Chapter 2: Of Love and Lies
Princess Ayeka awoke at the sound of crying. Her first thought was to check on her little sister, Sasami. Although prone to bad dreams, the soft whimpering did not come from her sisters lips. The child lay fast asleep cuddled up with slumbering Ryo-Oohki. The Princess sat up to hear more clearly.
"Who could that be?" She silently pulled back the plush comforter and with all the stealth her tiny body could muster she tip toed her way to the door. Ayeka carefully slid the pocket door open an inch and put her ear to the crack to listen. Barely audible, except for an ear trained to intercept Ryoko's past lustful transgressions against Lord Tenchi, Ayeka clearly heard the sound of crying. "Mihoshi?" She whispered. No answer. Delicately she slid the door open just enough to pry her svelte frame through and she leaned toward the staircase. She could now tell the soft crying came from the first floor, so fearing it was poor Mihoshi or Kiyone in a pickle she decided it was her duty as First Princess to get to the bottom of the trouble and help her friend out. Ayeka smiled to herself for being such a noble person and slowly made her way down the stairs. What met her at the landing took her totally off guard.
"Ryoko?" She uttered in disbelief. For, in her line of vision she saw the pirate slumped over on her favorite ceiling beam – one that Sasami had put off limits for fear Ryoko should fall off in her sleep and hurt the baby. Ryoko was curled up with her back to Ayeka sniffled back tears. "Miss Ryoko?" Ayeka couldn't imagine why the pirate was sad. She had won Tenchi's love. Something Ayeka deserved. She was also having his child. Something that Ayeka fantasized. What could this wretched creature be sad about? "Ryoko? Are you alright?" She stepped forward.
"Ayeka?" Ryoko turned around stunned. She sat up and frantically tried to stifle her tears. "I'm fine. Go back to bed." She turned around.
"You most certainly are not FINE…..come down here this instant. I know something is wrong."
"What do you care."
"Well, I don't care much for YOU, but I do care for Lord Tenchi and if you fall off that rafter and harm that child….."
"Alright, alright. Quit bitching……I'll sleep on the couch….." She disappeared from the rafter and reappeared on the sofa. Ayeka walked over to her.
"Now, just why do you want to sleep down here when you have a perfectly good bed upstairs…..and why are you crying and waking up the house?"
"I didn't wake up the house, "she growled, "I just woke up you and that hardly counts," she huffed and turned her head.
"Well, what horrendous demon hormones must be raging in your body now to cause such a hard-ass creature like you to cry….I'm sorry I was the least bit concerned," she got up to go back upstairs.
"Ayeka! There are no demon hormones! They are human hormones! Besides, that's not why I'm crying…….I just can't sleep upstairs tonight…."
"Pray tell why?"
"Why should I tell you."
"Well, I don't care if you do, go ahead and cry yourself silly, just do it on the couch and make sure to put a pillow over that face of yours so as not to wake me" She took a step towards the stairs.
"I can't be near him."
"What?" Ayeka turned to the pirate.
"I have no one to tell this to, so it might as well be you….but I can't be around him now."
"Who? Lord Tenchi?"
"No, his hentai father who turns me on….geesh rocks for brains, of course Tenchi!"
"What on earth are you talking about?"
"He doesn't love me….I am certain of it." She clutched a pillow tightly. "I shouldn't be telling you this, but I have to talk to someone. I don't think he loves me in his heart, Ayeka. He's told me he wants to take care of me and our child, but that doesn't mean marry me, I've seen enough dramas on TV to know that….."
"Ryoko?" Ayeka's mind swelled at the possibilities. She knew that Tenchi loved Ryoko, he had written her that note, why didn't she remember? Ryoko never read it. So, Tenchi never told her. "Are you sure he doesn't love you?"
"No, but he did propose to me tonight."
"….He, he did?"
"But he said to 'make it right'. I know what that means….to make this child legitimate. I'd rather birth a bastard than to force him to marry me that way. I want him to be passionately and madly in love with me. Oh, Tsunami, why did you arrange it this way?" She sobbed.
"Ryoko. If I remember correctly, YOU made the arrangements. Sure you had a few good pushes to provoke that horrible contest the night of his graduation, but you have free will and YOU made the decision to go through with it."
"You forget, Princess, Tenchi also made a decision that night….."
"I hardly consider inebriation a forewarned decision."
