Getting Better
Smiling devilishly, Ayeka couldn't help but laugh as she began her list. Earlier that month, she had suggested that she and Ryoko write down everything they thought was bad about the other girl, while on a separate sheet of paper, everything good would be placed on. Ayeka had assured her wild comrade that one list would definitely be shorter than the other, and she knew which one that one.
Smiling madly, Ayeka began scribbling things down with a mad furor. She had so many negative conceptions of Ryoko that it was difficult to express them all. Things like She's rude, she's lazy, she's too flirtatious, she's a liar, and she has no self-control sprang up like weeds, and the princess wrote so fast and hard that she often had to stop and rest.
One whole entire page filled up with negative things, but Ayeka was slowing down. At one point, she even had to rack her brain for something bad about Ryoko. Several times, she read over her list, making sure that she didn't miss anything. One could only imagine her shock as she realized that she was slowly running out of bad things to point out.
Still, the list was quite impressive. It took up one whole page, and stopped ¼ of the way into the back. Ayeka smiled at her compilation, though she was amazed at how little she was really able to write down. Her mood changed when she turned to the "Good Things" paper, and she laughed as she strained for at least one good quality.
She has shared her food, was the first thing she put down. A second came immediately, she has helped around the island, and a third, she saved me from those animals. Ayeka sighed, and dug deep into her brain for all the good qualities of Ryoko. Reaching deep into her thoughts, and ignoring her pride (for she had told the other woman that she would express the truth and not personal feelings), Ayeka wrote more.
She's intelligent. She has natural beauty (that one was especially hard to write). She's good to talk with. She has great tenacity. Ryoko works for what she eats here. She taught me how to make fire, and how to build a house. She retrieved the mattress for me. She makes me realize how good I really have it!!!
To her surprise, Ayeka found herself unable to stop writing. More and more good qualities popped into her head, like how Ryoko had helped her during the Kagato insurrection, and how she obeyed her request concerning clothes, and how warm her smile was, and how peaceful she looked when asleep…
Ayeka paused, briefly, and tried not to…… cry, as she realized that the good things she had to say about Ryoko outnumbered the bad. Not by much--there was a very slim margin, perhaps 57 bad things and 59 good--but it was still noticeable. Ayeka frowned, and wondered what Ryoko would have put for each. No doubt she has a million bad things to say about me, thought Ayeka quietly. …Not that I don't deserve a few of them. Oh, well. I suppose that at least 15 of them will be her own personal opinion…
Two girls with two sheets of paper met in the middle of the beach. Tentatively, they handed each other the "Bad Qualities" papers first, and sat down to read. Ayeka took most of the harsh words with a grain of salt, though she couldn't help but become enraged at a few. Ryoko, however, looked over many of them with half a heart, though some made her want to kill the princess right then and there. One made her laugh.
"So the truth comes out!" spat Ryoko, waving the paper in front of her. "You honestly believe that I have every one of these qualities, huh?"
"And you think I have all these?" replied Ayeka warily. Ryoko snorted.
"Hmph, and maybe I forgot one. All right, so I'm sorry. I'll apologize for a few things, if you will."
"Agreed! I apologize for being a loud, conceited, self-absorbed, snot-nosed brat! That's what you wrote, right?"
"Yeah, and I'm sorry for being a rude, obnoxious, salacious barbarian with no more class than a drunken barroom dancer." The girls nodded their heads, and traded the "Good Qualities" papers. Ryoko remarked that "This should be interesting", whilst Ayeka couldn't wait to see how much paper had been left blank.
Shock overcame both girls as they saw an entire page dedicated to good qualities. Ryoko paused at a few, smiling warmly as her topaz eyes scanned over the words. At some points, she was very close to crying; one time she did allow a tear to fall down her eye. But it was Ayeka who was stunned the most. Swearing that Ryoko would have put only three things on the list, she was amazed to find the first page stuffed with good things--as well as the second, and half of the third.
A remorseful feeling plopped into the princess' belly, as she realized the difference between the Good list she had made for Ryoko and the Good list that had been made for her. No less than 162 positive things were on Ryoko's listing, and Ayeka couldn't help but feel bad that she was unable to come up with so much for her comrade.
Quietly, the princess turned her head to look at Ryoko, whose face was beaming so warmly and proudly that Ayeka just had to smile back. She didn't know whether Ryoko was joyful because of the good things Ayeka had said, or proud of the reaction the princess had upon reading her own list.
"I meant it all, cow-face," said Ryoko softly. Ayeka smiled, feeling like such an unworthy fool. Despite all the horrid and nasty things she had done to the pirate, Ryoko had still gone ahead and made this long list for her. Sure, there were bad things as well, but many of them were right on the mark, and not opinionated as Ayeka believed.
