All characters relating to Tenchi Muyo © AIC/Pioneer. All others are strictly my brain material...
No Need for Minaka!
By Speck
Chapter 3: Hello Baby (again?)
*****
"Everybody, dinnertime!"
Sasami rang a small triangle, alerting the household that mealtime had arrived. Ryoko was, as usual, the first one there, phasing in from out of nowhere to her usual spot. Mihoshi was a close second, however, immediately grabbing a bowl of rice and serving herself. The others arrived at their own pace, including Washuu, who arrived several minutes later, leading Minaka from her lab. Washuu looked bright and cheery enough, especially due to the fact that she had invented several new machines, ready for testing. Minaka, however, was another story. She toddled quietly behind Washuu, moving slowly and breathing hard, her hair limp and her face paler than normal. She seated herself next to Washuu, and sat, staring at her plate. She scooped a little rice onto it, and a little bit of shrimp tempura, but didn't eat. Instead, she poked at it with a chopstick, and finally just stared at her food as it cooled.
Washuu paused, her chopsticks hovering in midair. She placed them on her plate and gently touched Minaka's hand. Minaka started at this contact, and looked up apologetically.
"I'm sorry... I'm really not hungry right now. I don't feel so good."
Sasami looked up, a worried expression on her face. "Aw, poor Minaka."
"Hmm... yes, poor Minaka," Ryoko said softly. "Hey, d'you mind if I ate that?"
Minaka merely shook her head, and pushed her plate in Ryoko's direction. "No, you can have it. I think I should go lie down for a while or something... I really don't feel well."
Ryoko happily munched on the rejected food, while the rest of the gang watched as Minaka struggled to get up from her seat. She seemed to grow weaker, and seemed to not have the strength to accomplish even this task.
Sasami abandoned her plate and rushed to Minaka. She helped Minaka up, and let her lean on her tiny frame for support.
"I'll be right back. I'll help Minaka to go lie down. Is the futon okay, Minaka?"
Minaka merely nodded her head. "Yes, anything... but I really don't feel well..."
Sasami nodded. "I know... come on now, lets go..."
The two padded out of the dining room. Washuu had abandoned her food, worried for Minaka, when a loud shout confirmed her fears.
Sasami ran back into the dining room. "Oh no, I think Minaka's having her baby now!"
Quickly Washuu leapt up from the table and ran into the living room. Sasami had barely unrolled the spare futon on the floor, while Minaka sat, supported by the sofa, moaning miserably and twitching. A small pool of blood formed where Minaka kneeled, and she cried softly, clutching her stomach and grunting in exertion.
"Ow... oh God it hurts... oh God... please help me, it hurts so bad..."
Washuu knelt next to Minaka and allowed her to lean into her lap. Minaka curled up, crying quietly into her lap, reaching for her hand. Washuu grasped her hand firmly and squeezed.
"When did it start, Minaka, can you tell me?"
Minaka moaned, gritting her teeth together tightly. "Earlier today... but it didn't hurt so badly... I didn't think it was too bad... and then just now, it started getting worse... but I kept hoping it would go away... please, I'm sorry I didn't tell you earlier, but I was so afraid..."
Washuu nodded. "It'll be all right now, Minaka, we're here. Don't you fret." She turned to Sasami, and the rest of the group, who stood in the doorway.
"Sasami, please roll up that futon. I can't allow her to have her baby in the middle of the living room floor. I could use my lab, but I think Minaka'd be a little more comfortable in someplace less sterile than that. Is there a spare room in the house we can use?"
"You can use my room, Miss Washuu. I wouldn't mind in the slightest," Tenchi volunteered.
Washuu nodded. "Thank you, Tenchi. Now, Minaka, hold on, I'm going to carry you upstairs. If the way I hold you hurts too much, let me know, okay? Now, one, two, three!"
On "three", Washuu launched Minaka into her arms. Minaka cried out sharply, then relaxed.
"Are you okay there, kiddo?"
"Yes, Miss Washuu, I'm fine," was the quiet response.
"Okay. Now, Sasami, follow me upstairs. Tenchi, Aeka, go boil some water and get some cloths and newspapers. Got it? Now go!"
Tenchi and Aeka hurried to their tasks, while Washuu carried Minaka up the stairs to Tenchi's room. With her foot, Washuu slid the door open, and motioned for Sasami to go inside and set up the futon.
"Well, I know it's not the nicest hospital room of Jurai or anything, but this'll have to do, okay Minaka?"
Minaka nodded and smiled. "Oh no, it's fine, really... I like the ambience. So quiet and cheerful, much better than a Juraian hospital ward."
Washuu chuckled and rested Minaka down on the futon, covering her up with a thick quilt. She patted Minaka's stomach and smiled.
"Now, I gotta go to my lab and get a few tools of the trade, okay sweetheart? I'll be right back."
Heading out of the room, she paused at the doorway. Sasami stood, tears trickling down her face. Washuu knelt to her level and placed a hand on her shoulder.
"What's the matter, Sasami-chan?"
The small girl snuffled, and coughed. "I'm scared for Minaka... she's hurting so much..."
Washuu nodded and held her close. "I know... I know what it feels like, trust me... not pretty. But y'know what? I'll bet that she's just as scared about all this as you are. I'm trying to be calm to comfort her, but in the end, she's feeling pretty alone there, all scared and hurting... she needs someone just as scared as she is to be with her right now. So, why don't you go in there and be with her while I go get my tools, hmm? You can talk to her, and let her know how you feel, and I bet that'll make her feel less scared, what do you think?"
Sasami's eyes shone gratefully, and she hugged Washuu tightly. "I'll do my best, Washuu-chan!"
Sasami gently padded into the room and sat on the floor next to Minaka's futon. She brushed Minaka's bangs from her forehead and smiled sympathetically down at her.
"It... it doesn't hurt anymore, Sasami... I'm okay... it comes in waves, though..."
Sasami nodded. "Well, that's the way it's supposed to happen. The waves are helping your baby to get born."
Minaka grinned. "My, but you know an awful lot about having babies. Are you sure you aren't a doctor or something?"
Sasami giggled. "No... Earth programming has a lot of interesting shows on about stuff like this... I like watching those shows. It's the closest I've come to actually seeing a baby get born."
"Well, hang around for a bit longer. You'll get to see it live if you do."
Eyes brightly shining, Sasami leaned over Minaka and threw her arms around Minaka's neck, smiling. "I can't wait!"
Pain. Sudden, overpowering pain rushed Minaka, throwing her into its realm, tearing at her and ripping her apart. She screamed loudly, despite Sasami's attempts to comfort her, and thrashed, twisting and convulsing as she tried to deal with the pain.
"Oh my God... Oh my God... oh God this hurts... oh God... Washuu... oh please hurry, I can't hold this any longer..."
Sasami realized what this meant. A dark pool of blood soaked its way into the quilt, and suddenly, Minaka grew very quiet. She strained, and groaned loudly.