"You think I forced him to make love to me?" Ryoko started to get angry. "You think he had nothing to do with it?"
"I don't think he would have been so easily persuaded without all the sake you had him ingest."
"Oh, god." She sat stunned. "You are right. This had nothing to do about LOVE and everything to do about SEX." She stood up letting the pillows fall to the floor. "I'm such a fool." Ryoko turned to Ayeka. "I'm too exhausted to cry anymore." She disappeared and reappeared on the steps. "I will sleep in that damned room they are making for me." She turned to the Princess. "And I will stay here until the baby is born, but I'll be damned if I let him or any one of you make it right. This is my child…..my child….." She disappeared.
"Ryoko?" Ayeka's heart thumped madly in her chest. She had her chance to try to persuade the pirate that Tenchi did love her, but she intentionally did not mention it. A sudden pang of guilt hit her as she took to the stairs. The princess rounded the landing of the second floor and looked toward the staircase leading to Ryoko's makeshift room. Instead of going to her, Ayeka slowly turned to her own room and went back to bed.
***
"Good morning! Wake up Ryoko!" As she opened her eyes, Sasami's ever cheery face greeted the pirate. "C'mon, mommy to be, I have a big breakfast ready for you…..you need your nutrition!' She giggled as Ryo- Oohki 'miya-ed' on her shoulder.
"Did I sleep late?" Ryoko sat up and noticed she was wearing the same clothes as the previous day. She normally slept in nothing but her birthday suit for chance that Tenchi would stroll by and catch a glimpse, but then she remembered everything. Ryoko put her hand to her forehead and remembered why now for the first time since she met him, she didn't much care to seduce him.
"C'mon!" Sasami tugged on her arm and practically carried Ryoko downstairs to the dining room.
"Hey kid! I'm coming!" Ryoko smiled. It was nice to know this child honestly cared for her. They entered the dining room and Sasami couldn't have been more correct – she did have a splendid feast set for them.
"Dig in!" Sasami plopped down next to Ryoko.
Ryoko greedily grabbed her bowl of miso soup and slurped it hungrily. True, she couldn't taste it a bit, but the warm fluid felt wonderful sliding down her throat and settling her stomach.
"My, looks like you are hungry, Ryoko. You want my share?" Mihoshi offered politely.
"Mihoshi, I've made plenty so Ryoko can have seconds." Sasami giggled
"Or thirds." Kiyone chuckled.
"Hey, where's Ayeka….I warned her not to miss breakfast!" Sasami's eyes lowered and she resumed her habit of tapping her foot when she was put off.
"I'm right here…." Ayeka stepped out of the tiny doorway from Washu's subspace lab and made her way to the dining room. "I got up early this morning to check on Lord Zephr, I am sorry Sasami."
"Well, that's ok….."
"It looks wonderful."
"Not much sleep last night, eh, Princess?" Ryoko stated through mouthfuls of food.
"I suppose you slept like a baby, yourself, Ryoko…" she daintily picked up minute portions of fish with her chopsticks and gracefully brought it to her lips for a bite.
"Like a baby…." Ryoko trailed off.
"Well, looks like another splendid breakfast Sasami, pass the pickles please…" Little Washu sat herself down next to Ryoko.
"Hey, where's Tenchi?" Kiyone asked.
"He had some errands to run for me, he left really early. Plus father tells me he arranged a job interview for Tenchi with a client of his this afternoon. I'm so nervous for him."
"A job interview?" Washu implored.
"Yes, at a very prestigious graphic arts studio in Okayama. Tenchi's father designed the building and the client stated he was in his debt. I hope Tenchi gets this job!"
"Oh, Tenchi will have no problem landing this position…." Nobouyuki joined the others at the meal. "He just has to mind his manners. Ichinawa Keto is very traditional." Pass the rice, Kiyone, dear….thank you….and they say he has a knock out daughter!"
"What!" The others rang in unison.
"Oh, I've never seen her….just hearsay….anyway, Tenchi should be home soon, he has to get ready for the interview.
"Why does Lord Tenchi need to work? He'll be attending the local University, he won't have time?" Ayeka glared at Ryoko.
"Well, you know Tenchi, I told him we'd be fine but he won't here of it…especially since the wedding and all…."
"?"
"What wedding?" Sasami asked.