"Th… thank you, Ryoko," managed Ayeka, her face contorted with emotions. She smiled, and added, "I… do not deserve… half the praise you give me."
"Yeah, I know," she replied coolly. Ayeka smiled, and chuckled lightly. "I don't deserve any of it either. But… thanks. That… really means a lot to me." Both women smiled happily, and grew a little closer to friendship that day.
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It's getting better all the time!
I used to get mad at my school--
The teachers that taught me weren't cool--
You're holding me down, turning me round,
Filling me up with your rules.
I've got to admit, it's getting better!
A little better all the time.
I have to admit, it's getting better!
It's getting better, since you've been mine.
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Slowly, so slowly that they didn't notice it, the girls were starting to get along. Instead of competition when making the SOS system, they turned towards cooperation. Instead of insults, they each made jokes about each other. Angry words turned into wry suggestions and smug quips. The constant nagging turned into support, and the everyday battles melted into fun competitions that never had winners or losers.
To be sure, the girls still fought and bickered as always--but then again, they started to apologize more, as well. Oftentimes it was Ayeka who would do most of the apologizing, although she did her fair share of forgiveness as well. She was also improving in her usefulness; when Ryoko seemed to get tired, Ayeka would cheer her on and double her efforts, just to "show that I can do it better".
The girls still insulted each other, but now the insults had a trace of affection behind them. Being called a cow-face now brought a wicked but harmless smile on Ayeka's face; being called lazy and good-for-nothing often made Ryoko laugh. They even exchanged physical blows, but even the majority of these were either harmless or fun.
Ayeka continued to prove an invaluable addition to the island. In just three short days, she had mastered the art of cutting and sewing furs together, and the girls already boasted a small wardrobe of handmade clothes. Everything, from the sexy to the sensible (speculate on which girl wore which type), was made from Ayeka's delicate but educated hands; Ryoko would even bring her food or water, and would always provide an excellent ear for Ayeka to speak to.
Friendship was still a long ways off, for the girls still found those harsh moments when they felt like killing each other. Ayeka still had lots of pride left in her, and Ryoko still had that biting edge that always knew which buttons to press. But both were considerably duller now, and as the days grew longer, the selfish and obnoxious mannerisms began to fade.
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Me used to be angry young man,
Me hiding me head in the sand--
You gave me the word,
I finally heard,
I'm doing the best that I can.
I've got to admit, it's getting better!
A little better all the time.
Yes I admit, it's getting better!
It's getting better, since you've been mine!
Getting so much better all the time!
It's getting better all the time!
It's getting better all the time!
Getting so much better all the time!
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"Hey, Ayeka?"
"Hm?" Ryoko, clad in an adorable two-piece mountain lion swimsuit, reclined on the beach alongside her companion. The sun was just beginning to set in the horizon, filling the world full of golden-black wonder and majesty. Each single ripple and wave on the sea reflected the glorious sunset, and the singing gulls in the air made the beautiful scene seem almost mystical.
"…Do you want to know a secret?" Ayeka paused, and rolled over on her side. She gazed at her almost-friend calmly, a trace of malice or hate nowhere to be found in her eyes, or her heart.
"Sure."
"Do you promise not to tell?" Ayeka smiled and giggled a little.
"I don't think there's anybody to tell," she said. Ryoko smiled, and rested her bare arms behind her head. Ayeka had to admit--though sometimes grudgingly--that Ryoko really did have a natural beauty to herself--sometimes. Of course, Ryoko had also listed that Ayeka was a very gorgeous woman herself, despite the incessant name-calling.
"Well, here goes nothing, then," sighed Ryoko. She turned her head, gazed into Ayeka's eyes, and bared her soul. "I wish I had your life."
"You… what?"
"Yeah. I wish I was a princess, like you. You may not believe this, but…… I'm actually kinda jealous of you." Ayeka paused, quite frozen and petrified upon hearing about this sudden revelation. Ryoko, jealous of her? After all of the insults, all of the battles, all the enmity and hate and competition, all of the hardships and pain… after all that, she was jealous?
"But… why?" said Ayeka, for that was the only thing she could say. Ryoko did not smile at all, for a very sincere and serious look had been placed on her wild face.
"Because!" she stated. "You have it so easy! You have all the money in the universe, you have more clothes than you can think of, you have people waiting on you day and night, you get to live in the best palaces and ride on the finest ships…" She sighed, and grew a faint sort of… sadness as she spoke.