"Oh, no Minaka!" Sasami exclaimed. "Don't push! Not yet! Washuu'll be back soon!"
"I.. I can't hold it any longer, Sasami... I can feel it... the baby... oh my God... uhhh... I can feel it moving... this is going way too fast..."
Washuu broke into the room, followed by Tenchi, who carried a basin of hot water, and Aeka, who carried the towels and newspapers. Indicating to the floor with a hand, Washuu instructed the awestruck pair as to where to put their supplies. They dropped the basin, towels, and newspaper to the floor, and abandoned the room quickly, while Washuu shut the door behind them.
"Okay... well now, it looks like the show almost started without me!" Humming happily, not phased in the slightest, Washuu snapped a pair of latex gloves on her hands, and gently peeled the quilt up from Minaka's raised legs. She grabbed a towel, and draped it over Minaka's lower extremities, pausing to examine her.
"Ahh, a bit ahead of schedule, but that can be worked with! Sasami, take this!"
Washuu tossed a facecloth and a canteen of cold water to Sasami. "Just swab at her forehead and wipe away her tears. This is gonna get pretty painful for her. Just stay with her and talk to her quietly, okay? I'll get to work right now!"
Sasami levered Minaka's head into her lap, and began swabbing at her forehead as Washuu readied to deliver her baby. Having applied a sensor to Minaka's belly, Washuu could tell when her next pain would begin.
"Okay, sweetheart, get ready now... when you feel the pain start to well up pretty good, give it a good shove, okay? Here we go..."
Minaka shifted uncomfortably, and began to moan. Her eyes snapped open with the onset of the pain, and she began to push, as Washuu had instructed. Quietly, Washuu counted off the seconds, while Sasami held Minaka down by the shoulders and comforted her.
"Okay, now, Minaka, just rest... good, you're doing fine..."
"I'm so scared... please, it hurts, I'm scared..."
"Don't worry, Minaka," Sasami whispered. "It'll all be over soon."
A small beep sounded from the sensor, and Minaka began to shift.
"Ready, Minaka?... Now."
Another round left Minaka crying loudly in pain. Something was wrong.
"Ow, oh my God... I feel like I'm being ripped in half... ow, why won't it stop?" she groaned.
Washuu examined her again. "Oh God... Minaka... any time in the course of your pregnancy, did you ever feel the baby move a lot more than normal?"
Minaka shook her head. "No... why?"
"Oh man... this is gonna get tough. Minaka, your baby is in what's known as a breech position. You never felt it move around a lot during the last few weeks, meaning your baby never moved itself into a proper position for birth. It's gonna get difficult for you to push, because the baby's not in the right position, so if you feel it stop moving, let me know, okay?"
"Wait... wait, Miss Washuu... if it's not in the 'right position', which position is it in?"
Washuu paused. "It's gonna be born feet first. It'll be precarious, too... because or the danger of the baby suffocating, we have to be careful. I'll let you know how hard to go at it, okay?"
Another beep sounded from the machine.
"No, no, I'm not ready yet... please no, not so soon..."
Sasami fearfully gripped Minaka's shoulders.
"Okay, Minaka, let 'er rip!"
Minaka screamed as she pushed. She felt as if she were being burned from the inside out. A strange feeling left her squirming in shock.
"Ah, okay, we got the feet now! Take it easy, Minaka, yer doin' fine... great, as a matter of fact. Just let it come naturally... I'll let you know when to tone the effort down."
Minaka did as told, exerting herself to the fullest extent. When she began to wonder just how long the baby was, Washuu held up a bloodied hand.
"HOLD IT! Now, go easier... easy, not so hard! There we go... good, good..."
Sasami, from her position, could see everything. She paused in swabbing Minaka's forehead just long enough to gape at the miracle happening before her eyes.
And finally, for Minaka, it ended. Washuu worked away feverishly at the baby, and finally, a tiny cough, followed by a lusty yowl, could be heard. Minaka laughed quietly, tears flowing from her eyes.
"Its okay... its okay..."
Washuu grinned from ear to ear. "It's more than okay, it's the healthiest baby I've seen in ages! Congrats, Minaka, you have a little boy!"
Sasami smiled brightly. "Wow! Minaka, did you hear that? You had a boy, just like you wanted! Oh wow, that's so great!"
Minaka merely smiled, tears soaking the hair draped about her face. "My son..."
Washuu shuffled to Minaka's side on her knees, the baby wrapped in a soft blanket. "Here he is... he wants to see his momma."
Minaka gently cradled her son in her arms, shushing him quietly. "Its okay now, little one... shh... its okay, momma's here... poor little guy, you had it rough, didn't you? All that stress and excitement, huh? Well, you just relax now... it's all over. Momma's here for you, baby... just relax now, little one..."
The little baby's cries ceased, replaced by a gentle snuffling. The baby looked up curiously at its mother, and cooed gently. He yawned loudly, and snuggled down into the blankets, closing his eyes, and drifted off to sleep.
"Aw... poor little fella, he's just as tired as his mommy is," Washuu commented.
"Hmm... he looks like such an angel... what do you think, Sasami, should we name him Angel? ...Sasami?" Minaka looked up, and grinned. Even in the excitement of the moment, Sasami had fallen asleep, her head nodding up and down as she drowsily agreed. "Angel... sounds so pretty..."
Washuu smiled. "Poor kid... she got to see what she'd wanted to, though... here, Minaka, I'll be right back. I'm going to bring Sasami to her room."
Washuu pulled Sasami into her arms, and carried her outside. Minaka could hear Sasami whimper faintly, whispering "No... I'm okay... just let me stay a little longer..." to Washuu. Washuu merely smiled and continued on her way. "Now now now, kiddo, it's been a long time, and you need yer sleep too... you can see the baby when you're fully awake, I promise."
Moments later, Washuu returned, closing the door behind her. "Well, I told the gang, and they're all as pleased as punch about the good news. Ryoko could use a little fine-tuning in the 'show of emotions' department, but I can read her thoughts. She's relieved that yer okay, if ya need to know."
She quietly knelt down next to Minaka, who held her sleeping son gently to her chest. Tears coursed their way down her face as she sobbed softly.
"He's so beautiful, Washuu... I can't believe it... look how tiny and peaceful he is..."
Washuu smiled gently. "I know... it's a wonderful feeling, isn't it?... I miss that feeling... the happiness and joy of a new baby... I miss it so..."
Minaka looked with amazement at Washuu. "Miss Washuu... you... you had a baby?"
A tear 'plished' on Washuu's hand, trickling down her fingers. "Yes... a long time ago... I already told Lord Tenchi and the others partly about it, but I felt so silly... it hurts to recall it, even after so long a time. I feel ashamed. I told Lord Tenchi about it to soften him up, so I could get a shot at him. It must make me look like such a fool to him. Using a sob story to get to his heart. But it was true, all of it... I keep pushing it away, laughing at it, but deep down it still tears at me."
