Please, Just Call Me Mom

Please, Just Call Me Mom

Ryoko may have blocked her link with Washu, but she didn't block the one with Ryo-Oki and the little fur ball new exactly where her owner was. Ryo-Oki along with Sasami was able to track down where Ryoko had gone and went to cheer her up.

"Ryo-Oki, I sure hope that we can make Ryoko not sad anymore. She's a really nice and a good friend to me, and I want to be the same to her."

"Meow!" Ryo-Oki nodded in agreement. They only had a little ways to go before they would reach the pirate in distress.

It's been three days now. I wonder how everyone is doing back at home. I bet Ayeka is taking this absence of mine to her advantage and trying to get Tenchi. Tenchi is probably still disgusted with me and hopefully trying to run away from the snot nosed brat. Washu is most likely doing one of her egg-brained experiments. Mihoshi is for sure sleeping on the couch half way off. Sasami, she's probably with Ryo-Oki, and they're probably…

"RYOKO!" Sasami and Ryo-Oki had just arrived at the tree that Ryoko had been spending her days thinking in.

"Ack! Geez Sasami, you could give someone a heart attack sneaking up on them like that!" Ryoko said. She had been startled and nearly fell out of the branch she was sitting in.

"Sorry Ryoko. Is it ok if I come up there with you?"

"Meow!"

"Oops, Sorry Ryo-Oki. Is it ok if me and Ryo-Oki come up there with you?" Ryo-Oki meowed happily and waited for Ryoko's reply along with Sasami.

"Sure thing, but I doubt you'd be able to make it all the way up here without falling at least a couple dozen times." Ryoko answered with a smirk on her face. Don't worry little ones I'll let you come up…

"Oh," Sasami said hanging her head. She really wanted to go up and see Ryoko. Ryo-Oki just meowed sadly in response to Ryoko's reply.

"But,"

Yes! There's a but! Thank kami there is a but! Thought Sasami happily. Maybe she would be able to help out her friend after all. "But what Ryoko?"

"But, I never said I couldn't bring you two up her myself" Ryoko concluded smiling at the look of happiness appearing on the princess's face. Ryoko phased down to the ground where Sasami and Ryo-Oki were standing and flew them up to the branch that she had been previously sitting on.

"Woah! Isn't this a bit high Ryoko?" Sasami looked nervously around at her surroundings and noticed how high off the ground they were. If she fell…Sasami gulped and looked at Ryoko.

"Don't worry kiddo. I would never let anything happen to you. So what was it that you had to get my little fur ball here to lead you to me?

"I was worried about you Ryoko. You haven't been home in three days and you haven't eaten anything either."

"Hey! What makes you think I haven't eaten? I could have easily made my own food ya know!" At Sasami's look, Ryoko sighed. "Ok ok, I can't cook worth beans and I haven't eaten since I left the house. You'd think you were some psychic the way you figure these things out." Sasami just giggled until she noticed Ryoko's eyes.

"Ryoko! You're eyes are so blood shot. And your face, it has dried tearstains. You've been crying Ryoko." Ryo-Oki meowed sadly feeling her owner's pain through the link she shared and hopped into Ryoko's arms.

"There not tearstains, there, uh, some kind water. It was really dirty and umm it just sorta got on my face ya see…" Sasami glared daggers at Ryoko knowing full well that the space pirate was lying to her. "Fine, fine I get the picture. I was crying, before you ask, no, I have not slept in three days either. I swear I cannot lie to you without you figuring it out Sasami. What do you have some lie detector that Washu invented for you?" Sasami giggled at Ryoko's exasperated tone of voice, but then got serious again.

"Ryoko, why were you crying?"

"Noth-…never mind I'm not even gonna try to lie. I dunno, maybe it's because I'm remembering the innocents I killed. Maybe it's because Tenchi hates me. Maybe it's because I don't have any friends in the world. Maybe it's because I'm stupid or dumb. Maybe it's because I yet once again have brought grief to the only family I've ever had. Or maybe it's all of that combined." Ryoko sighed. Am I destined to live like this? To live alone and wanting to love and be loved. Am I to have this guilt forever? But I guess it's what I deserve, after everything I've done in the past.