"You know…." A bead of sweat trickled down Nobouyuki's brow as he noticed Ryoko was not wearing the ring Tenchi had asked from him the night before. She sat with her eyes closed as she slowly continued to eat. "you know……?"
"Ryoko!" The others turned to the pirate.
"I am not marrying him." She stated.
"What?"
"Ask him……" She dropped her chopsticks and clutched her mouth. Ryoko doubled over and shook.
"Little Ryoko? Are you ok?" Washu got up to her daughters side. Ryoko didn't let her console her for too long before she ran out of the dining room and into the downstairs bathroom and slammed the door.
"Washu?" Kiyone questioned as her right eye twitched. From the bathroom loud yacking sounds emanated as Ryoko discovered morning sickness.
"Again, NORMAL, Kiyone." Washu sat back down and resumed her eating. The others put down their chopsticks as their appetites left them.
***
Later that morning Tenchi and Sasami stood in the pantry taking stock of the groceries he bought earlier. Sasami held a paper checklist and she cheerfully checked off each item.
"Sauerkraut. "
"Check!"
"Kim Chi"
"Check!"
"Pickled eggs."
"Check!"
"Canned haggis."
"Ewww…..check!"
"Whew! I think that covers all the non perishable items Washu put down on the list. Sasami, there is not one thing that woman could crave that we don't have!"
"You are very sweet to go out and buy all those terrible foods, Tenchi. I just don't know how Ryoko can crave so many things and she can't taste any of them!"
"Shhhhhh! Sasami, she doesn't want us to know that……besides, Washu told me Ryoko has a sense of taste….sort of- she tastes by texture and temperature. Every food has a different degree of both you know." He smiled at the blue-haired child.
"Well, Ok, it just seems like a lot of work to me. Hey, you need to get ready for your job interview."
"Right!" he ran toward the door. "Oh, and Sasami, remember what I told you about the sake?"
"Yeah, she won't like it but I found all of her hiding places….I hope." She giggled.
"Thanks! Keep an eye on her!" His voice trailed off as he ran upstairs, passing the second floor landing and reaching the third. It was terribly dark upstairs. He looked to his left and saw that someone had duct taped blankets across the large windows of the terraced landing. In the far corner of her make-shift room Ryoko lay curled in a tiny ball in her futon.
"Ryoko?" He gingerly walked over to her, half afraid to suffer her wrath.
"Hmmm?" She rolled over and their eyes met.
"Ryoko….I…." Before he could open his mouth and try to explain himself for the night before she jolted out of bed and pushed him to the ground with a thump. The pirate ran to the bathroom and slammed the door. Tenchi winced as the sound of her retching carried through the house.
"Washu!" he screamed with worry. "Washu!"
A tiny voice wafted up the stairs and rang in his ears like a drum, "NORMAL!" The scientist wailed as Tenchi slumped down again, in defeat.
***
Down the stairs and behind the tiny round door beneath them, Ayeka sat alone in Washu's lab. Well, she was not totally alone, she entertained a slowly recuperating young man reclining in his hospital bed. Lord Zephr smiled as she read to him from a large green book.
"'Twas brillig, and the slithey toaves did gire and gimble in the wabe, all mimsy were the borogoves and the mome raths outgrabe." Ayeka's voice glistened with inflection as she mumbled the nonsense words. "Beware the Jabberwock my son, the jaws that bite, the claw that catch! Beware the jub jub bird and shun the frumious bandersnatch!" Her eyes twinkled as she turned the page.
"Princess?"
"Hmmmm?"
"Is this a Jurai zoology manual?" He chuckled.
"No! Silly, be quiet and let me finish…. "She reprimanded him. "He took his vorpal sword in hand: Long time the manxome foe he sought-so rested he by the Tumtum tree, and stood awhile in thought. And, as in uffisth thought he stood, the jabberwock with eyes aflame came whiffling through the tulgy wood and burbled as it came……One, two! One, Two! And through and through his vorpal blade went snicker snack! And he left it dead, and with its head, he went galumphing back. And hast thou slain the Jabberwock, come into my arms my beamish boy…O frabjous day! .Callouh, Callay! He chortled in his joy……Twas Brillig, and the slithy toaves did gire and gimble in the wabe….all mimsy were the borogoves and the mome raths outgrabe."
"I don't understand."
"What?"
"Whiffling and burbling, sounds like the great poet is writing about flatulence to me." He laughed.
