I really need feedback on this. Even if you've reviewed before, I need opinions and suggestions. I want to know what the readers what to read about. On with the story.
A Shoulder to Cry OnAyeka looked up as she heard the door to the lab open and watched as Ryoko made her way over to the couch.
"How is she?" the princess asked, shooting for a reasonable conversation. There had been too much fighting going on around the house, and Ayeka felt she didn't need to add to it.
"Sleeping," Ryoko said.
"Still?" Ayeka asked with a tilt of her head.
"Yup," Ryoko said in a slightly distant voice before wrinkling her brow in thought. "What did she say before that whole…'sword' thing?"
"Well, she said that she was tired of fighting, but was upset because of what Kagato had done to you as well as her inability to fix it. I guess you could say it was a subtle way of apologizing, in a weird 'Washu' kind of way," Ayeka said, causing Ryoko to tilt her head in thought as she considered the princess's words.
"Anything else?" she asked finally.
"She also said that you were never unwanted," Ayeka said as she tilted her head curiously, seeing she still hadn't heard the 'story' yet.
"But I know it's all true now. I really am a demon, but in a way…I'm okay with that," Ryoko said.
"I'm lost," Ayeka said, not understanding where this was coming from as she stood up. She motioned for Ryoko to follow her and smiled as the pirate slowly rose to her feet, still thinking.
"My past. She had lied when she said she created me at the lab while at the academy," Ryoko said as they headed for the onsen to speak without being interrupted. It was an odd occurrence, but it did happen on occasion.
"What?" Ayeka asked in a truly surprised voice. Everyone had believed that to be true, but now Ryoko was telling her that it wasn't. What surprised the princess even more was that they were actually talking. There was nothing harsh about their words and the atmosphere was more friendly than it usually was.
"Mom had told Tenchi, so I guess I could tell you," Ryoko said as they made preparations to take a long bath in the warm waters. Ayeka listened to the whole story intently and felt guilty as she learned the truth and found herself giving the pirate sympathetic looks. Not to mention stunned looks at the idea of a race that was as odd as the Clav. She had always called her a demon or a monster-woman, so the story she was now telling Ayeka made her feel like dirt, wishing she could take back her words. The best she could do was listen and give her input every now and then.
***
Tsunami appeared in Washu's room before hovering next to the bed as the redhead slept. She placed a hand over Washu's face while closing her eyes, taking in what was going on inside the genius' head and couldn't help but shake her head as she saw the dream was still crashing through her mind like the ocean against the shore. Tsunami had a feeling something wasn't quite right with how Washu's been acting lately, and she wanted to get to the bottom of it. She hadn't seen anything in her memories and knew Washu didn't know why she was so upset either; otherwise, Tsunami would've picked up on it. Tsunami then drew her hand back and let her eyes linger on her sister in thought for only a moment before disappearing from sight. She had to do something about this.
***
Putiko lazily lifted his head and scratched his nose without opening his eyes as he lounged in the garden located in front of the castle. Life had been so peaceful lately, but he still couldn't let go of how life use to be. It has been ten years since Ryoko and Washu had left and Putiko would find himself deticating a portion of every day to cat-napping in the garden while remembering the games him and Ryoko use to play, as well as the nights where him and Washu would chat about this and that.
…Putiko, come back here…!
Putiko grinned to himself and chuckled lightly as Ryoko's voice filled his memories with an uplifting aura and shook his head slowly as he remembered giving her a new 'Putiko' doll.
…Pleeeeeese…?
He chuckled quietly to himself, seeing Ryoko would always use that long, drawn out plea when asking him to do something for her. She never had to ask, seeing he was a servant to Washu and Ryoko was, after all, her daughter, so the same applied for her. That's probably why he felt so attached to her. Because she didn't treat him like a servant, but as a friend. He then opened his eyes and wrinkled his brow as the redhead popped into his memory. Washu. She had hated him when he was first assigned as her servant, but he wasn't stupid and knew she was a mess at the time. She had just had Ryoko and her inability to remember conceiving her had taken over, leaving no room for the love she had felt being her mother. Putiko had finally reached her and brought that love to the surface where it had stayed and he had been proud of himself for his achievement.
Out here again, are you? Tashacca asked as she walked up behind him. Putiko then lout out a grunt as a young Clav pup leaped into his lap.
