Zero Tolerance
By Diane Long
Chapter Five: Getting to Know You
Cicadas sang out their hymn to the summer as the bright sun beat down upon the fields. Tenchi ran the back of a gloved hand over his brow, wiping the sweat away. It had been very hot this season, but today was the hottest yet. Wearing only a white tank top and brown cargo shorts, he raised his hoe and struck it into the hard earth of the carrot row. The dry soil was like a rock and he felt the shock of the tool hitting the baked dirt rebound back into his shoulder. He winced and shook his head to clear the fuzzy lines that danced across his vision. Maybe he needed a drink of water and a moment of rest in the shade.
"… And that's why the people of this mountainous region terrace their land for agricultural purposes," Washu's voice lectured.
Tenchi squinted against the sun and looked towards the sound of the voice. Washu and Ryoko were walking towards him along the edge of the field. Looking like young twin sisters, both wore their GA uniforms as Washu lead the way, speaking non-stop as the sunlight reflected off of the small glasses she wore perched on her nose. Both had their hair hidden up under physics-defying caps, with just their forelocks and bangs showing pink and blue respectively. Ryoko had a floating semi-transparent laptop under her fingertips and typed in notes as she walked keeping one eye on the path her feet were following.
Tenchi smiled at what had become a morning ritual over the last month. Rain or shine, seven days a week, Washu attended to Ryoko's education in the morning hours. Often, like today, she incorporated local themes into her lectures. Usually, he only got to see or hear small bits of what was being taught, but today it seemed he was part of the lesson. Puffing up with a little self-conscious pride, he began to hack away at the soil as if it were an effortless task.
"Because the Japanese have been farming this way for so long, whole ecosystems have evolved around the process. If the farming were to stop, several indigenous species might face extinction," Washu said walking past Tenchi without acknowledging him.
Ryoko glanced up from her keyboard and made brief eye contact with Tenchi. Her brow wrinkled in concern. "Mother, I think Tenchi needs a drink," she said.
Washu stopped in her tracks, her long coat brushing her ankles. Not turning around she crossed her arms in aggravation and cleared her throat.
Ryoko stopped walking too, a small frown replacing her earlier serious expression. "Excuse me, Professor Washu," she said stressing the honorific. "I think Tenchi needs some water."
Pleased that Ryoko cared, Tenchi glanced between the two of them with amusement as Washu shook her head and cleared her throat once more. Even if they looked the same in so many ways, the way Washu carried herself clearly indicated she was the sempai of the pair. Authority radiated out from her small form, telling all who was in charge.
Ryoko's frown was joined by an irritated curl of her lip as she tugged on the pom-pom on her belt. "Little Washu?" she tried.
"No!" Washu said petulantly.
Ryoko banished her keyboard and crossed her arms, mirroring her mother perfectly. "Geeze! What do you want me to call you today?" she growled, glaring at her mother's back.
"Don't get saucy with me, young lady," Washu said as her shoulders shook with silent laughter. She turned around, hands clasped under her chin, her features schooled into the cutest expression possible. "You can call me 'Professor Momma' today!"
Ryoko staggered back, looking disgusted. "No way!"
"Oh come on!" Washu pleaded, coming closer to her daughter. "It's the best of both worlds!"
"No!" Ryoko shouted, backing up and pushing her mother out of her face.
Tenchi leaned against his hoe and chuckled at their antics. He knew Washu was just jerking Ryoko's chain, just like she used to do. Only now he understood that Washu had just been trying to recreate moments like these.
Washu slid an emerald eye in his direction, her playful smile shading into a calculating grin. "Tenchi, tell my daughter to show me some respect!"
Tenchi pressed his lips together and mimed turning a key in a lock . He wasn't going to get dragged into this. They were so cute together, so different now, but so much the same. Without Ryoko's hate, these banters were silly and carefree. He noticed Ryoko scowling at him and winked at her. Well, maybe not perfectly carefree, but Ryoko being annoyed was a very different thing than Ryoko going berserk over a minor insult.