"This is Lewis Carroll, he was a great Earth writer and this is one of Sasami's favorites!" She was getting testy.
"Hold up! I'm just teasing you….you know, I believe you've read this to me before, I think you've read every book in the house to me.
"Probably so…."
"I wonder why you've been the only one to spend so much time down here with the evil bad guy…." He smiled.
"Shush, you are not evil…well, not as evil as I once believe you to be. And the others, well, I'm sorry to say, I'm not convinced they totally trust you, but I'm sure you will win them over with your sparkling wit as you have with me." She blushed. "I want to see if you can stand today, my sister is going to prepare a wonderful meal and I would be honored if you could join us."
"Are you sure they won't mind?"
"I have Lord Tenchi's word."
"He does strike me, no pun intended, as a man of his word….alright, let's see if Washu did her work correctly." He moved his legs over to one side of the bed as the Princess helped him steady himself. Together, they leaned forward and both of his bare feet rest upon the silver surface of Washu's lab.
"Easy, now…." She tried to let him put his own weight on his feet. He stammered a bit but was able to take some really sturdy steps on his own.
"See, peace of proverbial cake!" He chuckled then lost his balance. He tumbled to his left and fell to the ground taking Ayeka with him. The princess landed on top of his body and they sat face to face-her face turning deep crimson.
"I'm sorry!" She quickly shot up and averted her eyes.
"No….I'm the clutz…..here," He grabbed the corner of the bed and wobbled over to her. "See, I'm getting the hang of it." She smiled at his attempt at humor. "Say, you don't know where a guy could get cleaned up around here, do you?"
"As a matter of fact, I do know of a wonderful hot springs, nearby…." She smiled and let him to the portal to Washu's onsen.
************************
Well, don't bust my butt for getting the Jabberwocky messed up. I'm proud to say I wrote that from memory….one of the few things partying in college didn't totally wipe from my brain. I promise to dig up my old green leather bound copy of Alice's Adventures and Through the Looking Glass to correct any "misspellings" of my favorite gibberish. Anyway, you may believe Zephr and Ayeka's relationship is cut and dry, of course you may have also thought that Ryoko would jump to marry Tenchi….hmmmmm, we'll see. Stay tuned!
Princess Ayeka awoke at the sound of crying. Her first thought was to check on her little sister, Sasami. Although prone to bad dreams, the soft whimpering did not come from her sisters lips. The child lay fast asleep cuddled up with slumbering Ryo-Oohki. The Princess sat up to hear more clearly.
"Who could that be?" She silently pulled back the plush comforter and with all the stealth her tiny body could muster she tip toed her way to the door. Ayeka carefully slid the pocket door open an inch and put her ear to the crack to listen. Barely audible, except for an ear trained to intercept Ryoko's past lustful transgressions against Lord Tenchi, Ayeka clearly heard the sound of crying. "Mihoshi?" She whispered. No answer. Delicately she slid the door open just enough to pry her svelte frame through and she leaned toward the staircase. She could now tell the soft crying came from the first floor, so fearing it was poor Mihoshi or Kiyone in a pickle she decided it was her duty as First Princess to get to the bottom of the trouble and help her friend out. Ayeka smiled to herself for being such a noble person and slowly made her way down the stairs. What met her at the landing took her totally off guard.
"Ryoko?" She uttered in disbelief. For, in her line of vision she saw the pirate slumped over on her favorite ceiling beam – one that Sasami had put off limits for fear Ryoko should fall off in her sleep and hurt the baby. Ryoko was curled up with her back to Ayeka sniffled back tears. "Miss Ryoko?" Ayeka couldn't imagine why the pirate was sad. She had won Tenchi's love. Something Ayeka deserved. She was also having his child. Something that Ayeka fantasized. What could this wretched creature be sad about? "Ryoko? Are you alright?" She stepped forward.
"Ayeka?" Ryoko turned around stunned. She sat up and frantically tried to stifle her tears. "I'm fine. Go back to bed." She turned around.
"You most certainly are not FINE…..come down here this instant. I know something is wrong."
"What do you care."
"Well, I don't care much for YOU, but I do care for Lord Tenchi and if you fall off that rafter and harm that child….."
"Alright, alright. Quit bitching……I'll sleep on the couch….." She disappeared from the rafter and reappeared on the sofa. Ayeka walked over to her.