Hi daddy! she whined as she awkwardly hugged him around the neck.
Well hello, Sasha he chuckled.
You two play nice, okay? Tashacca chuckled before letting out a yawn and walking into the castle.
Thanks Putiko muttered as Sasha insisted they play games.
***
Tsunami had watched the scene and smiled as she watched the beasts play below her. She smiled as she saw just how rambunctious the pup was. Tsunami knew very well what Ryoko would look and act like if she were to take on this form and with Sasha, she saw little difference, so this pup interested her greatly. They only real difference Tsunami could see between the two was that Sasha had been born a pup, not a human, and that her hair and stripes were mint green, not cyan. Everything from the base color of their fur to the way they spoke and acted was the same, or so it seemed. Tsunami chuckled as Sasha snuck around the tree and out of sight, seeing her father had dozed off. Tsunami shook her head and softly clicked her tongue before moving her position so she could keep an eye on the pup. She watched as she made her way towards the gates and let out a sigh before materializing in front of the now shocked Clav.
"Do not fear me, little one. I am a friend," Tsunami assured as she gave the stunned pup a comforting smile. She watched as Sasha tried to find her voice before finally shaking her head swiftly and staring at Tsunami with a curious look on her slightly smiling face.
Who are you? she growled as she tilted her head. Tsunami smiled as she saw the change in expression. From stunned, stupefied silence to extreme curiosity.
"I am a friend to the one closest to your father," Tsunami said with a smile.
You mean mommy? the pup asked as she moved to sit right in front of the goddess.
"No, not your mother, little one. Have you heard your father speak of Washu?" Tsunami asked. She saw the pup's eyes light up as a huge smile crossed her human features.
He told me a story about a genius that use to live in the very depths of the castle! He also tells me about her daughter, Ryoko! Sasha growled happily as she giggled at the stories he told of the redhead and her daughter. Tsunami smiled, knowing that this admiration for the stories would make her plans easier.
"Yes, that's the one. Do you believe the stories?" she asked.
I do. I snuck down to Washu's old lab one night and found all sorts of cool stuff. None of it worked, though Sasha said in a slightly disappointed voice.
"What kind of stuff?" Tsunami asked, unable to keep her curiosity at bay. Also the fact that this little Clav acted so much like Ryoko when she was a child that it was shocking. Tsunami had no idea how she had come to resemble the pirate so accurately, seeing both her parents were lightly colored, but let the though leave her mind. It had been Washu's doing as a goddess to create the life on every planet, but left it to Tsunami and Tokimi to guide them. Washu had been, after all, the Goddess of Chaos so her sense of humor was distorted sometimes. That would explain some of the odd things that seemed to happen every now and then, and this happened to be one of them.
A lot of glass tanks. I know that much, but the one I remember best is the one waaaaaaaay in the back the pup said as she held her chin in a comical gesture. Tsunami could help but want to pick the pup up and cuddle it as if it were nothing more than a puppy, seeing she was so tiny for her age.
"Oh? And what did it look like?" Tsunami asked.
It takes up the whole back wall and it looks like a glass cage and it has a broken box inside of it the pup said as she looked up at Tsunami with an almost confused look.
"Can you show it to me?" Tsunami asked as she touched down on the ground.
If you want. It's a long walk down there, so you'd better keep up the pup giggled as it jumped onto all fours.
"No need, Sasha," Tsunami said before disappearing with the pup to reappear in the lab without anyone knowing there were down there. Sasha looked around with room with wide-eyes, wondering how the hell that just happened before shaking her head as Tsunami spoke to her.
"Where is it?"
This way Sasha said before running around the corner, heading for the rear of the lab. They came to what Sasha had described and Tsunami looked it over curiously. It took up the whole back wall and appeared to be exactly what the Clav had told her. A glass cage, and the box she was talking about was a computer console smashed to bits
I wonder what it does Sasha said as she looked the contraption over.
"Hmmm," Tsunami said, still thinking to herself before taking a closer look. Something was tickling the back of her mind about this so she walked through the glass, being semi-transparent and all, and glanced around at the cage with a curious expression. She saw that the walls had deep claw marks in them and the floor was scuffed up from un-retractable claws. Tsunami could hear the pup banging on the glass and smiled at her while telling her to wait with the raise of her finger. She looked at the destroyed console and wrinkled her brow while staring at the wires and cables of Washu's machinery. This had been disassembled before getting destroyed. Something then caught Tsunami's eye and she narrowed her sight at what appeared to be a small bloodstain in the corner behind the machine.
