Here's the usual disclaimer: I don't own Tenchi or anything about it. It's the creative property of Masaki Kajishima and its distributers AIC and Pioneer. This story comes out of respect for this impressive anime show and if anyone wants to sue me for it then I can only assume you don't like free publicity! :D

A QUICK RECAP:

Washu's latest scheme to extract a 'sample' from Tenchi has gone haywire thanks to a last minute intervention by Ryoko. The result has been everyone in the house having their personality transplanted into someone else's body:

Ryoko is now in Sasami's body. (Usually called Ryoko/Sasami in the story)

Sasami is in Kiyone's body. (Sasami/Kiyone)

Kiyone has found herself stuck in Tenchi's body. (Kiyone/Tenchi)

Tenchi now occupies Mihoshe's body. (Tenchi/Mihoshe)

Mihoshe is getting drunk in Ryoko's body. (Mihoshe/Ryoko)

Washu has swapped bodies with Ayeka. (Washu/Ayeka & Ayeka/Washu)

Noboyuki was - rather fortunately - out of town after driving Katsuhito to a conference, and Ryo-Ohki was out in the Carrot Field raiding the harvest.

On with the show...

Tenchi Muyo: Changing Faces
---------------------------

By Mccpcorn

CHAPTER 2: Just Another Day...?
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Mihoshe took another sip of her sake. She was all alone in the field beside the house. She lay on her stomach, idly kicking her legs in the air, an empty bottle of sake discarded on the ground. She was most of her way through a second, and had a third standing by just in case she was still conscious by the time she was finished.

She didn't understand why she felt so miserable; all she knew is that she had an overwhelming urge to get stupifyingly drunk. Maybe latent feelings of Ryoko's own personality were making their presence felt, but the bottom line was that Mihoshe was feeling far from her usual self.

Mihoshe mentally shrugged. I guess we're all pretty wacky right now! she thought. Maybe going around with the rest of the guys will help cheer me up!

Groggily, Mihoshe/Ryoko got to her feet. Staggering only a little, she managed a fairly respectable about-face and headed back in the direction of the house.

* * *

Tenchi looked again at Mihoshe's reflection in the blank TV screen. At Mihoshe's reflection. Mihoshe's face.

Mihoshe's cleavage. Mihoshe's breasts...

'Stop!' he said out loud, clamping his hands over his/her mouth upon hearing Mihoshe's high pitched squeal. He pulled himself out of the couch and stalked into the kitchen, mildly aware that he was slightly taller than usual.

He was also all-too-conscious of his different shape. He walked awkwardly, feeling unbalanced and, well, topheavy. Mihoshe's heavy blonde hair tickled the back of his neck, and he felt more aware of subtle changes in temperature.

It was an odd feeling of curiosty and awkwardness that he would've gladly handed to anyone else in an instant. It would have almost been worth just letting Washu get her sample, he thought with a weak smile.

Kiyone - Sasami rather - was leaning against the kitchen worktop and staring glumly off into space. The pots and pans left over from breakfast were piled somewhat negligantly off to one side. Ryo-Ohki sat dejectedly on the worktop. 'Miyaa . . .'

'Uh... hi, Sasami.' This is just too wierd...

Kiyone - Sasami jerked suddenly out of her reviere at the voice. 'Mihoshe! Oh, I mean - uh...'

'Tenchi,' he supplied helpfully.

Sasami/Kiyone blushed, then smiled a little. 'How silly of me! Was that you shouting in the living room?'

Tenchi/Mihoshe gave a sheepish smile. 'Uh... yeah, sorry.'

Sasami giggled in a girlishly attractive manner. 'What's so funny?' Tenchi asked.

Sasami's/Kiyone's eyes shone. 'Oh it's nothing. It's just, when you smiled and apologised just now, it was just the way Mihoshe behaves!'

Tenchi thought about it a moment, then chuckled himself. 'I hope being Mihoshe isn't infectious!' he remarked, glad to hear the girl within this woman laughing. 'Maybe you should start telling me off like Kiyone does!'

Sasami made a mock frown and stuck her face right in front of Tenchi's. 'Mi-ho-she!' she growled playfully.

'Miya!' Ry-Ohki agreed, looking far more cheerful.
Tenchi actually laughed out loud, forgetting his discomfort in the absurdity of the moment. He paused when he saw the change in Sasami/Kiyone's expression. 'What is it Sasami?'

Sasami blushed again. 'Uh... nothing, Mih - Tenchi.. .'

Tenchi/Mihoshe frowned. 'Sasami...'

Sasami went even redder. 'It's nothing - really.' She paused. 'It's just that...'

'What!??'

Sasami jumped a bit at Tenchi's exasperation; he again reminded himself that Mihoshe's voice was far more strident than his own. 'Sorry,' he said sheepishly.

Sasami/Kiyone gave him a cute, lopsided smile. 'That's okay.'

Tenchi sighed. 'What's the problem, Sasami?' he asked again.
Sasami looked coyly through Kiyone's dark, flowing hair and whispered: 'I'm not trying to be rude, but when I was close to you just now.... It's just that - er - you could do, I mean you don't have to, and I can understand why you wouldn't want to-'

Tenchi sighed again. 'I need a bath, don't I?'

Sasami looked wounded. 'I'm sorry, I didn't mean to rude.'

Tenchi gave another weak smile. 'Yeah. I was, um, kinda afraid of that. But it doesn't feel right; I'd feel like I was insulting her.'