"Ryoko!" Sasami snapped Ryoko out of her thoughts "Don't ever think like that. You know as well as I do that you didn't want to kill those people and that Kagato was controlling you. You would never have wanted to do those things to those people." Ryo-Oki meowed in agreement.

"Oh ya? How would you know? I could have very well liked doing what I did. I could have liked stealing from the poor and the rich. I could have liked riding through space on the run from the Galaxy Police. I could have liked the reputation of being a cold-hearted demon…but I didn't." Two crystalline tears fell down Ryoko's cheeks.

"That's not who I was. I didn't want to hurt them, honest. If I could I would give my life to have at least one of those people come back to life, but I can't and it will never happen."

"Oh Ryoko. Ryoko, look at me. Look at me in the eyes." Sasami said gazing into Ryoko's eyes. Ryoko tried but couldn't avert her eyes from the intense stare from the little princess. Those eyes, they remind me of something, something I can't quite put my finger on…I've got it! I know what they remind me of…. Innocence.

FLASH

"Please don't hurt my mommy! She's really sick and I just made some soup for her to feel better! She has to get better, but she won't if you hurt her anymore!" The little boy looked at Ryoko with such an intense stare, pleading for his mother's life. In his eyes Ryoko saw it along with love, honor, and loyalty for his mother…innocence.

FLASH

"He's my twin brother! You can kill me if you want, but please spare my brother. He's a really good football player and he has a big game tomorrow! Please don't kill him tomorrow!" Ryoko saw it again…innocence.

FLASH

"I-I'm just a little kid, s-space p-pirate Ryoko. W-What c-could I p-p-possibly do to you. Please don't k-kill me!" Again innocence blazed through another child's eyes begging, pleading for his life.

Innocence…

FLASH

"Ryoko, snap out of it!" cried Sasami. Ryoko had had this glazed look on her face for like five minutes and she wouldn't snap out.

"Huh? Wha?" Ryoko snapped out of her memories and was confused for a second.

"Ryoko, you were in la-la land for a while there."

"Oh sorry, so what was it that you wanted to tell me?" Said Ryoko while thinking, If only it was la-la land I was in. It would have been a lot better than where I was.

"Aren't I your friend, Ryoko?" asked the eight-year-old girl gazing into Ryoko's golden orbs. What had brought this on how could she think that she wasn't my friend?

"Of course you're my friend Sasami. Why do you ask?" asked Ryoko. She was obviously confused. Had she done anything to push the little girl away? Or had she done anything to show that she didn't want her as a friend?

"Well…"

"Sasami,"

"Well, it's just that while you were ticking off the reasons for the reasons you were crying you mentioned that you didn't have any friends. I just wanted to know if I was yours or not. C-cuz I really th-thought we were." Sasami hung her head as tears welled up into her eyes.

Oh kami, that's the second time I've made her cry in three days. Ryoko thought, remembering what she did at the breakfast table a couple days ago and began to curse herself in her mind.

Ryoko sat herself closer to Sasami and wrapped her arms around the girl in a comforting hug. "Of course you're my friend Little One. You're like my only one here." Ryo-Oki hissed at Ryoko making her realize her mistake. "Oops, sorry. You and Ryo-Oki are my only friends here."

"Really?" The little princess asked, hope shining in those huge pink orbs of hers.

"Of course! Would I ever lie to you Sasami…ok big mistake…take that back. Since you have this keen sense of telling when I'm lying, look into my eyes and see for yourself if it's true." Sasami's intense gaze bore into Ryoko's searching through eyes, which held the keys to the pirate's soul. Sasami searched and eventually found what she was looking for.

"YES! You were telling the truth!" Sasami's giddiness was enough to make Ryoko smile the first real smile in three days. What would she do without this charming little girl to help her see the light? But with the happiness that radiated through Sasami, she forgot that she was about 100 feet above the ground and fell backwards.

"Aah! Ryo-"

"You really should remember your surroundings before you decide to rock back and forth on a tree branch, little one." Sasami giggled sheepishly and put her arms around Ryoko's neck, silently thanking the demoness for catching her.

"Ryoko? Can we go back down to the ground now?"

"Of course." Ryo-Oki, aren't you going to come down?

Meow!

Oh come on, you can't be mad about that! I'm sorry, you are my best friend and you always will be. You've been there for me through thick and thin. So will you come down?

Meow!

Stubborn little fur ball. How about for a carrot?