Minaka tugged gently on Washuu's sleeve. "When you said you 'knew the feeling' of wanting to keep my son's gender a secret, I thought that this was what you were implying, but I couldn't be sure. Please, Miss Washuu. I know it hurts, but please tell me your story. It might hurt less, or more, I don't know... but I won't think any less of you if you told me."
Pausing momentarily, Washuu shuddered, then launched her story.
"Well, I told Tenchi only part of my story... the parts that hurt the most. I never told him all of it... maybe, maybe if I let it out, it'll stop hurting so bad... do you mind if I lump all my emotional backwash on you?"
Minaka smiled reassuringly, and grasped Washuu's hand tightly. "I've told you everything there is to know about me, first crushes and things like that. I think it's way past time that I returned the favor. I'm listening, Miss Washuu."
Washuu smiled softly. "Well, okay... thank you Minaka. I appreciate it, really...
"Eons ago... sounds strange, but well, for most of it I was sealed up in a parallel dimension, so a few hundred years really isn't too much...
"I was a student at the Galactic Space Academy. I learned sciences there, and by sciences I mean everything there was to know. Physics, chemistry, interdimensional phenomena, you name it I learned it. It got boring for me after a while, because I ended up remembering everything I was taught, and soon, nothing seemed to interest me. Oh sure, I loved science, but heck, I could go out and invent things that I wanted to, instructor supervised or not. What fun was that? However, there was one student that kept me coming to class, one that always surpassed the others and knew more than all of them. His name was Mikumo."
Minaka gasped.
"Minaka, what is it?"
"Huh? Oh.. Nothing, but... when Sasami asked me if I were to have a boy, what would I name him, I said I didn't know, and she suggested Mikumo."
Washuu blinked. "That's odd, I never told the gang about him or his name... I wonder where she got it from- oh, dammit."
"What?"
"Heh... I forgot that as I am telepathically linked with Ryoko, so she is with me. She probably read my mind on an off day and learned of Mikumo that way, then went and talked with Sasami about it. Geez... I gotta hand it to Ryoko, she can be downright blackmailing sometimes. She really loves Sasami, whether she wants anyone else to find out about it or not... tells her little secrets and whatnot, like she was her sister... but anyways, I'm getting off topic."
Shaking her head, Washuu continued with her story.
"Well, anyway, that was his name, Mikumo. He was exceptionally bright, and I took a shining to him. He was an elder student, as well, and was... quite the charmer. Eventually, we fell in love. It got hard for me to even concentrate on creating inventions when he was nearby, and he made it equally as difficult by attending each seminar that I was in every day. He was such a flirt... sent me roses once, in the middle of class."
Washuu felt herself flush. To remember all this was a shock to her system, and it made her feel something she hadn't felt in over 15,000 years: special.
"We would meet after school hours, and we began to date. He showed me to all the ritzy places, as his family was high in the political system, he had access to all the nice, expensive places to eat. I, on the other hand, showed him the other side of life. I'd take him to the countryside where I grew up... we'd lie in the middle of a field and look at all the stars, naming all the galaxies and constellations... it was one such night as that when we first made love."
Now Minaka could feel herself blush.
"However, I found out that his family, a prestigious, well to do kind of people, hated me, my kind. They told Mikumo to drop me, that I was worth little more than the dirt on his shoes. So you know what he did? ...He married me. He told his family that he didn't care, that he would rather spend his entire life with me than one day with one of their own. This enraged them, and they left us be, until we found out that we were having a baby. They still didn't trust me, and tried convincing Mikumo that I was a danger, a threat to the baby. I was determined to show them that I was a person worthy of being a daughter and mother, and I worked so hard to try and win them over. I thought I had, too... they began to act nicer towards me, even threw a baby shower. When I finally had my baby, they publicized it highly... I had no clue what they were actually doing.
"One night I was called away by the division head of a project I was involved in, because a new discovery had been made, and they needed my input. This was more than enough evidence for Mikumo's family that I wasn't a worthy mother, and so, when I returned home, they sent messengers to come and take both my husband and my baby away from me, right in front of my own eyes.
"At first, I didn't know what to think. I was consumed with grief over losing the two most important things in my life. For the longest time, I didn't do anything, as I recalled. I simply lost myself in my sadness... and then, I became rebellious. I was still very young, even though I had graduated at the top of my class and become a professor, and that little part of me, that immature, young part of me, wanted revenge for what had happened. And I did just that: I took it upon myself to create anything that would hurt adults as much as they had hurt me. I created dimensional disruption cannons, transdimensional laser guns... I even began to experiment with something I had discovered living on a planet millions of light years away, called Mass. Mass is the base for all elements in the known galaxy, and is intelligent. It can communicate with other Mass, and can join together with each other to form life forms that can adapt to any environment. It was then that I decided that in order to fully bring about my revenge on the adult world, I would have to create an object of organic composition who had the ability to form energy weapons out of its own natural power, something that was impervious to all retaliation...
"Then I met up with Kagato. He was a rebel, just as I was, a student at the Academy who admired me in a way for my creations of destruction. He won me over, but he was toying with me. He showed me his immense battleship, the Souja, and told me that he was planning to leave the planet in search of... more welcoming people who would accept him for his, how did he put it? 'Eccentricity'. But it was inoperable. All that metal and science was useless. So he co-opted me to help him. In return for producing a core to power the Souja, he would allow me to travel with him in his quest to find a more welcoming planet. Angry at the people around me, I naturally agreed... and joined him. I created a core more powerful than was necessary to power the ship, which turned out to be the downfall of hundreds of planets. I didn't realize what he'd actually had in store for me, and I lived with him on his ship. He'd even set up a small lab for me in one of the ship's empty bays so I could continue with my experiments. So, off I went. I transferred all my belongings to his ship, and continued my research on the Mass, along with research of three small gems I had had since I was a young girl. I had been in possession of the gems, but I had no idea what they were, or where they were from. All I knew was that, every so often, they would glow on their own, as if they had their own life. I began to analyze them, along with Kagato as my assistant, and I came across the fact that they were of no identifiable origin. On further analysis, I found that they could be used to power a life form, and on even deeper analysis, I found they could be used to power an adult sized life form. I was still longing in my heart for another heir, another little baby. But I knew I couldn't replace him. So I decided to break the mold. I used my own DNA, and combined it with the Mass, and added one gem as a finishing touch. Ryoko was born from all this. I was pleased... she was perfect, in every way... she was physically mature when she was born, and had been programmed to act as an adult would, but she had essentially no other knowledge of anything...