"Wait a second," Tsunami said to herself before inspecting the object of her attention on a closer level and discovered it not to be blood, but hair. Fire red hair.
"Can I tell you a secret?" Tsunami asked in a soft voice as she returned to the Clav's side and changing the topic her mind had chosen to concentrate on putting her plan into action.
I'm really good at keeping secrets Sasha said as she gave Tsunami a look of anticipation.
"What would you say if I told you that Washu and Ryoko were still alive?"
They are?
"Yes."
But I thought Kagato had taken Ryoko and daddy told me that he was very powerful
"He was, yes."
Was? Sasha asked with a raise of her bushy eyebrow. Tsunami chuckled and smiled down at the Clav, thinking of how smart she really was. So young, but able to catch the past tense of Tsunami's words.
"Yes, was. Let me tell you a story," Tsunami said before proceeding to tell Sasha about how Kagato had been dealt with as well as how Ryoko and Washu have been living as of lately.
***
"Breakfast is ready!" Sasami shouted through the house as she leaned out of the kitchen, thinking everyone would find their way to the table on their own. Things had really started to calm down as far as fights and such, yet Sasami found it almost disturbing. Even though there were less fights, everyone seemed on edge lately, yet she let it slid for now, seeing she had a feeling she was already involved.
"Shit" she heard as she turned to enter the kitchen again.
THUD!!
Sasami poked her head out of the doorway with a curious look and gave Ryoko a confused look as she saw the pirate in her current facedown, ass-up position on the floor.
"Ryoko?" she asked as she watched the space pirate lay on her face for a few seconds before letting out a groan and slowly rising to a sitting position.
"Thanks for the wake-up call, Sasami," she said sarcastically as she rubbed her forehead.
"Well, maybe if you didn't sleep on the rafters, you wouldn't fall off, silly!" Sasami said with a giggle as she went back into the kitchen. Ryoko grumbled to herself as she rose to her feet and let out a yawn as she stretched her arms wide. She looked over and smiled widely as she saw Tenchi walking down the stairs with a tired look on his face. She disappeared before he noticed her and flickered in and out of focus behind him, causing him to turn around in confusion. He shrugged his shoulders as he failed to see anything and made it to the bottom of the stairs before being tackled to the floor but a certain cyan haired beauty.
"Good morning, Tenchi!" Ryoko sang as she stood up, pulling him up to her in a tight hug, causing his eyes to bulge out of his head, indicating that he was wide awake now. Yet, it didn't bother him for some strange reason. Maybe the fact that everything that's been happening lately has really affected her and he felt that giving her this bit of happiness was a small price to pay, considering what she might do if she gets pissed again. She had pulled a sword on her mother, for crying out loud.
"How was your night last night?" he asked as she released him. Ryoko felt an odd feeling of nervousness in her stomach as he spoke to her. He had been more open with her and she liked it, but it slightly bothered her too. Everyone's seemed to have a change of heart all of a sudden.
"Okay…" she said slowly before shooting him a smile.
"When was the last time you talked to Washu?" he asked.
"I've seen her, but I haven't talked to her," Ryoko said with a wrinkle in her brow. This was downright pissing her off, now that she can't even make an attempt to speak to the redhead. They just don't get along anymore and that further pissed Ryoko off. Her anger seemed to be getting the better of her lately and she had done a good job of heeding Tsunami's words about staying away from Washu for a while.
"I heard Ayeka breaking up another fight the other day," Tenchi said in a low voice.
"Yeah, it happens," Ryoko said. Tenchi smiled slightly at her before waving towards the kitchen with his arm looped for her. She stared at him for only a moment before retuning his smile and curtsied before wrapping her wrist around his and resting her hand on top of his.
"Wow. You know how to do that right. Ayeka doesn't even do it the right way," Tenchi said as he led Ryoko into the kitchen like a gentlemen.
***
Washu let out a long, drawn out yawn and stretched her arms wide as she left the lab for breakfast. She dragged her feet all the way to the table and sat down just as Sasami brought the food out. Everyone kept an eye on Ryoko and Washu, making sure that they were ready if any words were spoken. It was almost as if…as if they hated each other now. To see them pass a few innocent words would truly be a shock at this point.