Meow

All right Ryo-Oki, two and that is my final offer!

Ryo-Oki meowed in happiness and jumped off the tree branch into Ryoko's arms. So you forgive me?

Meow

Thanks my little Ryo-Oki.

"Hey Ryoko, aren't you gonna eat? You must be really hungry." Asked a concerned Sasami. Even if I were to eat, it wouldn't mean I'd be able to taste it. I guess the greatest scientific genius in the universe left that out my design. Ryoko thought darkly. "No, it's ok Sasami. I'll just probably take a dip into the onsen. Wanna come?"

"Sure!" Sasami chirped.

"Alright, then let's go."

Back at the house, Ayeka had just put up the last dish. I swear, when I get my hands on the pirate I am going to make her eat soap for breakfast. Now, just look at my hands, they're so wrinkled. I look like an old lady! Ayeka whined.

"You better put that vein back in your head you prissy princess. It makes you look like an old lady, and you know that Tenchi would never want an old lady as his wife. He'd want a beautiful, sexy, woman like me!" Ryoko taunted.

"Huh? What? Ryoko is that you?" Ayeka asked whipping her head from side to side trying to catch site of the demon. "Argh! I can't believe she's in my head too! You better get back here soon you demon woman or you'll drive me insane, though I think that's what you'd want."

"Who would want what?" asked Washu stepping into the kitchen.

"It was nothing Miss…uh…Little Washu. I was just thinking about Ryoko. I could have sworn she was right behind me teasing me about my looks." At the mention of Ryoko's name, Washu looked downcast.

"You know for being the greatest scientific genius in the universe, I am one heck of a lousy mother. I just can't find out why Ryoko would have so much hate towards me."

"How can you really tell if she hated you? I mean look at me and Ryoko we claim to hate each others guts, but if we really did, I would be dead right now." At Washu's look Ayeka continued. "I know all about what Ryoko did for me on the Soja when she was battling Kagato. She could have easily killed him if it weren't for me being in the way and she only had one gem. If she really wanted to, she could have used the full power of the gem and killed me along with Kagato and say it was an accident, but she didn't."

"Sure, she may actually like you Ayeka, but you didn't feel the waves of hate sent through the link at me the other day. It was all Ryoko's and it was directed at me! I can't imagine what I could have possible done to deserve something like that from her." Washu shivered slightly remembering the pain that she had felt that one day.

"I thought that I had given her a pretty good childhood. Sure I grounded her for taking the last of the chocolate hidden in my lab and for using my lipstick for her 'paintings' when she was 5, but I really thought that I was a good mother to her. I loved here and we had a really good mother/daughter relationship! What did I do wrong?" Washu asked no one in particular letting a lone tear fall down the right side of her cheek.

"Why don't you tell me about Ryoko's childhood, Little Washu. Maybe that will make you feel a little better." Ayeka suggested.

"Well, sure, what could go wrong?"

FLASH

"Ryoko! Where are you? I wanted to know if you could help me look for something?" yelled Washu into the house.

Silence.

Something was definitely wrong. Ryoko was never quiet and she should have been home from school by now. That could mean only one of three options. She had decided to obediently do her homework even though it was a Friday. She had decided to take a small nap. Or she was off getting into trouble. Washu immediately knew which one was the case and opened the link to find her daughter. Washu found out that Ryoko was in her room and went up to go check up on her.

When she reached Ryoko's door, she slowly opened it as to sneak up on her daughter without her noticing it. It turns out that Washu didn't have to try too hard, as Ryoko was busy claiming money from three girls.

"That's twenty from you, twenty from you, and twenty from you. Thanks for your service guys now you guys better go so I can put up this stuff before…"

"Before what, Little Ryoko?" asked Washu, a smirk forming on her lips.

"Oops!"

"Uh, I think I better go home now, I told my mom I would be home soon." Said one of the girls. The other two quickly agreed and followed her out of Ryoko's room. Ryoko tried to sneak off with the other girls, but luck was not on her side today.

"Nuh uh uh, Little Ryoko. Someone has some explaining to do." Washu said grabbing onto the back of Ryoko's shirt to stop her from escaping. Ryoko looked up at Washu and sighed in defeat.