"That's when Kagato released his plan. He took Ryoko away from me, and showed me just what he could do to her. I had analyzed the gems me to the fullest extent that I though possible, but he had analyzed them even more, revealing to me another twist to the gems that I hadn't even thought of. The gem I had used to power Ryoko, in conjunction with the other two I had left out, would give her unbelievable brute power. I had, in a way, done everything Kagato had wanted me to. He knew I would try to create a life form to try and replace my baby. Somehow, he had found out about the power-giving capabilities of the gems far before I did, and knew I would try to use them to power a life form if I had made one. I had, and now his plan was complete. He never revealed the rest of it to me, and, fearing I would break free from him and escape, he sealed me in a crystal in a hyper-dimension on his ship. I remember watching him take Ryoko away... she was crying, and there was nothing I could do to stop Kagato from taking her and doing what he wished. It was that way for several hundred years... in that space of time he toyed with Ryoko, controlling her to do his dirty work. Every once in a while he would let her go on her own... she was of adult mentality, but she was very innocent... she didn't know what Kagato was doing to her, and would often go to planets he would make her go to, and make friends, only to have Kagato pull her back... then he told her about what she was intended to do. She tried to rebel, tried to get away, but Kagato controlled her... he could turn off her mind if he wanted... using that ploy, he easily got control of Ryoko's other half, the half that wasn't under his constant control, her innocent half. That was when the play got dirty. He made her into a space pirate... if I hadn't... hadn't put in that gem, if I had been more powerful enough to protect her from Kagato, maybe she would have been nicer... but her life experiences don't allow her to be nice... she won't even call me "mom"... but, that's because of her nature. She got toughened up in all those years I was imprisoned... if she were to be nice, it would make her feel as if she had a weakness, and she'd pull even farther away into herself than ever before. She puts on such a tough face, but deep, deep down, she's still that innocent little girl... my little girl..." Minaka looked up to Washuu, to see her crying. She tugged at her sleeve.
"Miss Washuu... I didn't know..."
"How could you have? Nobody knows... it's okay, don't feel bad about me crying... I needed to get all this out..."
She turned her head away from Minaka, tears flowing freely from her eyes. The repressed memories had worked their way to the surface, and left Washuu feeling exhausted. She shivered nervously, an enormous hole now in the very core of her being.
Minaka worked herself into a sitting position, and leaned on Washuu, slinging a free arm about her shoulders and hugging as well as she could.
"I wish I could say something to make this all better for you, but... I can't. Its been eating at you for eons... how could words possibly help you? The only thing I can really offer you is a shoulder to cry on..."
"That's all I really need right now..." came Washuu's voice, weak. She slumped forward, snoring quietly. The expulsion of her story left her empty, and now, with all the anger and depression worked free, all Washuu wanted to do was sleep.
"...Poor thing..." Minaka gently rested her friend on her side, and pulled up an unused blanket, draping it about her shoulders. Washuu moaned softly, smiling, and snuggled down into Minaka's lap, pulling the blanket closer over herself. Minaka smiled as she petted Washuu's spiky hair with her free hand.
Suddenly, the door slid open quietly, and Tenchi peeked his head in.
"Oh... you're still awake! I thought you'd have fallen asleep by now or something..."
He paused, seeing Washuu passed out in Minaka's lap, and laughed.
"Now that's a first... I don't think I've ever seen her look so peaceful..."
Minaka looked up, smiling. "Me either. You think we should let her sleep here, or should we bring her back to her lab?"
"Nah, let her stay here. She'd probably get mad if we took her away from you and the baby. Speaking of which... may I?..."
Minaka nodded, and beckoned Tenchi to come closer. Cautiously tiptoeing to the edge of the futon, Tenchi kneeled and looked. The little baby still slept peacefully, and Tenchi gently brushed at its bangs with a hand.
"It's so tiny... wow... boy or girl?"
"Boy," Minaka said, a bit flustered. Tenchi was sitting so close...
A faint grumble brought Tenchi and Minaka to attention. Ryoko stood in the doorway, holding a tray in her hands.
"...Sasami made this... she knows she can't come in here for a while, but she couldn't sleep, so she made up some tea. Here."
Stiffly, Ryoko made her way to the center of the room, and dropped the tray to the floor. It clattered slightly, waking Minaka's baby. He cried out sharply, the noise startling him.
Ryoko grimaced, and slipped to the door, the baby's cries renting the air. But... for some reason, she couldn't leave...
Quietly, she turned, and padded back to the center of the room. She knelt down beside Tenchi, and looked intently at Minaka.
"Minaka, may I hold the baby?"
Minaka looked reluctant.
"I promise I won't hurt him, okay? Please..."
Slowly, Minaka handed her baby to Ryoko, who held him awkwardly.
"No, no, you have to hold him like this... yes, like that... there you go..."
Ryoko knelt back, the crying baby in her arms. For some strange reason, she felt an attachment to this small, squealing creature... she'd never liked babies much, but for some reason, this little one made her feel a peculiar ache in her heart...
Suddenly, she did something very unexpected. Holding the baby close, she began to rock, back and forth, and talked quietly to the little one.
"I'm sorry... I didn't mean to wake you up, I promise... poor little fella, that scared you, huh? Well, don't worry... your momma's here to protect you, and so's all your uncles and aunts... and me. I'll never let anything bad happen to you... you can count on old Ryoko, she'll be there..."
As if by magic, the little baby's cries ceased. It snuffled quietly, then looked up at Ryoko, and sneezed.
Both Minaka and Tenchi were awestruck. "Wow... Ryoko..."
She blinked. Then she realized... a silly smile had been plastered across her face, and she had been cooing at the baby in a cutesified manner. She blushed, and thrust the baby back into Minaka's arms.
"I, uh, better be going... the others are waiting back downstairs. I... ugh."
Turning on her heels, Ryoko trotted out of the room quickly, a huge look of embarrassment on her face.
The pair sat in the awkward silence that followed Ryoko's exit.
"Wow... I don't think I've ever seen anything like that before... Ryoko's never acted like that... how strange..." Tenchi mused.
Minaka grinned. "Well, as strange as it may be, I think it was kind of cute. Imagine, Space Pirate Ryoko, going gaga over a little baby..."
Ryoko hovered near the partly opened doorway, biting at her nail. Dammit! she thought. One more slip-up like that, and people here will think I'm a slacker...
But still... the warmth of the tiny baby in her arms, its cry, those bright blue eyes... Ryoko chanced it to smile, quietly, to herself. She teleported away silently to her favorite hiding spot atop the roof of the house, and sat, curled up, hugging her knees to her chest, looking out over the lake surrounding the house, smiling to no one in particular save herself.
*****
AUTHOR'S NOTES: Lousy title, I know... buaha. *sigh* Well, this is it. Chapter 3. I hope this puts the minds of all the Ryoko-fans out there at ease... y'see? I'm not intent on making her a mean-spirited witch all the time... she'll have more "sweet" moments, I promise... this took me a long time to write, (the whole thing, I mean) all I ask is for a little patience. It'll resolve itself... I'm not a static person, I do allow for character growth.
Levaticus: And she finally figured out how to make it easier to read... tab formatting doesn't work, silly girl.
