knowing that arguing with this woman about the topic was an impossible battle to win. Paradise smiled at her and nodded her head slowly.
"Yes, I can see why you wouldn't want it. But please believe me, Washu. It's not your fault," Paradise said in a comforting voice. Washu stared at her for a moment and nodded her head before looking over at the staircase to her quarters.
"Are you going to take it in?" Paradise asked. Washu stared at the staircase and let out a slow, thoughtful sigh before smiling back at the queen.
"I don't exactly have a choice," she said.
"Go sleep, then. I know you're tired," Paradise said as she walked off.
***
Washu plopped down on her bed and let out a long sigh as she closed her eyes. This whole thing was confusing her and what Paradise had told her wasn't helping. It wasn't her fault. Those words rang through her head like a freight train. There was no doubt as to what had happened that night, but who had tampered with the link? Washu finally fell asleep with those thoughts on her mind.
***
Mikollious smiled weakly at his wife as she entered the dinning room where he still sat. She rested her head on her fist and stared at him for a long time before tilting her head.
"What's the matter, husband?" she asked.
"Nothing I would wish to speak of," he said.
"Very well. What do you plan to do now that Kotuku's gone?" she asked as she leaned back in her chair.
"The only thing I can do. Get a new Clav," he said.
"Yes, I believe that would be a good next step. I also think we should get one for Washu as well," Paradise suggested.
"She doesn't want one," Mikollious reminded her.
"I know this, but she's going to need one," Paradise said with a small smile. Mikollious stared at her with a curious wrinkle in his brow before tilting his head.
"And why's that?" he asked after a moment.
"She's pregnant, Mikollious," Paradise said with a growing smile. Mikollious stared at her for a moment before letting out a sigh and hanging his head again.
"Is she okay with it?" he asked.
"She says she doesn't want it, but will care for it anyway," Paradise said. Mikollious nodded his head before a small smile worked its way to his lips. That explains her behavior lately, and if she's okay with it, so was he.
"Where is she now?" he asked as he lifted his head.
"Sleeping. You wake her up and you'll have to answer to me," Paradise warned with a chuckle. Mikollious raised his hands in defense before chuckling along with his wife.
**************************************************************************************
Changed a lot, hasn't it? Washu's flashbacks will be over pretty soon and the others will be brought in a lot more. I really don't know where the idea for this story came from, but I kind of like the idea. Just my imagination going wild with me again, I guess. If you have questions, feel free to ask in a review.