"So mind telling me why all my makeup is up in your room along with all my hair supplies?" asked Washu

"Actually, yes I do, and I would really like it if I could take nap. I am feeling a tad bit sleepy after all the hard work I put on those girls." Ryoko replied walking to her bed and trying to act sleepy.

"Not gonna work Ryoko, so start talking." Ryoko sighed in defeat.

"Ok, ok! I wanted to make some quick money so I asked the girls if anyone wanted their makeup or hair done and those three wanted it done and I brought them here so I could do it. Since I didn't have any on my own, I took yours and worked on them. They liked their new hairstyles and I got paid."

"And is there any certain reason that you couldn't ask for money from me?" asked Washu skeptically.

"No, except for the fact that you took my allowance from me for two weeks."

"And why was that?"

"Because instead of doing my homework, I snuck off to the candy store and bought a little bit to much money on chocolate."

"A little bit! I think twenty dollars on chocolate is a lot of money, don't ya think Ryo-Oki?" Washu asked the little cabbit while sneaking her a carrot.

"Meow!" Ryo-Oki meowed in agreement.

"Traitorous little fur ball." Ryoko said, and the cabbit meowed as if to say, 'what can I say? It was either the carrot or you.' You really know how to make a gal's day, Ryo-Oki.

"So, what was the money for that you needed so desperately, Little Ryoko?"

"Umm…well,"

"Ryoko,"

"Ok, ok I wanted to get some…chocolate! I've been without chocolate for 5 days, what did you expect me to do? I'm a 12-year-old-chocolate-crazy-girl, and can only live so long without chocolate. So, I figured I'd make some money and buy my own since I've got about a week left till I get my punishment is over." Ryoko sighed in defeat. Washu was probably going to make her return all the money she made and most likely punish her for taking her makeup without her permission.

"What you did on those girls was really great, Ryoko." Ryoko looked up in surprise. What was her mom up to?

"I could do your makeup for you if you'd like, mom. Free of charge!"

Washu thought about it for a minute and nodded her head 'yes'. "Sure why not?" Washu went to go sit in front of the mirror, but was stopped by Ryoko.

"Nope, you are going to sit on the bed mommy dearest. It's gonna be a surprise on what I'm going to do to your face." Ryoko grinned evilly, making Washu have second thoughts about letting her daughter perform on her face.

After about fifteen minutes Ryoko exclaimed that she was done, and proceeded to take her mom towards the mirror. When Washu opened her eyes, she immediately blinked a couple times. Was this her? She looked…

"Ryoko! What did you do to me?" Washu exclaimed, still not believing what she saw in the mirror.

"I-uh, don't you like it?" asked the pre-teen.

"Like it? Of course I don't like it!" exclaimed Washu. She still couldn't what her daughter had done to her.

"Oh, I'm sorry mom." Ryoko looked down, her eyes downcast. She had really thought that Washu would like what she had done to her. Noticing the tone of Ryoko's voice, Washu quickly looked at her daughter, wondering what she had done. Realizing what she had said, she got down on her knees.

"Ryoko, when I said I didn't like it, I meant that I didn't like it because I loved it. Do you know how good you made me look? I haven't look this good in….way too long. You are one great beautician!" Ryoko beamed proudly. Her mom thought she was great!

"Really?" The little girl asked, hope shining in her golden eyes.

"Of course, I actually feel kind of giddy!" After a moments pause, Washu continued. "If you tell one soul that I said I felt giddy, your gonna be eating spinach everyday for breakfast for the rest of your life." Ryoko gulped loudly and then giggled while jumping on her bed.

"Soon queens will be coming up to me asking to make them pretty. 'Please help me Ryoko!' they'll say. 'I woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning, and I need you to make me pretty!" Then I'll ask 'Got any chocolate?' And if they don't I won't make them pretty." Ryoko continued to giggle while acting out what the queens would do to her and Washu and Ryo-Oki soon joined in the laughter.

FLASH

"She continued to do dozens of different styles to my hair and face that night, and we took pictures of every single one." Washu sighed. Ryoko had been so talented when she was younger. She wanted to do everything and be everything. What she wouldn't give to have Ryoko with her, doing designs to her hair and putting makeup on her.

"Washu, would it still be possible for Ryoko to have all these artistic abilities that you were talking about?" Ayeka asked while trying to imagine the most wanted space pirate applying make up to queens.