Speck: Oh shuddup... I need to MST this work eventually... Chapter 4 coming eventually...
No Need for Minaka!
By Speck
Chapter 3: Hello Baby (again?)
*****
"Everybody, dinnertime!"
Sasami rang a small triangle, alerting the household that mealtime had arrived. Ryoko was, as usual, the first one there, phasing in from out of nowhere to her usual spot. Mihoshi was a close second, however, immediately grabbing a bowl of rice and serving herself. The others arrived at their own pace, including Washuu, who arrived several minutes later, leading Minaka from her lab. Washuu looked bright and cheery enough, especially due to the fact that she had invented several new machines, ready for testing. Minaka, however, was another story. She toddled quietly behind Washuu, moving slowly and breathing hard, her hair limp and her face paler than normal. She seated herself next to Washuu, and sat, staring at her plate. She scooped a little rice onto it, and a little bit of shrimp tempura, but didn't eat. Instead, she poked at it with a chopstick, and finally just stared at her food as it cooled.
Washuu paused, her chopsticks hovering in midair. She placed them on her plate and gently touched Minaka's hand. Minaka started at this contact, and looked up apologetically.
"I'm sorry... I'm really not hungry right now. I don't feel so good."
Sasami looked up, a worried expression on her face. "Aw, poor Minaka."
"Hmm... yes, poor Minaka," Ryoko said softly. "Hey, d'you mind if I ate that?"
Minaka merely shook her head, and pushed her plate in Ryoko's direction. "No, you can have it. I think I should go lie down for a while or something... I really don't feel well."
Ryoko happily munched on the rejected food, while the rest of the gang watched as Minaka struggled to get up from her seat. She seemed to grow weaker, and seemed to not have the strength to accomplish even this task.
Sasami abandoned her plate and rushed to Minaka. She helped Minaka up, and let her lean on her tiny frame for support.
"I'll be right back. I'll help Minaka to go lie down. Is the futon okay, Minaka?"
Minaka merely nodded her head. "Yes, anything... but I really don't feel well..."
Sasami nodded. "I know... come on now, lets go..."
The two padded out of the dining room. Washuu had abandoned her food, worried for Minaka, when a loud shout confirmed her fears.
Sasami ran back into the dining room. "Oh no, I think Minaka's having her baby now!"
Quickly Washuu leapt up from the table and ran into the living room. Sasami had barely unrolled the spare futon on the floor, while Minaka sat, supported by the sofa, moaning miserably and twitching. A small pool of blood formed where Minaka kneeled, and she cried softly, clutching her stomach and grunting in exertion.
"Ow... oh God it hurts... oh God... please help me, it hurts so bad..."
Washuu knelt next to Minaka and allowed her to lean into her lap. Minaka curled up, crying quietly into her lap, reaching for her hand. Washuu grasped her hand firmly and squeezed.
"When did it start, Minaka, can you tell me?"
Minaka moaned, gritting her teeth together tightly. "Earlier today... but it didn't hurt so badly... I didn't think it was too bad... and then just now, it started getting worse... but I kept hoping it would go away... please, I'm sorry I didn't tell you earlier, but I was so afraid..."
Washuu nodded. "It'll be all right now, Minaka, we're here. Don't you fret." She turned to Sasami, and the rest of the group, who stood in the doorway.
"Sasami, please roll up that futon. I can't allow her to have her baby in the middle of the living room floor. I could use my lab, but I think Minaka'd be a little more comfortable in someplace less sterile than that. Is there a spare room in the house we can use?"
"You can use my room, Miss Washuu. I wouldn't mind in the slightest," Tenchi volunteered.
Washuu nodded. "Thank you, Tenchi. Now, Minaka, hold on, I'm going to carry you upstairs. If the way I hold you hurts too much, let me know, okay? Now, one, two, three!"
On "three", Washuu launched Minaka into her arms. Minaka cried out sharply, then relaxed.
"Are you okay there, kiddo?"
"Yes, Miss Washuu, I'm fine," was the quiet response.
"Okay. Now, Sasami, follow me upstairs. Tenchi, Aeka, go boil some water and get some cloths and newspapers. Got it? Now go!"
Tenchi and Aeka hurried to their tasks, while Washuu carried Minaka up the stairs to Tenchi's room. With her foot, Washuu slid the door open, and motioned for Sasami to go inside and set up the futon.
"Well, I know it's not the nicest hospital room of Jurai or anything, but this'll have to do, okay Minaka?"
Minaka nodded and smiled. "Oh no, it's fine, really... I like the ambience. So quiet and cheerful, much better than a Juraian hospital ward."
Washuu chuckled and rested Minaka down on the futon, covering her up with a thick quilt. She patted Minaka's stomach and smiled.
"Now, I gotta go to my lab and get a few tools of the trade, okay sweetheart? I'll be right back."
Heading out of the room, she paused at the doorway. Sasami stood, tears trickling down her face. Washuu knelt to her level and placed a hand on her shoulder.
"What's the matter, Sasami-chan?"
The small girl snuffled, and coughed. "I'm scared for Minaka... she's hurting so much..."
Washuu nodded and held her close. "I know... I know what it feels like, trust me... not pretty. But y'know what? I'll bet that she's just as scared about all this as you are. I'm trying to be calm to comfort her, but in the end, she's feeling pretty alone there, all scared and hurting... she needs someone just as scared as she is to be with her right now. So, why don't you go in there and be with her while I go get my tools, hmm? You can talk to her, and let her know how you feel, and I bet that'll make her feel less scared, what do you think?"
Sasami's eyes shone gratefully, and she hugged Washuu tightly. "I'll do my best, Washuu-chan!"
Sasami gently padded into the room and sat on the floor next to Minaka's futon. She brushed Minaka's bangs from her forehead and smiled sympathetically down at her.
"It... it doesn't hurt anymore, Sasami... I'm okay... it comes in waves, though..."
Sasami nodded. "Well, that's the way it's supposed to happen. The waves are helping your baby to get born."
Minaka grinned. "My, but you know an awful lot about having babies. Are you sure you aren't a doctor or something?"
Sasami giggled. "No... Earth programming has a lot of interesting shows on about stuff like this... I like watching those shows. It's the closest I've come to actually seeing a baby get born."
"Well, hang around for a bit longer. You'll get to see it live if you do."
Eyes brightly shining, Sasami leaned over Minaka and threw her arms around Minaka's neck, smiling. "I can't wait!"
Pain. Sudden, overpowering pain rushed Minaka, throwing her into its realm, tearing at her and ripping her apart. She screamed loudly, despite Sasami's attempts to comfort her, and thrashed, twisting and convulsing as she tried to deal with the pain.
"Oh my God... Oh my God... oh God this hurts... oh God... Washuu... oh please hurry, I can't hold this any longer..."
Sasami realized what this meant. A dark pool of blood soaked its way into the quilt, and suddenly, Minaka grew very quiet. She strained, and groaned loudly.