"Now, just why do you want to sleep down here when you have a perfectly good bed upstairs…..and why are you crying and waking up the house?"
"I didn't wake up the house, "she growled, "I just woke up you and that hardly counts," she huffed and turned her head.
"Well, what horrendous demon hormones must be raging in your body now to cause such a hard-ass creature like you to cry….I'm sorry I was the least bit concerned," she got up to go back upstairs.
"Ayeka! There are no demon hormones! They are human hormones! Besides, that's not why I'm crying…….I just can't sleep upstairs tonight…."
"Pray tell why?"
"Why should I tell you."
"Well, I don't care if you do, go ahead and cry yourself silly, just do it on the couch and make sure to put a pillow over that face of yours so as not to wake me" She took a step towards the stairs.
"I can't be near him."
"What?" Ayeka turned to the pirate.
"I have no one to tell this to, so it might as well be you….but I can't be around him now."
"Who? Lord Tenchi?"
"No, his hentai father who turns me on….geesh rocks for brains, of course Tenchi!"
"What on earth are you talking about?"
"He doesn't love me….I am certain of it." She clutched a pillow tightly. "I shouldn't be telling you this, but I have to talk to someone. I don't think he loves me in his heart, Ayeka. He's told me he wants to take care of me and our child, but that doesn't mean marry me, I've seen enough dramas on TV to know that….."
"Ryoko?" Ayeka's mind swelled at the possibilities. She knew that Tenchi loved Ryoko, he had written her that note, why didn't she remember? Ryoko never read it. So, Tenchi never told her. "Are you sure he doesn't love you?"
"No, but he did propose to me tonight."
"….He, he did?"
"But he said to 'make it right'. I know what that means….to make this child legitimate. I'd rather birth a bastard than to force him to marry me that way. I want him to be passionately and madly in love with me. Oh, Tsunami, why did you arrange it this way?" She sobbed.
"Ryoko. If I remember correctly, YOU made the arrangements. Sure you had a few good pushes to provoke that horrible contest the night of his graduation, but you have free will and YOU made the decision to go through with it."
"You forget, Princess, Tenchi also made a decision that night….."
"I hardly consider inebriation a forewarned decision."
"You think I forced him to make love to me?" Ryoko started to get angry. "You think he had nothing to do with it?"
"I don't think he would have been so easily persuaded without all the sake you had him ingest."
"Oh, god." She sat stunned. "You are right. This had nothing to do about LOVE and everything to do about SEX." She stood up letting the pillows fall to the floor. "I'm such a fool." Ryoko turned to Ayeka. "I'm too exhausted to cry anymore." She disappeared and reappeared on the steps. "I will sleep in that damned room they are making for me." She turned to the Princess. "And I will stay here until the baby is born, but I'll be damned if I let him or any one of you make it right. This is my child…..my child….." She disappeared.
"Ryoko?" Ayeka's heart thumped madly in her chest. She had her chance to try to persuade the pirate that Tenchi did love her, but she intentionally did not mention it. A sudden pang of guilt hit her as she took to the stairs. The princess rounded the landing of the second floor and looked toward the staircase leading to Ryoko's makeshift room. Instead of going to her, Ayeka slowly turned to her own room and went back to bed.
***
"Good morning! Wake up Ryoko!" As she opened her eyes, Sasami's ever cheery face greeted the pirate. "C'mon, mommy to be, I have a big breakfast ready for you…..you need your nutrition!' She giggled as Ryo- Oohki 'miya-ed' on her shoulder.
"Did I sleep late?" Ryoko sat up and noticed she was wearing the same clothes as the previous day. She normally slept in nothing but her birthday suit for chance that Tenchi would stroll by and catch a glimpse, but then she remembered everything. Ryoko put her hand to her forehead and remembered why now for the first time since she met him, she didn't much care to seduce him.
"C'mon!" Sasami tugged on her arm and practically carried Ryoko downstairs to the dining room.
"Hey kid! I'm coming!" Ryoko smiled. It was nice to know this child honestly cared for her. They entered the dining room and Sasami couldn't have been more correct – she did have a splendid feast set for them.
"Dig in!" Sasami plopped down next to Ryoko.
Ryoko greedily grabbed her bowl of miso soup and slurped it hungrily. True, she couldn't taste it a bit, but the warm fluid felt wonderful sliding down her throat and settling her stomach.