"I don't know Ayeka. Even though I know a lot about my Little Ryoko. There's still a lot I don't know. She tends to block as much as she can about herself from me. Usually people don't have that much detestation for one person, and I don't get it!"

"I'm supposed to be the greatest scientific genius in the universe, but for the life of me I can't figure out why my daughter hates me so much. Sure, maybe a little dislike, but what I felt that day…I can't even say."

Ayeka went over and put Washu in a comforting hug. Geez, Ryoko! You better get back her soon and work things out with Washu. From what I can tell you had a pretty good childhood. What could possibly make you hate her so? You don't even hate me like that.

Ryoko, Sasami, and Ryo-Oki were relaxing in the onsen's hot waters. Damnit, I wish I had a bottle of sake with me right now! Then this would be perfect.

"Ryoko, can I ask you a question?"

"Sure kiddo, what is it?"

"Why do you hate Washu so much?" asked the girl, hoping against hope that Ryoko would give her a clue to her question. Ryoko immediately tensed, and she had this dark, faraway look in her eyes.

"Sorry, but I can't answer that right now, Sasami. Ask me another one and maybe I'll be able to answer that one." Sasami sighed in defeat and thought of another one.

"You don't really hate Ayeka, do you?" It was more of a statement than a question. Ryoko sighed.

"No, I guess not. We're just rivals I guess. We could probably be ok friends if we wanted to but I'm not too sure. Actually when you think about it we do have a lot of things in common." Like our love for chocolate…where did that come from? I can't even taste chocolate. "But you've got to admit, it is just too hilarious making her turn red with fury. I've made her turn purple a couple times, and that's my goal…to make her turn purple more often." Ryoko chuckled and Sasami giggled.

"Sasami?"

"Yes?"

"Tell one soul what I just told you, and I'm going to be making breakfast, lunch, and dinner for a pretty long time." Ryoko chuckled and Sasami gulped this time instead. Ryoko, cook all meals…too scary, just way too scary. The little girl thought while trying not to imagine the demoness in the kitchen cooking.

"Well kiddo, hate to cut this meeting short, but I gotta get back to my tree and think."

"Will you be coming home soon?"

"I dunno. But if I don't, you and my trusty little fur ball will know where to find me." Replied Ryoko. "And Sasami, whatever I decide to do, you've got to trust me. I'd never do anything to hurt you guys ok?" Physically anyway.

"Ok, Ryoko, I'll trust you." Sasami was a little confused, but she knew she could trust her friend with her life. Ryoko proceeded to phase off to see what everyone was doing before she put her plan to action.

Tenchi was sleeping under a tree, Nobuyuki was at work, and Yosho was at the shrine. Now all I have to see is where mother dearest, Mihoshi, and Ayeka are. Ryoko phased into the house and found the blond half way off the couch sleeping. Without a second thought, Ryoko went on to put the rest of Mihoshi back on the couch. Ryoko found Ayeka and Washu in the kitchen, and witnessed a site that she had seen not more than a few days ago.

There was Washu crying her heart out and someone there to comfort her, that someone being Ayeka. If it had been anyone else crying, Ryoko would have been moved to comfort them, but this was Washu and instead Ryoko went to the refrigerator. She would need a snack to prepare her for what was to happen later on today.

"Ryoko? Is that you?" Ayeka asked. She couldn't believe that Ryoko had returned and hadn't even said anything to Washu.

"Of course it's me. Who else has cyan hair, golden eyes, and a body as sexy as this?" replied Ryoko while outlining the curves of her body and stuffing herself with leftovers.

"Oooh! You stupid demon woman! I knew it was you, I was just…"

"Just what, princess?"

"Forget it!" I'm just glad your home, you stupid space pirate.

By now Washu had wiped away her tears and decided that she really needed to talk to Ryoko.

"Ryoko,"

"Can it Washu. Meet me outside in 15 minutes. We've got some differences to work out. You'll need to wear something you can move freely in, and you'll need…"

"Need what, Little Ryoko." Ryoko raised an eyebrow at the term of endearment used for her by Washu.

"A sword." And with that, Ryoko popped a piece of bread in her mouth and phased out of the house, leaving two bewildered women behind.

Thanks for the reviews and I hoped you guys liked this chapter. Now for me to start on the next…please review, ja ne!