"Oh, no Minaka!" Sasami exclaimed. "Don't push! Not yet! Washuu'll be back soon!"
"I.. I can't hold it any longer, Sasami... I can feel it... the baby... oh my God... uhhh... I can feel it moving... this is going way too fast..."
Washuu broke into the room, followed by Tenchi, who carried a basin of hot water, and Aeka, who carried the towels and newspapers. Indicating to the floor with a hand, Washuu instructed the awestruck pair as to where to put their supplies. They dropped the basin, towels, and newspaper to the floor, and abandoned the room quickly, while Washuu shut the door behind them.
"Okay... well now, it looks like the show almost started without me!" Humming happily, not phased in the slightest, Washuu snapped a pair of latex gloves on her hands, and gently peeled the quilt up from Minaka's raised legs. She grabbed a towel, and draped it over Minaka's lower extremities, pausing to examine her.
"Ahh, a bit ahead of schedule, but that can be worked with! Sasami, take this!"
Washuu tossed a facecloth and a canteen of cold water to Sasami. "Just swab at her forehead and wipe away her tears. This is gonna get pretty painful for her. Just stay with her and talk to her quietly, okay? I'll get to work right now!"
Sasami levered Minaka's head into her lap, and began swabbing at her forehead as Washuu readied to deliver her baby. Having applied a sensor to Minaka's belly, Washuu could tell when her next pain would begin.
"Okay, sweetheart, get ready now... when you feel the pain start to well up pretty good, give it a good shove, okay? Here we go..."
Minaka shifted uncomfortably, and began to moan. Her eyes snapped open with the onset of the pain, and she began to push, as Washuu had instructed. Quietly, Washuu counted off the seconds, while Sasami held Minaka down by the shoulders and comforted her.
"Okay, now, Minaka, just rest... good, you're doing fine..."
"I'm so scared... please, it hurts, I'm scared..."
"Don't worry, Minaka," Sasami whispered. "It'll all be over soon."
A small beep sounded from the sensor, and Minaka began to shift.
"Ready, Minaka?... Now."
Another round left Minaka crying loudly in pain. Something was wrong.
"Ow, oh my God... I feel like I'm being ripped in half... ow, why won't it stop?" she groaned.
Washuu examined her again. "Oh God... Minaka... any time in the course of your pregnancy, did you ever feel the baby move a lot more than normal?"
Minaka shook her head. "No... why?"
"Oh man... this is gonna get tough. Minaka, your baby is in what's known as a breech position. You never felt it move around a lot during the last few weeks, meaning your baby never moved itself into a proper position for birth. It's gonna get difficult for you to push, because the baby's not in the right position, so if you feel it stop moving, let me know, okay?"
"Wait... wait, Miss Washuu... if it's not in the 'right position', which position is it in?"
Washuu paused. "It's gonna be born feet first. It'll be precarious, too... because or the danger of the baby suffocating, we have to be careful. I'll let you know how hard to go at it, okay?"
Another beep sounded from the machine.
"No, no, I'm not ready yet... please no, not so soon..."
Sasami fearfully gripped Minaka's shoulders.
"Okay, Minaka, let 'er rip!"
Minaka screamed as she pushed. She felt as if she were being burned from the inside out. A strange feeling left her squirming in shock.
"Ah, okay, we got the feet now! Take it easy, Minaka, yer doin' fine... great, as a matter of fact. Just let it come naturally... I'll let you know when to tone the effort down."
Minaka did as told, exerting herself to the fullest extent. When she began to wonder just how long the baby was, Washuu held up a bloodied hand.
"HOLD IT! Now, go easier... easy, not so hard! There we go... good, good..."
Sasami, from her position, could see everything. She paused in swabbing Minaka's forehead just long enough to gape at the miracle happening before her eyes.
And finally, for Minaka, it ended. Washuu worked away feverishly at the baby, and finally, a tiny cough, followed by a lusty yowl, could be heard. Minaka laughed quietly, tears flowing from her eyes.
"Its okay... its okay..."
Washuu grinned from ear to ear. "It's more than okay, it's the healthiest baby I've seen in ages! Congrats, Minaka, you have a little boy!"
Sasami smiled brightly. "Wow! Minaka, did you hear that? You had a boy, just like you wanted! Oh wow, that's so great!"
Minaka merely smiled, tears soaking the hair draped about her face. "My son..."
Washuu shuffled to Minaka's side on her knees, the baby wrapped in a soft blanket. "Here he is... he wants to see his momma."
Minaka gently cradled her son in her arms, shushing him quietly. "Its okay now, little one... shh... its okay, momma's here... poor little guy, you had it rough, didn't you? All that stress and excitement, huh? Well, you just relax now... it's all over. Momma's here for you, baby... just relax now, little one..."
The little baby's cries ceased, replaced by a gentle snuffling. The baby looked up curiously at its mother, and cooed gently. He yawned loudly, and snuggled down into the blankets, closing his eyes, and drifted off to sleep.
"Aw... poor little fella, he's just as tired as his mommy is," Washuu commented.
"Hmm... he looks like such an angel... what do you think, Sasami, should we name him Angel? ...Sasami?" Minaka looked up, and grinned. Even in the excitement of the moment, Sasami had fallen asleep, her head nodding up and down as she drowsily agreed. "Angel... sounds so pretty..."
Washuu smiled. "Poor kid... she got to see what she'd wanted to, though... here, Minaka, I'll be right back. I'm going to bring Sasami to her room."
Washuu pulled Sasami into her arms, and carried her outside. Minaka could hear Sasami whimper faintly, whispering "No... I'm okay... just let me stay a little longer..." to Washuu. Washuu merely smiled and continued on her way. "Now now now, kiddo, it's been a long time, and you need yer sleep too... you can see the baby when you're fully awake, I promise."
Moments later, Washuu returned, closing the door behind her. "Well, I told the gang, and they're all as pleased as punch about the good news. Ryoko could use a little fine-tuning in the 'show of emotions' department, but I can read her thoughts. She's relieved that yer okay, if ya need to know."
She quietly knelt down next to Minaka, who held her sleeping son gently to her chest. Tears coursed their way down her face as she sobbed softly.
"He's so beautiful, Washuu... I can't believe it... look how tiny and peaceful he is..."
Washuu smiled gently. "I know... it's a wonderful feeling, isn't it?... I miss that feeling... the happiness and joy of a new baby... I miss it so..."
Minaka looked with amazement at Washuu. "Miss Washuu... you... you had a baby?"
A tear 'plished' on Washuu's hand, trickling down her fingers. "Yes... a long time ago... I already told Lord Tenchi and the others partly about it, but I felt so silly... it hurts to recall it, even after so long a time. I feel ashamed. I told Lord Tenchi about it to soften him up, so I could get a shot at him. It must make me look like such a fool to him. Using a sob story to get to his heart. But it was true, all of it... I keep pushing it away, laughing at it, but deep down it still tears at me."