"My, looks like you are hungry, Ryoko. You want my share?" Mihoshi offered politely.
"Mihoshi, I've made plenty so Ryoko can have seconds." Sasami giggled
"Or thirds." Kiyone chuckled.
"Hey, where's Ayeka….I warned her not to miss breakfast!" Sasami's eyes lowered and she resumed her habit of tapping her foot when she was put off.
"I'm right here…." Ayeka stepped out of the tiny doorway from Washu's subspace lab and made her way to the dining room. "I got up early this morning to check on Lord Zephr, I am sorry Sasami."
"Well, that's ok….."
"It looks wonderful."
"Not much sleep last night, eh, Princess?" Ryoko stated through mouthfuls of food.
"I suppose you slept like a baby, yourself, Ryoko…" she daintily picked up minute portions of fish with her chopsticks and gracefully brought it to her lips for a bite.
"Like a baby…." Ryoko trailed off.
"Well, looks like another splendid breakfast Sasami, pass the pickles please…" Little Washu sat herself down next to Ryoko.
"Hey, where's Tenchi?" Kiyone asked.
"He had some errands to run for me, he left really early. Plus father tells me he arranged a job interview for Tenchi with a client of his this afternoon. I'm so nervous for him."
"A job interview?" Washu implored.
"Yes, at a very prestigious graphic arts studio in Okayama. Tenchi's father designed the building and the client stated he was in his debt. I hope Tenchi gets this job!"
"Oh, Tenchi will have no problem landing this position…." Nobouyuki joined the others at the meal. "He just has to mind his manners. Ichinawa Keto is very traditional." Pass the rice, Kiyone, dear….thank you….and they say he has a knock out daughter!"
"What!" The others rang in unison.
"Oh, I've never seen her….just hearsay….anyway, Tenchi should be home soon, he has to get ready for the interview.
"Why does Lord Tenchi need to work? He'll be attending the local University, he won't have time?" Ayeka glared at Ryoko.
"Well, you know Tenchi, I told him we'd be fine but he won't here of it…especially since the wedding and all…."
"?"
"What wedding?" Sasami asked.
"You know…." A bead of sweat trickled down Nobouyuki's brow as he noticed Ryoko was not wearing the ring Tenchi had asked from him the night before. She sat with her eyes closed as she slowly continued to eat. "you know……?"
"Ryoko!" The others turned to the pirate.
"I am not marrying him." She stated.
"What?"
"Ask him……" She dropped her chopsticks and clutched her mouth. Ryoko doubled over and shook.
"Little Ryoko? Are you ok?" Washu got up to her daughters side. Ryoko didn't let her console her for too long before she ran out of the dining room and into the downstairs bathroom and slammed the door.
"Washu?" Kiyone questioned as her right eye twitched. From the bathroom loud yacking sounds emanated as Ryoko discovered morning sickness.
"Again, NORMAL, Kiyone." Washu sat back down and resumed her eating. The others put down their chopsticks as their appetites left them.
***
Later that morning Tenchi and Sasami stood in the pantry taking stock of the groceries he bought earlier. Sasami held a paper checklist and she cheerfully checked off each item.
"Sauerkraut. "
"Check!"
"Kim Chi"
"Check!"
"Pickled eggs."
"Check!"
"Canned haggis."
"Ewww…..check!"
"Whew! I think that covers all the non perishable items Washu put down on the list. Sasami, there is not one thing that woman could crave that we don't have!"
"You are very sweet to go out and buy all those terrible foods, Tenchi. I just don't know how Ryoko can crave so many things and she can't taste any of them!"
"Shhhhhh! Sasami, she doesn't want us to know that……besides, Washu told me Ryoko has a sense of taste….sort of- she tastes by texture and temperature. Every food has a different degree of both you know." He smiled at the blue-haired child.
"Well, Ok, it just seems like a lot of work to me. Hey, you need to get ready for your job interview."
"Right!" he ran toward the door. "Oh, and Sasami, remember what I told you about the sake?"
"Yeah, she won't like it but I found all of her hiding places….I hope." She giggled.
"Thanks! Keep an eye on her!" His voice trailed off as he ran upstairs, passing the second floor landing and reaching the third. It was terribly dark upstairs. He looked to his left and saw that someone had duct taped blankets across the large windows of the terraced landing. In the far corner of her make-shift room Ryoko lay curled in a tiny ball in her futon.