"Good morning," Washu sang in a sleepy voice as she let out another yawn.
"Not enough sleep. Washu?" Ayeka chortled as she started to fill her plate with food.
"I got plenty of sleep, actually" Washu said lazily as she took a scarce about of food.
"I don't believe that for a second," Tenchi said as he raised his eyebrow at the redhead.
"You can believe whatever you want, Tenchi," Washu said as she started picking here and there at the food on her plate. She let out another yawn and drooped her eyes as she played with the food, thinking about her dreams lately. Usually, she would dream of things that had happened in the past, but not lately. She's been having the same dream over and over and never seemed to get any sleep because of it.
"Maybe you should go back to bed, Washu," Ayeka said as she watched the redhead pick at her food, half asleep.
"Maybe," she mumbled. Lately, Ayeka had been spending time with the genius to keep herself out of trouble, seeing she knew that she couldn't very well pick up where she had left off in taunting the pirate. I mean, Ryoko had broken down and told her about her past willingly. Ayeka hadn't expected her to tell her everything, but she did and it made her see Ryoko in a whole new light. Washu let out another yawn and rested her head against her hand as she placed her chopsticks on the table while closing her eyes completely. Ayeka then let out a sigh and stood up before leaning over the scientist's slouched form.
"Come on, Washu. You really need to go to bed before you fall asleep with your face in you food," Ayeka said as she helped the half-asleep scientist to her feet. She walked into the lab and thought for a moment before hitting the oddly-shaped key on the control panel of Washu's laptop and smiled proudly as the door to Washu's room appeared. Washu had taught her only simple stuff like that, just in case she came in to find the redhead asleep at her laptop or whatnot, which happened more often than not. Ayeka helped her to bed and let out a chuckle as the redhead fell asleep the second her head hit the pillow.
***
Washu snapped her eyes open and stared at the ceiling for a moment, trying to regain her senses enough to know where she was. She shot up until her back was ramrod straight and moved her eyes around the room before hearing the door open slightly. She blinked a few times and put her face in her hands as the dream woke her up for the second time today.
"Washu? Is everything okay?" she heard Ayeka ask and snorted before smiling up at the princess.
"Of course. Why wouldn't I be?" she asked in a chirpy voice, despite her groggy feeling as she crawled off the bed.
"Well, you had your face in your hands, so I wanted to make sure you were okay," Ayeka said as she walked into the main with the redhead.
"Why thank you, Ayeka. But no, everything's fine. I was just trying to wake up, that's all," Washu lied.
"I don't believe you, but I'll let you keep your secret," Ayeka said. Washu looked over at her and thought about this dream before letting out a sigh and sitting on a floating cushion that had appeared behind her.
"I've kept so many secrets that I don't know if I can handle keeping another," Washu said with a pale chuckle in spite of herself.
"That's your decision, Washu. If you wish to tell me, know that what you say wouldn't leave this room, but if you don't than that's fine," Ayeka said as she sat in a floating chair that had appeared for her. Washu looked up at her and tilted her head as she thought of how she felt about Ayeka. She never really gave the princess a second thought in the past, but ever since the 'box' incident, the princess seems more willing to be a friend, knowing how Washu has been feeling. It was a refreshing change of company and Washu found she enjoyed having the princess as a helper in her lab. Not an 'experiment' helper, but more of a 'hand me this' or 'make sure this doesn't over flow' kind of helper. Ryoko had always been stubborn about coming into the lab, for good reason, but even after Washu stopped the experiments, she shied away. She could talk to Ayeka and wouldn't have to worry about what was said, seeing she could handle emotions a hell of a lot better than Ryoko, or even Washu herself. That's why she was still a little cranky when around Ryoko. She knew she couldn't talk to her without unleashing a war of emotions.
"Ayeka, tell me about your dreams," Washu said in a slightly distant tone as she watched her screensaver. Ayeka quirked an eyebrow at her and hesitated a moment before asking a seemingly reasonable question.
"Is this an experiment, Washu?" she asked slowly.
"Nope. Just a question," Washu said as she continued to stare at the screen.
"Well, I dream of home a lot," she stared slowly.
"Juria, you mean? What kind of dreams are they? Good? Bad?" Washu asked, still not diverting her gaze from the screen of dancing crabs.
"Mainly good, but not always. Why do you ask?" Ayeka asked, wondering why this mattered.