Sasami shook her head. 'Of course you're not. You're respecting her by taking care of her body. I'm sure Mihoshe will understand.' Her face brightened. 'I could come with you if you feel awkward.'

Tenchi gave Sasami/Kiyone a sidelong glance. 'Sasami, you're NOT helping the situation.'

Sasami giggled. 'I'm just kidding.'

Tenchi looked relieved. 'But I guess you're right,' he/she said. 'I guess I just needed someone else to tell me that to clear my conscience. I could always keep my eyes closed.'

Sasami patted Tenchi/Mihoshe's cheek and headed for the kitchen door. It was only then he noticed that Sasami/Kiyone seemed a bit shaky on her feet as well. 'Uh - Sasami, are you okay?'

Sasami turned to him and, for a moment, the brightness seemed to leave her face. 'I feel really awkward,' she admitted.

Tenchi smiled. 'You wanna talk about it?'

The change is Sasami was as sudden as it was unexpected. She flung herself onto Tenchi/Mihoshe, burying her head into his (his??) chest. She choked back a sob.

'Oh Tenchi! I hate this, I HATE IT!! Sasami clung to Tenchi weakly, and he was forced to put his arms around her to keep her from falling. This is so damn awkward...

'I'm so embarrassed,' Sasami was saying softly. But even in Kiyone's rather light voice her words sounded most un-Sasami like. Tenchi/Mihoshe closed his eyes and forced himself to think of the little girl with the bright eyes and even brighter smile. He stroked the back of her head, only to encounter Kiyone's lush, flowing dark hair.

'I keep wanting to go to the - well, you know, just go,' Sasami sniffed. 'But I'm afraid. I feel just like you, even though I know it's silly. I'm so ashamed. Everything feels wierd and different. All Kiyone's... gear - it all fits in funny ways. I - I guess I'm just not used to this kind of stuff yet.'

Tenchi found himself faced with mixture of annoyance towards Washu and an acute sense of embarrassment at feeling Mihoshe and Kiyone's chests pressed together. Sasami's eyes went wide and she flushed a bright scarlet as she realised the same thing. Quickly, they let go of each other, looking awkwardly around.

'Dammit Washu!' Tenchi muttered. 'You just can't leave anything alone, can you??'

'Hey, Tenchi, Come on! I didn't mean for this to happen. I'm SORRY, okay?'

Sasami jumped back into Tenchi's arms at the sudden, spectral sound of Ayeka's voice.

'Ayeka - no, Washu! Damn!' Tenchi clutched Mihoshe's head in frustrated confusion. 'Where are you?' he demanded.

'I'm in my lab, of course,' Washu replied in Ayeka's voice. At that moment a funny looking red gadget, about the size of a softball, buzzed into Tenchi/Mihoshe's face.

'Yargh!' Tenchi exclaimed.

'I'm using these surveilance devices to keep tabs on everybody,' the scientist explained. 'I need to be sure nothing happens to those bodies. Especially mine!'

'What about Kiyone?'

Back in her lab, Washu/Ayeka looked over to where Kiyone/Tenchi was trussed up and gagged on her examination table. 'She's just fine,' Washu/Ayeka assured Tenchi/Mihoshe. 'She's a bit busy right now, though. Carry on! And be good you two!' The scientist swiftly moved the camera out of the kitchen before either of them could ask anymore awkward questions. She stalked back over to the damaged computer core, tugging at Ayeka's kimono as she went.

I'm gonna get this sample if it KILLS me... she thought. I mean, the amount of effort I'm putting in here... and I still have to fix this blasted machine...

Washu tugged at the kimono again, then looked down at it in exasperated confusion.

'How the HECK does Ayeka even stand UP in this thing!?' Washu/Ayeka said aloud. 'This body feels like it's been through a mangle and trapped in a trouser press!!'

'Mmmph,' Kiyone/Tenchi replied, shrugging his/her shoulders.

* * *

Back in the kitchen, Sasami and Tenchi awkwardly disentangled themselves from one another again. Tenchi placed his hands on Sasami's shoulders. 'Are you going to be okay?' Tenchi asked.

Sasami/Kiyone stood slightly firmer than before. She gave an assuring nod. 'Yes. It just occurred to me that what you and Kiyone are going through must be a lot worse than what I'm experiencing. You've not just changed bodies after all, you've changed...' her voice trailed off and she gave a cute, embarrassed smile as her cheeks coloured slightly. 'Well - you know,' she finished meekly.

Tenchi/Mihoshe gave a soft chuckle. 'Oh yeah,' he/she said. 'Boy do we know.' He motioned to the door. 'I'm, uh, gonna take care of that little problem we discussed,' he said. 'Are you sure you're going to be okay?'

Sasami smiled again. 'Yeah.' She turned to the dishes. 'These need washing anyway -'

Sasami turned sharply at the loud THUD, just in time to see Tenchi clutching Mihoshe's face.

'TENCHI!' Sasami/Kiyone exclaimed. 'What happened??'

'Umph,' Tenchi/Mihoshe managed to squawk. 'I wulked into the duur!'

-----

END OF CHAPTER 2

Endnote: Confused yet? I am!! Seriously though, I hope anyone who hasn't gotten bored and wandered off likes what I've done so far. Comments and suggestions can be sent to mccpcorn@hotmail.com

See you at Chapter 3!!!