Minaka tugged gently on Washuu's sleeve. "When you said you 'knew the feeling' of wanting to keep my son's gender a secret, I thought that this was what you were implying, but I couldn't be sure. Please, Miss Washuu. I know it hurts, but please tell me your story. It might hurt less, or more, I don't know... but I won't think any less of you if you told me."
Pausing momentarily, Washuu shuddered, then launched her story.
"Well, I told Tenchi only part of my story... the parts that hurt the most. I never told him all of it... maybe, maybe if I let it out, it'll stop hurting so bad... do you mind if I lump all my emotional backwash on you?"
Minaka smiled reassuringly, and grasped Washuu's hand tightly. "I've told you everything there is to know about me, first crushes and things like that. I think it's way past time that I returned the favor. I'm listening, Miss Washuu."
Washuu smiled softly. "Well, okay... thank you Minaka. I appreciate it, really...
"Eons ago... sounds strange, but well, for most of it I was sealed up in a parallel dimension, so a few hundred years really isn't too much...
"I was a student at the Galactic Space Academy. I learned sciences there, and by sciences I mean everything there was to know. Physics, chemistry, interdimensional phenomena, you name it I learned it. It got boring for me after a while, because I ended up remembering everything I was taught, and soon, nothing seemed to interest me. Oh sure, I loved science, but heck, I could go out and invent things that I wanted to, instructor supervised or not. What fun was that? However, there was one student that kept me coming to class, one that always surpassed the others and knew more than all of them. His name was Mikumo."
Minaka gasped.
"Minaka, what is it?"
"Huh? Oh.. Nothing, but... when Sasami asked me if I were to have a boy, what would I name him, I said I didn't know, and she suggested Mikumo."
Washuu blinked. "That's odd, I never told the gang about him or his name... I wonder where she got it from- oh, dammit."
"What?"
"Heh... I forgot that as I am telepathically linked with Ryoko, so she is with me. She probably read my mind on an off day and learned of Mikumo that way, then went and talked with Sasami about it. Geez... I gotta hand it to Ryoko, she can be downright blackmailing sometimes. She really loves Sasami, whether she wants anyone else to find out about it or not... tells her little secrets and whatnot, like she was her sister... but anyways, I'm getting off topic."
Shaking her head, Washuu continued with her story.
"Well, anyway, that was his name, Mikumo. He was exceptionally bright, and I took a shining to him. He was an elder student, as well, and was... quite the charmer. Eventually, we fell in love. It got hard for me to even concentrate on creating inventions when he was nearby, and he made it equally as difficult by attending each seminar that I was in every day. He was such a flirt... sent me roses once, in the middle of class."
Washuu felt herself flush. To remember all this was a shock to her system, and it made her feel something she hadn't felt in over 15,000 years: special.
"We would meet after school hours, and we began to date. He showed me to all the ritzy places, as his family was high in the political system, he had access to all the nice, expensive places to eat. I, on the other hand, showed him the other side of life. I'd take him to the countryside where I grew up... we'd lie in the middle of a field and look at all the stars, naming all the galaxies and constellations... it was one such night as that when we first made love."
Now Minaka could feel herself blush.
"However, I found out that his family, a prestigious, well to do kind of people, hated me, my kind. They told Mikumo to drop me, that I was worth little more than the dirt on his shoes. So you know what he did? ...He married me. He told his family that he didn't care, that he would rather spend his entire life with me than one day with one of their own. This enraged them, and they left us be, until we found out that we were having a baby. They still didn't trust me, and tried convincing Mikumo that I was a danger, a threat to the baby. I was determined to show them that I was a person worthy of being a daughter and mother, and I worked so hard to try and win them over. I thought I had, too... they began to act nicer towards me, even threw a baby shower. When I finally had my baby, they publicized it highly... I had no clue what they were actually doing.
"One night I was called away by the division head of a project I was involved in, because a new discovery had been made, and they needed my input. This was more than enough evidence for Mikumo's family that I wasn't a worthy mother, and so, when I returned home, they sent messengers to come and take both my husband and my baby away from me, right in front of my own eyes.
"At first, I didn't know what to think. I was consumed with grief over losing the two most important things in my life. For the longest time, I didn't do anything, as I recalled. I simply lost myself in my sadness... and then, I became rebellious. I was still very young, even though I had graduated at the top of my class and become a professor, and that little part of me, that immature, young part of me, wanted revenge for what had happened. And I did just that: I took it upon myself to create anything that would hurt adults as much as they had hurt me. I created dimensional disruption cannons, transdimensional laser guns... I even began to experiment with something I had discovered living on a planet millions of light years away, called Mass. Mass is the base for all elements in the known galaxy, and is intelligent. It can communicate with other Mass, and can join together with each other to form life forms that can adapt to any environment. It was then that I decided that in order to fully bring about my revenge on the adult world, I would have to create an object of organic composition who had the ability to form energy weapons out of its own natural power, something that was impervious to all retaliation...
"Then I met up with Kagato. He was a rebel, just as I was, a student at the Academy who admired me in a way for my creations of destruction. He won me over, but he was toying with me. He showed me his immense battleship, the Souja, and told me that he was planning to leave the planet in search of... more welcoming people who would accept him for his, how did he put it? 'Eccentricity'. But it was inoperable. All that metal and science was useless. So he co-opted me to help him. In return for producing a core to power the Souja, he would allow me to travel with him in his quest to find a more welcoming planet. Angry at the people around me, I naturally agreed... and joined him. I created a core more powerful than was necessary to power the ship, which turned out to be the downfall of hundreds of planets. I didn't realize what he'd actually had in store for me, and I lived with him on his ship. He'd even set up a small lab for me in one of the ship's empty bays so I could continue with my experiments. So, off I went. I transferred all my belongings to his ship, and continued my research on the Mass, along with research of three small gems I had had since I was a young girl. I had been in possession of the gems, but I had no idea what they were, or where they were from. All I knew was that, every so often, they would glow on their own, as if they had their own life. I began to analyze them, along with Kagato as my assistant, and I came across the fact that they were of no identifiable origin. On further analysis, I found that they could be used to power a life form, and on even deeper analysis, I found they could be used to power an adult sized life form. I was still longing in my heart for another heir, another little baby. But I knew I couldn't replace him. So I decided to break the mold. I used my own DNA, and combined it with the Mass, and added one gem as a finishing touch. Ryoko was born from all this. I was pleased... she was perfect, in every way... she was physically mature when she was born, and had been programmed to act as an adult would, but she had essentially no other knowledge of anything...