"Do they mean anything to you?" Washu continued, ignoring the princess' question.
"What do you mean?" Ayeka asked.
"What I mean is, have you ever had a dream where you didn't know what was going on, but knew it was important?" Washu asked.
"Have you been having bad dreams, Washu?" Ayeka asked in a sarcastic tone as she smiled at the genius. Washu looked over at her before a smile worked it's way to her lips. She then felt silly for asking such confusing questions, but felt that the princess was as good as any to tell.
"I always use to dream repeatedly of how Ryoko had been taken from me as well as my life when she was a child, but not lately. I've been seeing…" she said but stopped, thinking that Ayeka didn't know the whole story behind Ryoko's past. She felt Ayeka place a hand on her shoulder and looked over to see her smiling at her with an understanding look.
"She told me about it. It's okay, so tell me what this dream is about," Ayeka said as she leaned on her knees, giving Washu her undivided attention. Washu stared at her for a moment before her gaze fell to the floor where it roamed around their feet in thought before making herself comfortable.
"I'm standing in a garden out front of the castle and an odd flash of light attracts my attention. I look over and I see a young Clav pup staring up at me with a grin on her face," Washu said as she held her hands in front of her as if to pick something up while her eyes roamed the room, not really focusing on anything.
"Go on," Ayeka encouraged as Washu hesitated before blinking a few times and letting out a determined sigh. She was going to figure out what this dream meant.
"I ask her what her name is and she just giggles at me, as if it were a secret that she couldn't tell but wanted to. She then runs up to me and begs me to pick her up," Washu said before pausing during her story.
"When you say young, how young do you mean?" Ayeka asked, thinking she would play the role of the therapist.
"About…four…" she said slowly, still deep in thought.
"So you picked up a four-year-old Clav pup. Then what?" Ayeka asked. She was really getting into this. So many questions about it filled her head to the breaking point and she couldn't wait to get them all out.
"She told me that she could help me. I didn't understand what she meant, so I asked her about it and she said that she would deal with Ryoko so that I wouldn't have to worry about it," Washu said and rubbed her brow while looking up at Ayeka was a painfully confused look on her face.
"Well, let's think about it. She said she'd deal with Ryoko after you asked her about it. Could this possibly mean that you would regain her as a daughter perhaps?" Ayeka asked.
"I'm not so sure. She went on to tell me that I had to remember what had happened in order to stop this fighting between me and Ryoko and that I would have help with it," Washu said. This dream made no sense at all to her and Ayeka also found herself stumped as to what it meant.
"I'm sorry, Washu, but I don't know what to tell you. I'm just as confused as you are," Ayeka said as she shrugged her shoulders helplessly. Washu then let out a long sigh before snorting to herself with a small smile.
"It's okay, Ayeka. I don't expect you to figure it out for me," Washu said as she stood up with a stretch.
"Anything else I can do for you?" Ayeka asked as she also rose to her feet.
"Yup. You can go feed the specimens and meet me on three when you're done. Can you do that?" Washu asked as a portal appeared, leading to the third planet that made up her lab. Ayeka smiled at her and let out a heavy sigh before nodding her head and heading off to perform her chores.
Putiko walked around the garden, searching for Sasha, but not finding her anywhere.
Where did you go off to this time, runt? he asked himself with a small smile. She did this a lot and he would always find her somewhere she wasn't suppose to be. He couldn't get over how much she was like Ryoko, seeing she even had the same hiding spots as the cyan-haired girl he remembered and would even ride on his back like Ryoko had done. He peeked his head around the corner of Ryoko's old room and glanced around before making an entrance. He smiled to himself as he rounded the bed before lifting up the blankets and swiftly lowering his head to see if she was under the bed. Nope. He wrinkled his brow and glanced around again as he thought of where she could be. He had checked all her favorite hiding places as well as the majority of the castle, but still couldn't find her.
Where are you? he asked himself again before heading for the throne room to see if anyone had seen her.
***
So where are we going? Sasha asked as she walked with the goddess through the fields.
"We're going to go see how Ryoko and Washu are doing," Tsunami said. The Clav stopped and stared at her in surprise for a moment before wrinkling her brow and looking back at the castle.
I should ask my daddy first she said.