"Ryoko?" He gingerly walked over to her, half afraid to suffer her wrath.
"Hmmm?" She rolled over and their eyes met.
"Ryoko….I…." Before he could open his mouth and try to explain himself for the night before she jolted out of bed and pushed him to the ground with a thump. The pirate ran to the bathroom and slammed the door. Tenchi winced as the sound of her retching carried through the house.
"Washu!" he screamed with worry. "Washu!"
A tiny voice wafted up the stairs and rang in his ears like a drum, "NORMAL!" The scientist wailed as Tenchi slumped down again, in defeat.
***
Down the stairs and behind the tiny round door beneath them, Ayeka sat alone in Washu's lab. Well, she was not totally alone, she entertained a slowly recuperating young man reclining in his hospital bed. Lord Zephr smiled as she read to him from a large green book.
"'Twas brillig, and the slithey toaves did gire and gimble in the wabe, all mimsy were the borogoves and the mome raths outgrabe." Ayeka's voice glistened with inflection as she mumbled the nonsense words. "Beware the Jabberwock my son, the jaws that bite, the claw that catch! Beware the jub jub bird and shun the frumious bandersnatch!" Her eyes twinkled as she turned the page.
"Princess?"
"Hmmmm?"
"Is this a Jurai zoology manual?" He chuckled.
"No! Silly, be quiet and let me finish…. "She reprimanded him. "He took his vorpal sword in hand: Long time the manxome foe he sought-so rested he by the Tumtum tree, and stood awhile in thought. And, as in uffisth thought he stood, the jabberwock with eyes aflame came whiffling through the tulgy wood and burbled as it came……One, two! One, Two! And through and through his vorpal blade went snicker snack! And he left it dead, and with its head, he went galumphing back. And hast thou slain the Jabberwock, come into my arms my beamish boy…O frabjous day! .Callouh, Callay! He chortled in his joy……Twas Brillig, and the slithy toaves did gire and gimble in the wabe….all mimsy were the borogoves and the mome raths outgrabe."
"I don't understand."
"What?"
"Whiffling and burbling, sounds like the great poet is writing about flatulence to me." He laughed.
"This is Lewis Carroll, he was a great Earth writer and this is one of Sasami's favorites!" She was getting testy.
"Hold up! I'm just teasing you….you know, I believe you've read this to me before, I think you've read every book in the house to me.
"Probably so…."
"I wonder why you've been the only one to spend so much time down here with the evil bad guy…." He smiled.
"Shush, you are not evil…well, not as evil as I once believe you to be. And the others, well, I'm sorry to say, I'm not convinced they totally trust you, but I'm sure you will win them over with your sparkling wit as you have with me." She blushed. "I want to see if you can stand today, my sister is going to prepare a wonderful meal and I would be honored if you could join us."
"Are you sure they won't mind?"
"I have Lord Tenchi's word."
"He does strike me, no pun intended, as a man of his word….alright, let's see if Washu did her work correctly." He moved his legs over to one side of the bed as the Princess helped him steady himself. Together, they leaned forward and both of his bare feet rest upon the silver surface of Washu's lab.
"Easy, now…." She tried to let him put his own weight on his feet. He stammered a bit but was able to take some really sturdy steps on his own.
"See, peace of proverbial cake!" He chuckled then lost his balance. He tumbled to his left and fell to the ground taking Ayeka with him. The princess landed on top of his body and they sat face to face-her face turning deep crimson.
"I'm sorry!" She quickly shot up and averted her eyes.
"No….I'm the clutz…..here," He grabbed the corner of the bed and wobbled over to her. "See, I'm getting the hang of it." She smiled at his attempt at humor. "Say, you don't know where a guy could get cleaned up around here, do you?"
"As a matter of fact, I do know of a wonderful hot springs, nearby…." She smiled and let him to the portal to Washu's onsen.
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Well, don't bust my butt for getting the Jabberwocky messed up. I'm proud to say I wrote that from memory….one of the few things partying in college didn't totally wipe from my brain. I promise to dig up my old green leather bound copy of Alice's Adventures and Through the Looking Glass to correct any "misspellings" of my favorite gibberish. Anyway, you may believe Zephr and Ayeka's relationship is cut and dry, of course you may have also thought that Ryoko would jump to marry Tenchi….hmmmmm, we'll see. Stay tuned!