"I can't believe that I'm stooping this low.but, what can I say? Even a genius gets desperate at times.and boy, I'm as desperate as they get." Washu replied to herself as she thumbed relentlessly through a thick manga, one that had a couple kissing sweetly on the front surrounded by roses. She leaned back on her floating pillow, her long pink hair trailing down to the cool metal floor below. Her jade eyes skimmed the black and white pictures for ideas, and suddenly her gaze fell upon a frame of a young woman in an apron, cooking as her lover walked into the kitchen. An idea struck her immediately.

"Hmm.perhaps the way to a man's heart is through his stomach.and Tenchi DOES seem to like Sasami's cooking.not to mention Sasami herself. Which brings me to my last and final, desperate ploy."

The scientist stood and stretched a bit, a small knot beginning to form in her stomach. Her last and final desperate ploy.what if it didn't work? She could only hope.

"Please, let this work.I don't know what I would do if I lost him." she said to herself as she ran off into the depths of her lab.

At Dinnertime.

Tenchi smiled as he walked inside the house. It had been a long day at the shrine, and he was ready for some dinner, and hoped for a normal, ultra smart, egotistical, loveable Washu, not a distorted, weird one. But as soon as he stepped into the living room, something was immediately off.

"Sasami.? Aren't you usually cooking dinner when I come in?"

Sasami turned her head from the television and smiled a bit, looking a bit confused. "Yes, Tenchi, but I was relieved of my duties for a night."

Tenchi blinked. "But then who's cooking?"

"Dinner's almost ready! C'mon Tenchi!! Come help Ryo-Ohki and me!" cried a chipper voice from his left. Tenchi whirled around and nearly fell over at the sight before him. In the large window that was inlaid through the wall between the living room and the kitchen stood a very cheery, very YOUNG Washu. She wore a long white apron that bore a large orange carrot on the front and a replica of Sasami's kimono. Her long red hair was smoothed out into two long curved pigtails that were tied with purple hair ties, and a very puzzled Ryo-Ohki sat atop her head. She had quite obviously reduced her age, which came as a very odd shock to the young man. After all, he had been quite used to the physically mature Washu, and it had been quite a while since she had been in child form. She smiled brightly at him as she waved a black ladle at him. "Tenchi! What are you waiting for? Come on!" And with that, she scampered back over to the stove giggling girlishly.

Tenchi, a bit unsure, blinked at the scientist's appearance and slowly made his way into the kitchen, where she was stirring some sort of concoction in a large steel pot. She was whistling cheerily, and handed a carrot to the cabbit on her head.

"Uhm.Washu.ah, I mean.Little Washu," he began, knowing how she preferred to be addressed in this form, "What exactly is going on? Sasami usually cooks.why did you go through all this trouble?"

Washu simply beamed up at him. "I just felt like cooking tonight! Besides, it's been a long time since this household has sampled my cuisine!"

Tenchi gulped and smiled nervously. The last time Washu had cooked, a long green tentacle had come out from under the covering dish and nearly strangled poor Mihoshi. He hoped that since she was acting like Sasami that she would cook like Sasami, but miracles don't always happen, ESPECIALLY when the universe's top scientific genius was involved.

Suddenly, Washu squealed with delight and clapped her hands together. Tenchi watched in awe as the now pint-sized scientist pulled out a giant hand-held gong and mallet and banged it loudly, screaming, "AYEKA SASAMI RYOKO FATHER GRANDPA KIYONE MIHOSHI TENCHI!!!!!!!!!! DINNER!!!!!!"

Tenchi jumped nearly a mile at her outburst, and Washu blinked and smiled sheepishly at him. "Whoops! Sorry Tenchi! I forgot that you were right there beside me! Come on! You can help me take things to the table!"

"Uhh.sure thing, Little Washu." Tenchi managed, scooping up a tray of food and following the redhead as she paraded to the table. She instantly received many scared and confused stares as she sat the food down.

"Dig in!! There's plenty for everyone!" she cried, passing around bowls.

"Uhm, Miss Washu-"

"CALL ME LITTLE WASHU!"

Ayeka bit her lip. "Ah, Little Washu.did you cook this all yourself?"

"Mmm hmm!"

Tenchi watched in amazement as the entire table cleared in less than one second except for Mihoshi and himself. Mihoshi was contentedly munching on a rice ball.

"Mmm! This is really good!"

Tenchi sweatdropped at this, and blinked when he heard a soft, unhappy sniffle coming from next to him. He turned his head quickly and saw that Washu was looked distraught, and tears were forming in her delicate eyes.

"Do they not want to eat the food I made?" she snuffled. "Well.at least Mihoshi likes it.but she likes everything edible." she added wryly. She looked up at Tenchi, her pigtails swinging a bit. "Tenchi?"

"Uh, yes, Little Washu?"

"Will you try it? Please?" She smiled at him sweetly, and Tenchi just couldn't resist. He only prayed that it wasn't fatal. He did have many things that he had to do tomorrow. So, he gingerly picked up a pair of chopsticks and picked up a piece of sauce-drenched meat. It did smell pretty good, but nonetheless.roses looked lovely, but their thorns usually persuade people to think otherwise. The same might go for this meat. Washu watched with hope as Tenchi slipped the meat into his mouth. He chewed it for a few minutes, and a look of delight dawned on his face as he swallowed.

"Mmm! Wow, Little Washu! This is really good!"

Washu broke into all smiles. "REALLY?! You like it?!"

Tenchi smiled and nodded as he continued to eat, and Washu's heart began to beat faster. It was working; he was beginning to open up to her again! She would've just pounced on him happily right then and there, but then, as Tenchi was finishing up his dinner and Mihoshi was dozing off, Kiyone walked in, a serious yet somewhat cheery smile upon her face.

"Kiyone, there's something I need to talk to you about. Do you have a minute?" Tenchi asked levelly as he stood up.

"Well, Tenchi, if you're eating, then I don't want to disturb you."

"No, it's alright, I'm finished." He turned and looked down at Washu, smiling lightly. "Thanks, Washu. It was actually very good!"

Washu was about to leap at him and beg him to stay with her, but she didn't. Something compelled her to watch as he walked off, that gentle smile that he had given still imprinted in her mind.

"Tenchi.stay here.with me." she whispered, but it was in vain. She sighed and stood, preparing to clean up the mess she had made. Sasami offered to help, but Washu shook her head and gave the small princess a weak smile. "No, it's alright, Sasami. I can do it myself."

Sasami, noticing Washu's disguised discontent, said nothing, but was nonetheless worried about her. The scientist watched as the young girl wandered off to find Ryo-Ohki for bed, and shook her head slightly.

"After this final defeat.I need some time to think alone.there's nothing more I can do.everything will be as it was before.no more pretending." Her jade eyes narrowed as she watched Kiyone walk past, followed by Tenchi soon after, and shook her head. "You've won, Kiyone."