"There's no need, Sasha. Come…they're waiting for us," Tsunami said as she kept on walking. She hated to have to do this to Putiko and Tashacca, but if Ryoko was going to make it through this, she was going to need this little pup more than Putiko and Tashacca did. Besides, Putiko had his own mission to complete.
Are you sure? Mommy and daddy will be worried if I'm gone too long the pup said, causing Tsunami to stop and look at her.
"Sasha, you've heard the stories, right?" Tsunami asked.
Yeah
"And you know how much your daddy had loved them, right?"
Yeah
"Don't you want to go see them?"
Yeah, but… the pup started but stopped, seeing she really did want to go, but she didn't want to worry her parents.
"Sasha, they need your help and it has to be you. You're the only one who can do it," Tsunami said, causing the Clav to look up at her with a curious look.
Really? she asked.
"Yes. Wouldn't you like to come home and tell daddy that you helped his friends?" Tsunami asked.
He'd like that Sasha said as she continued to follow the goddess with that thought in the back of her mind.
Ryoko idly chewed on a blade of grass as she leaned against the porch while staring at the sky. She wrinkled her brow deeply and let out a sigh as she threw the grass to the ground before looking back up at the sky with an irritated look. Was her mother really that mad at her? They haven't spoken since that fight and even when they did exchange a few words, they would start fighting again.
What did I do? Ryoko thought to herself in a curt tone, more aggravated than hurt at this point before wrinkling her brow in confusion as Tsunami stood in front of her, grinning like an idiot.
"Tsunami? What are you doing here?" Ryoko asked as she rose to her feet.
"I have an offer for you, Ryoko. It's your choice whether you take me up on it or not, but I recommend that you do," Tsunami said, her smile never fading.
"What kind of offer?" Ryoko asked cautiously.
"Remember that fight when you used your mother to break the coffee table?" Tsunami asked. Ryoko narrowed her eyes at the goddess before hanging her head with a sigh.
"Yes, Tsunami, I do," she said impatiently.
"What about the fur on your hands? Do you remember that?" Tsunami continued, her smile never fading.
"Tsunami, what's your point?" Ryoko shouted.
"What I'm getting at is that I can help you with that," Tsunami said. Ryoko stared at her for a moment before wrinkling her brow and paying a bit more attention.
"How?" she asked.
"It involves you taking a small journey," Tsunami said.
"What kind of journey?" Ryoko asked, her cautious demeanor returning.
"A journey that will one, bring on an understanding of this other side of yourself, and two, to give your mother time to realize what had happened in the past. That's the only way you two will stop fighting," Tsunami said. After examining the glass cage a bit more, something clicked in Tsunami's mind, giving her enough information to have an idea as to what had happened.
"But she already told me about my past," Ryoko said curiously.
"Ryoko, there are some things that happened that she doesn't remember," Tsunami said slowly.
"So how is me taking off going to help?" Ryoko asked.
"Because Washu isn't the one to help you through this. You will meet someone who is more than willing to help you," Tsunami said and before Ryoko could get another word in, her world went black.
***
Washu looked around her and found herself in the garden once again. She glanced around before catching a glimpse of something behind a nearby tree and slowly walked over before seeing what looked like a small bushy tail. She then jumped back as a small pup jumped out in front of her and gapped at it with wide eyes. He smiled up at her and tilted his head before walking over and sitting in front of her. It was Putiko. A young Putiko.
Do you want to see something cool? he asked, snapping her out of her trance. Washu wrinkled her brow, but followed Putiko as he ran ahead of her. She then found herself in her old lab, staring at a machine that looked terribly familiar, but she couldn't quite place her finger on it.
Cool, huh? Do you know what it is? he asked. Washu thought for a moment before closing her eyes and wrinkling her brow in thought, finding only traces of this equipment in her mind. She then smiled down at him before opening the door and letting Putiko in with her, slowly remembering what this was.
…I had created this when I first came to live at the castle. I was intrigued by the Clav's abilities so I…I had created a machine that would run tests on the subject without me needing to be there… Washu said slowly as the memories trickled back to her.
Tests?
…Yes. Things like strength, intelligence, speed, and a few other attributes…but…it mainly focused on how often they thought of their other side…
Other side? Oh! You mean the human part, right?
…Yes. It would test to see how often the subject thought about it as well as how prone they are to experiment with it… Washu said as she slowly ran her fingers over the gashes in the walls with a curious look on her face.
