Author's Note: Okay, so maybe I should tone down on Ayeka's attitude. But I believe her reaction to Ryoko's appearance is perfectly normal. Imagine seeing your worst enemy sprawled out on the rocks, halfway dead! Wouldn't you act the same? But Ayeka fans fear not--she'll redeem herself eventually.

Reviving Ryoko

Ayeka felt like killing her conscience as she waded through the waters and the rocks. She couldn't believe that she was actually rescuing that she-devil of a woman from almost certain death! She nearly lost her mind (and her balance) treading through the gnashing waves, and almost laughed at the situation. Here she was, princess of Jurai, wading through the powerful waves of a beach, rescuing one of the universe's most infamous criminals!

As if to taunt her even more, the waves began increasing in power and knocked the esteemed lady off her feet. Ayeka fell flat on the shore, smashing into the wet sand and waters. With a growl, she resurfaced and continued trekking forward. The waves smashed against her again, sending her to the ground twice. It was almost as if nature agreed with her decision to leave Ryoko behind.

Perhaps I should turn back, thought the princess. It will be too much effort to go over there, and I'll probably have to carry her so she doesn't get her face in the water. I couldn't possibly carry that sack of potatoes, so why am I even bothering? She'll probably make an even bigger nuisance of herself…

Sighing, Ayeka trudged through the waters and arrived at the rock where Ryoko was still lying on. For a very, very brief moment, Ayeka felt pity and remorse: pity for the defenseless woman, and remorse for her own heartless actions. She genuinely grew sad for a period, and would have kept her attitude had not the waves bashed her against a larger rock.

She slammed against the stone, knocking air from her lungs and a speck of blood from her shoulder. Yelling a curse unbefitting a princess, Ayeka stormed away from the boulder and approached the half-dead space pirate. With a sneer, she scooped the other woman in her arms and flung her over her shoulders. Ryoko's stomach and chest were now pressed into Ayeka's back, and her wobbly head was resting on the woman's shoulders. Draping the pirate's arms over her neck, Ayeka held onto the other woman tightly and began stomping away from the rocks.

"I hope you appreciate what I'm doing for you!" snorted the princess. "You realize that I'm only doing this so I won't have to do all the work!" Obviously, no response came, and Ayeka sighed. The waters grew a little calmer, and the princess kept her balance as she made her way back to her home.

With the summer sun now at its highest peak, and the temperature with it, Ayeka began perspiring terribly as she carried the unconscious Ryoko. Normally she was never a fast walker, and even in times of distress she couldn't boast of being quick. But now, burdened down by Ryoko, the weather, and her own feelings, Ayeka was just barely trudging along.

Her bare feet dug into the soft sand, feeling aflame from the fiery sun. Her hands became slippery, and she had to readjust Ryoko's position more than once just to keep her steady. She yearned to rest along the way, or to at least stop for a snack, but she reasoned that the quicker she got Ryoko to safety, the quicker she could go about her business.

Ayeka knew better than to leave Ryoko outside. If she had thrown the woman on the beach, she would've shriveled up from the heat or else picked apart by the gulls. If she had been placed anywhere in the jungle, she would've been ripped apart by the wild beasts, and the grasslands had no means of protection from the rain and cold. The princess didn't like the idea, but she had little choice other than to keep the woman inside her cave. If it meant getting an extra hand in labor, she would have endured even Ryoko's presence.

Ayeka did finally give in to her desires, and took a brief rest midway between the rocky beach and her home. Laying Ryoko next to a palm tree, Ayeka stretched her weary muscles and popped several loose joints. In the silence of the day, Ryoko looked very peaceful and almost heavenly. Ayeka sighed, gazing over the unresponsive woman, and let out a smile.

"Just remember, Ryoko," she pointed, "you owe me one. I expect you to pull your own weight while you're on my island. 'No work, no eat', right?" No response. Ayeka smiled even more, and sat down next to her adversary. In an extremely rare moment of civility and friendliness (which was easy considering that Ryoko could neither move nor talk), Ayeka put her hand on Ryoko's shoulder and smiled.