"You never have to worry about anything, either," she continued. "You don't have to worry about where you'll live, or what you'll be doing… You don't have to worry about where your next meal will come from, or even if you have the food… And you're never lonely, or bored… because you'll always have somebody there to keep you company. When you walk in public, you have people surrounding you ready to… sacrifice their lives for your protection, and nobody's… chasing after you because of some deed you committed. Everyone… loves you, everyone… respects you, everyone… worships you… and, and, you can sail through life… on soft wings of ease… and never… worry… about anything…" Ryoko broke her speech, unable to proceed. Tears choked at her eyes, and a sob threatened to emerge.
"Sorry," she whispered, and her naked arm rushed forth to erase the tears away. "Sorry. I just…… well, bad memories, that's all…" As Ryoko whispered shakily, Ayeka couldn't help but gaze back at the woman. She had never expected anything so… revealing as this. Never, in her whole entire life, could she ever think that Ryoko would want her life, her existence, her… pleasures, and pains… It was absolutely unthinkable, and… completely flattering.
"Oh, Ryoko…" Ayeka sighed, honestly unable to reply. She gazed at the scantily-clad woman beside her, who was still on the brink of tears. Ryoko sniffled a little more, and gazed back at Ayeka with a mixture of sadness and kindness.
"Ryoko… you… do not want the royal life," managed the princess. Ryoko gave her a confused look, and she elaborated. "It is not all about being a princess and having one's way. Sometimes, it is not even about being admired or loved, or rich. It is… about responsibility, and the heavy burden that one must face daily. Yes, daily. The burden I carry--or, carried--was a heavy one, heavy as the universe itself, and it was one I had to carry every day…"
"But, I don't mind that!" insisted Ryoko gently. "I would gladly take that burden and keep it forever, for just one day--just one day, Ayeka, of being… like that."
"Oh, Ryoko, you truly have no idea how awful it is being a monarch!" sighed Ayeka sadly. She gazed into Ryoko's topaz eyes, her own soul ready to be revealed. "I would give up my entire family name and status to be wild and free like yourself."
"Huh? ……You… would?"
"Yes," whispered Ayeka. "Oh, Ryoko, you do not know how good you have it! Making your own rules, or making up none at all, flying around in space as free and uninhibited as the wind, never having to worry about impressing people, or manners, or whether or not this money should go to these people, or anything…" She swallowed, and cleared her throat.
"Ryoko, the only thing you have to worry about is your next destination! And I for one would give anything--anything, to be in that kind of position. Do you realize how much freedom you truly have? Do you know how easily you can avoid the rules and regulations of society? Do you realize how much I want the life you have?" Ryoko, the wild space pirate, gazed with eyes anew at the woman lying next to her. She smiled warmly, and placed her hand on Ayeka's shoulder.
"What a strange predicament," she smiled. "I want what you have, and you want what I have, and we're both stuck in a place we hate. How about that?"
"Yes, a strange twist of fate indeed," smiled Ayeka, her own face slightly wet with tears. She smiled, patted Ryoko's shoulder, and stood up. "It is time for bed, Ryoko. You may stay up as long as you wish, but I don't want to hear you complain in the morning." She smiled, and turned to walk away.
"Hey." Ayeka paused and looked at Ryoko. She patted the mound of sand next to her, indicating that Ayeka should come back. "Why don't we stay up all night together, huh? You can screw your scheduled bedtime, and I can have somebody pamper me." Ayeka smiled wryly, and gently placed her foot on Ryoko's face.
"I will do no such thing!" she declared, though she admitted that it would be nice to stay up all night. "Now if you'll excuse me, Miss Lawless, I need my beauty sleep!"
"That's the understatement of the century," muttered Ryoko. Ayeka, however, did not become pissed off as she normally would. Instead she smiled, gently kicked Ryoko in the ribs, and whispered a friendly insult.
"Good-night, you worthless pile of dung."
"Pleasant dreams, Princess Prostitute." Ayeka smiled again, and for the first time in a long while, was glad that Ryoko was there with her.
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I used to be cruel to my woman;
I beat her and kept her apart from the things that she loved.
Man I was mean, but I'm changing my scene
And I'm doing the best that I can.
I admit it's getting better,
A little better all the time.
Yes I admit, it's getting better!
It's getting better, since you've been mine!
Getting so much better all the time!
"Getting Better" by P. McCartney
Closing comments: This is my personal opinion of the girls. I honestly believe that they want what the other has, and both are willing to give up that lifestyle for the other. Will there be a "Prince and the Pauper" chapter coming soon? Perhaps. Of course, there is only one way to find out!