So what are all these claw marks from? Was the 'subject' angry?
…I…I can't remember… Washu said as she tried to remember the subject that was held here.
Are you sure?
…I…don't remember… Washu said again before shaking her head swiftly as a picture flashed in her mind. It was a Clav like none she's ever seen before, but had no idea where that had come from. Putiko obviously didn't notice, seeing he went on asking questions.
What did she look like?
…She…she was pure white…hair and all… Washu said, now remembering the beast she had in here so long ago. Washu shook her head again as another picture flashed in her mind; this time of this beast she just described lunging towards her.
Was she nice?
Flash. Another picture. One of Washu herself, bringing a tray into the cage with her laptop floating behind her. It was assorted with the necessary devices to assist in calculating how much energy is exerted when something changes it's metabolism as swiftly as the Clav did.
…Yes…Quiet…polite…but…
But?
…Something…something happened, but I don't know what…
Are you sure you don't remember?
…I…I remember someone…someone catching my attention… Washu started, but trailed off, forgetting the rest of the memory. She had no idea where this information she was giving was coming from, but didn't really have time to stop and think about it, seeing Putiko just continued to question her.
What was her name?
Kyoto.
…Kyoto… Washu said flatly, as if she was ordered to say it. She wrinkled her brow and looked around, wondering how she knew that before closing her eyes as the pup continued it's questions.
How did the control panel break?
Washu then covered her ears and clamped her eyes shut as she saw a picture of this 'Kyoto' slamming her against the device the pup was speaking of while letting out a shout and jumped as she felt a needle-sharp pain in her side
…I…I…she started before feeling a burning in her gut. She wasn't sure what it was, but the more she thought of it, the more it grew.
Why did it break, Washu?
Washu let out a growl and held her breath as another picture flashed behind her eyes. It was brief, but hit her hard, seeing she had the feelings that accompanied the flash, just like the last one. 'Kyoto' was attacking her full force and Washu could feel a sting in her back as well as all down her arms and across her stomach as though the beast was attacking her right there as she knelt on the floor. As soon as it had appeared, the scene as well as the feelings were gone, leaving Washu to rack her brain for an answer to this but found none. She the wrinkled her brow as she failed to hear Putiko asking questions and turned her head to see him staring at her with a straight face.
You need to remember he said before the dream ended.
***
Ryoko felt something soft brush up against her arm but couldn't seem to open her eyes yet. Her head was pounding and her body felt weak where it lay. She then heard something growling at her and that was what forced her eyes open and her body into motion. She shot up to her feet and glanced around before wrinkling her face in bafflement, seeing tall trees and thick underbrush. The air was humid and seemed to weigh down on her, making it hard to breath. She heard the growl again and spun around, not seeing anything. She then felt something tugging at the bottom part of her dress and glanced down to see…a Clav pup?
"What's going on?" she asked herself, barely remembering what Tsunami had told her.
…you will meet someone who is more than willing to help you…
Ryoko looked back down at the pup and wrinkled her brow as it stared up at her. It then let out a growl and jumped up, begging her to pick her off the ground.
"What do you want? Go away," Ryoko sneered as she gently pushed the pup away from her with her foot. That didn't stop it though, seeing it let out a huff and tried again.
"What's with you! Go away!" Ryoko said as she started walking, thinking that she could easily outrun the thing if she had to but stopped as it jumped in front of her and scowled deeply at it. She was about to shoo the pup away again before Tsunami's words echoed in her mind again.
More than willing to help Ryoko thought to herself as the pup waited for her to do something. Ryoko then licked her lips as she realized exactly what this was. It hadn't even dawned on her that it was a Clav. One of her own race was here to help her with this. Ryoko then knelt down before the creature and tilted her head curiously.
"What's your name?" she asked. The pup growled and whimpered at her, causing Ryoko's face to go blank with irritation.
"O-kay…" she said slowly as she stood up to take in her surroundings. She looked up but couldn't see anything through the canopy of leaves, causing it to seem darker than it really was and wrinkled her face as the forest lay all around her, thick and smoldering.
"Thanks, Tsunami…" she grumbled under her breath. She was stuck in the middle of who-knows-where with a Clav pup that is suppose to help her, but she can't understand what it's saying. Perfect.
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Still like it? I keep having second thoughts about this new plot, but I guess it's too late now. Anyway, read and review, telling me what you think.