She looks very peaceful when she's asleep. Hm, her pulse is very weak, but at least she's alive. Maybe, if I'm extra lucky, she'll have a case of amnesia when she wakes up. She'll be easier to get along with then. Of course, if my premonition is correct, she'll just be the same old Ryoko, nagging and whining and lazing about like the no-good crook she is.

Ayeka chuckled, and slapped Ryoko on the cheek lightly. She stood up, stretched again, and took a deep breath of sea air. Your fate is in my hands, Ryoko, she thought. You had better realize that.

Finally, through several hours of intense work and a few more rests, Ayeka managed to carry the unconscious Ryoko back to her cave. Inside it was dark as always, but the light that carried through the "windows" provided sufficient guidance. Ayeka sighed as she surveyed her room. She needed to put Ryoko somewhere where she could rest, but unfortunately, the only place suited for that was her bed.

"Oh, no!" she stated, anticipating her conscience's words. "I'm not going to put her in my bed!"

Where, then?

"I, I…" Ayeka growled and uttered a nasty word (or two), but decided that it would be too much of an effort to argue, and reluctantly placed the sleeping Ryoko on her bed. With a sigh, she fell to her knees and caught her breath.

"You sure do weigh a lot," wheezed the princess, whispering into the other woman's ear, "for somebody who hasn't eaten in several days."

Diary of Ayeka, Princess of Jurai

Ninth of May

Well, when all was said and done, I eventually gave into my conscience and rescued that despicable woman from the fate she so deserves. Now, to my great displeasure, I must care for her and nurture her back to health, so that she will be able to assist me in my daily routines. I do not need to say that I will not look forward to doing this.

Still, having my enemy depend on me gives me something of a perverse joy. I now have a great power, and a great advantage, and surely Ryoko will understand this when she wakes. I saved her life; whether I wanted to or not is irrelevant. She is now in my debt, and thus must repay it somehow. I can think of no better payment than accomplishing a few chores here and there!

Still… This may sound unbelievable, but deep down inside, I am glad she is all right. Of course, this is mostly because I am lonely. I realize now that I could never accomplish so much by myself--I need Ryoko's help. Yes, I shall admit it (I wouldn't be so loathe to if it were anyone else). I am unable to do this task.

Now I must worry about reviving Ryoko. It pains me to even write it, but I hope she lives--realize, of course, that I only say that because I need the assistance! And yes, well, she is in my debt. The least she could do is pull through and live. Who knows! Perhaps she will come through with a case of amnesia! HA!!

Sincerely yours,

Ayeka

"Now," said the princess, putting her diary away, "how shall I go about recovering you?"

Stepping outside a few minutes later, Ayeka surveyed what she had to offer. The supply of berries was dwindling fast, and soon they would be gone altogether. Her water was also vanishing, and her skills at making fires was not improving. Ayeka sighed, and moaned as she realized that she would soon have to divide everything up with her new "companion".

First of all, she gathered several berries together in her hands and headed back to the cave. There was no doubt that Ryoko was starving by now, so the food would do her good. At first, Ayeka thought of prying the other woman's mouth open and stuffing the berries inside, but then there was the possibility that she would choke on them.

The solution to this problem came quickly. Using her seashells, Ayeka managed to crush several berries, and fed the shriveled remains to her foe. Ryoko, by some miracle, did not choke on them and even managed to swallow some down. Ayeka sighed and unconsciously smiled, but was thrown into shock as she realized her relief over the other woman's survival. With a snort, Ayeka stuffed a few more crushed berries into Ryoko's mouth and secretly hoped that she choked on at least one.

With a smile, Ayeka left Ryoko to rest on the mattress. Her next goal, while waiting for the other woman to recover, would be to find a steady supply of water. The puny creek she had found had been reduced to a ditch of mud, and other than the sea, there were no other springs around. Secretly, as she left Ryoko to rest, Ayeka hoped that the other woman would be okay by herself. It wouldn't do to go through all that and have Ryoko die while she was away!