"That's when Kagato released his plan. He took Ryoko away from me, and showed me just what he could do to her. I had analyzed the gems me to the fullest extent that I though possible, but he had analyzed them even more, revealing to me another twist to the gems that I hadn't even thought of. The gem I had used to power Ryoko, in conjunction with the other two I had left out, would give her unbelievable brute power. I had, in a way, done everything Kagato had wanted me to. He knew I would try to create a life form to try and replace my baby. Somehow, he had found out about the power-giving capabilities of the gems far before I did, and knew I would try to use them to power a life form if I had made one. I had, and now his plan was complete. He never revealed the rest of it to me, and, fearing I would break free from him and escape, he sealed me in a crystal in a hyper-dimension on his ship. I remember watching him take Ryoko away... she was crying, and there was nothing I could do to stop Kagato from taking her and doing what he wished. It was that way for several hundred years... in that space of time he toyed with Ryoko, controlling her to do his dirty work. Every once in a while he would let her go on her own... she was of adult mentality, but she was very innocent... she didn't know what Kagato was doing to her, and would often go to planets he would make her go to, and make friends, only to have Kagato pull her back... then he told her about what she was intended to do. She tried to rebel, tried to get away, but Kagato controlled her... he could turn off her mind if he wanted... using that ploy, he easily got control of Ryoko's other half, the half that wasn't under his constant control, her innocent half. That was when the play got dirty. He made her into a space pirate... if I hadn't... hadn't put in that gem, if I had been more powerful enough to protect her from Kagato, maybe she would have been nicer... but her life experiences don't allow her to be nice... she won't even call me "mom"... but, that's because of her nature. She got toughened up in all those years I was imprisoned... if she were to be nice, it would make her feel as if she had a weakness, and she'd pull even farther away into herself than ever before. She puts on such a tough face, but deep, deep down, she's still that innocent little girl... my little girl..." Minaka looked up to Washuu, to see her crying. She tugged at her sleeve.
"Miss Washuu... I didn't know..."
"How could you have? Nobody knows... it's okay, don't feel bad about me crying... I needed to get all this out..."
She turned her head away from Minaka, tears flowing freely from her eyes. The repressed memories had worked their way to the surface, and left Washuu feeling exhausted. She shivered nervously, an enormous hole now in the very core of her being.
Minaka worked herself into a sitting position, and leaned on Washuu, slinging a free arm about her shoulders and hugging as well as she could.
"I wish I could say something to make this all better for you, but... I can't. Its been eating at you for eons... how could words possibly help you? The only thing I can really offer you is a shoulder to cry on..."
"That's all I really need right now..." came Washuu's voice, weak. She slumped forward, snoring quietly. The expulsion of her story left her empty, and now, with all the anger and depression worked free, all Washuu wanted to do was sleep.
"...Poor thing..." Minaka gently rested her friend on her side, and pulled up an unused blanket, draping it about her shoulders. Washuu moaned softly, smiling, and snuggled down into Minaka's lap, pulling the blanket closer over herself. Minaka smiled as she petted Washuu's spiky hair with her free hand.
Suddenly, the door slid open quietly, and Tenchi peeked his head in.
"Oh... you're still awake! I thought you'd have fallen asleep by now or something..."
He paused, seeing Washuu passed out in Minaka's lap, and laughed.
"Now that's a first... I don't think I've ever seen her look so peaceful..."
Minaka looked up, smiling. "Me either. You think we should let her sleep here, or should we bring her back to her lab?"
"Nah, let her stay here. She'd probably get mad if we took her away from you and the baby. Speaking of which... may I?..."
Minaka nodded, and beckoned Tenchi to come closer. Cautiously tiptoeing to the edge of the futon, Tenchi kneeled and looked. The little baby still slept peacefully, and Tenchi gently brushed at its bangs with a hand.
"It's so tiny... wow... boy or girl?"
"Boy," Minaka said, a bit flustered. Tenchi was sitting so close...
A faint grumble brought Tenchi and Minaka to attention. Ryoko stood in the doorway, holding a tray in her hands.
"...Sasami made this... she knows she can't come in here for a while, but she couldn't sleep, so she made up some tea. Here."
Stiffly, Ryoko made her way to the center of the room, and dropped the tray to the floor. It clattered slightly, waking Minaka's baby. He cried out sharply, the noise startling him.
Ryoko grimaced, and slipped to the door, the baby's cries renting the air. But... for some reason, she couldn't leave...
Quietly, she turned, and padded back to the center of the room. She knelt down beside Tenchi, and looked intently at Minaka.
"Minaka, may I hold the baby?"
Minaka looked reluctant.
"I promise I won't hurt him, okay? Please..."
Slowly, Minaka handed her baby to Ryoko, who held him awkwardly.
"No, no, you have to hold him like this... yes, like that... there you go..."
Ryoko knelt back, the crying baby in her arms. For some strange reason, she felt an attachment to this small, squealing creature... she'd never liked babies much, but for some reason, this little one made her feel a peculiar ache in her heart...
Suddenly, she did something very unexpected. Holding the baby close, she began to rock, back and forth, and talked quietly to the little one.
"I'm sorry... I didn't mean to wake you up, I promise... poor little fella, that scared you, huh? Well, don't worry... your momma's here to protect you, and so's all your uncles and aunts... and me. I'll never let anything bad happen to you... you can count on old Ryoko, she'll be there..."
As if by magic, the little baby's cries ceased. It snuffled quietly, then looked up at Ryoko, and sneezed.
Both Minaka and Tenchi were awestruck. "Wow... Ryoko..."
She blinked. Then she realized... a silly smile had been plastered across her face, and she had been cooing at the baby in a cutesified manner. She blushed, and thrust the baby back into Minaka's arms.
"I, uh, better be going... the others are waiting back downstairs. I... ugh."
Turning on her heels, Ryoko trotted out of the room quickly, a huge look of embarrassment on her face.
The pair sat in the awkward silence that followed Ryoko's exit.
"Wow... I don't think I've ever seen anything like that before... Ryoko's never acted like that... how strange..." Tenchi mused.
Minaka grinned. "Well, as strange as it may be, I think it was kind of cute. Imagine, Space Pirate Ryoko, going gaga over a little baby..."
Ryoko hovered near the partly opened doorway, biting at her nail. Dammit! she thought. One more slip-up like that, and people here will think I'm a slacker...
But still... the warmth of the tiny baby in her arms, its cry, those bright blue eyes... Ryoko chanced it to smile, quietly, to herself. She teleported away silently to her favorite hiding spot atop the roof of the house, and sat, curled up, hugging her knees to her chest, looking out over the lake surrounding the house, smiling to no one in particular save herself.
*****
AUTHOR'S NOTES: Lousy title, I know... buaha. *sigh* Well, this is it. Chapter 3. I hope this puts the minds of all the Ryoko-fans out there at ease... y'see? I'm not intent on making her a mean-spirited witch all the time... she'll have more "sweet" moments, I promise... this took me a long time to write, (the whole thing, I mean) all I ask is for a little patience. It'll resolve itself... I'm not a static person, I do allow for character growth.
Levaticus: And she finally figured out how to make it easier to read... tab formatting doesn't work, silly girl.
Speck: Oh shuddup... I need to MST this work eventually... Chapter 4 coming eventually...