"I'm sorry," he said on the tail end of a laugh. "Ryoko, she's just kidding, right?"
Ryoko rolled her eyes, her hands firmly planted on her hips. "Nope. She's serious." She flicked her head so that her long forelocks fell behind her shoulders.
Washu nodded at that. "Indeed I am. Come on, Ryoko, say it," she said expectantly a quirky smile pushing up the corners of her mouth.
Ryoko puffed a breath upwards so it moved her bangs. She cast a baleful look to Tenchi. "Every class she teaches, she wants a new name to go with it. Right, 'Greatest Scientific Genius in the Universe' ?"
Washu shrugged. "An oldie but goodie, it's worth repeating from time to time."
"Can we just get on with it?" Ryoko asked. "It's hot and Tenchi's thirsty!"
"Not till you say it," Washu said tapping her foot.
"No," Ryoko grumbled her entire body stiffening as if to show her resolve to be unmoved.
"You'd better do it," Washu warned.
"No way. Forget it," Ryoko said, pulling her feet up so that she was hovering in the air, sitting Indian Style, her face stubbornly turned away.
Washu walked over to Ryoko, and laid a firm hand on her daughter's shoulder, her face suddenly serious. "Little Ryoko. Don't make this a battle of wills. You know who will win."
Tenchi realized where Ryoko's stubborn streak had come from. He wondered that he hadn't noticed before. Keeping quiet, he wondered who would win, or if there was a way to win at this point. This was the kind of head to head conflict his Aikido training had taught him to avoid.
"I won't do it and you can't make me," Ryoko said shaking her head.
"Hmmm," Washu considered, tapping her cheek with an index finger. "If you don't, poor, poor Tenchi will have to suffer without a drink of water."
Ryoko turned her head and made eye contact with her mother, her lips jutting out in a large pout. "That's not fair!"
Tenchi looked to his canteen, keeping cool under the shade of a nearby bush. "Actually," he interjected, "I have…" he clipped off the end of his comment under Washu's glare.
"Well?" Washu prompted. "His fate lies in your hands."
Tenchi groaned, not liking being in the middle.
"Mom," Ryoko pleaded, her cheeks turning pink.
Washu drew up to her full childish height. "Oh! I see," she snickered, looking over at embarrassed farmer. "You don't want to say it in front of Tenchi!"
"Mom!" Ryoko shouted, hiding her face behind her hands.
"Oh that is so cute!" Washu beamed, letting out a happy cackle.
"What ever, Professor Mama! Let's go!" Ryoko grumbled, touching her feet to the ground and marching past her mother.
"Music to my ears," Washu swooned. She looked after her retreating daughter. "What about Tenchi's water?" she called.
"Who cares!?" Ryoko shouted, walking even faster.
Washu giggled behind a hand and gave Tenchi a thumb's up.
Tenchi just shook his head. "Don't tease her too much, little Washu." Ryoko was embarrassed? About him? What did that mean? He watched as Ryoko started running then flying. Soon she was out of sight.
"Afraid I'll ruin this budding little romance?" Washu teased. "Is my wittle Tenchi in love?"
Tenchi used all of his control to stop the flush of blood he felt running to his cheeks. "Get real, Washu. She's just a kid." As if he could even think of that child romantically. Not that he could think of anyone that way ever again. Some days it felt like his best friend had died right before he realized he had loved her.
Washu snickered then took a moment to adjust her spectacles. "No more of a kid than you are, ne?" she asked pulling a sports bottle filled with water out of a hyper-space pocket and offered it to him.
"Whatever, Washu," he said more harshly than he had intended. Ignoring the water, Tenchi turned his back to her and resumed his work, hoeing the carrot rows with renewed vigor. He clenched his teeth as he put more power into the swings of the tool. Leave it to Washu to tease him. No wonder she used to drive Ryoko nuts. She could be completely inappropriate at times.
"Now, now, Tenchi," Washu soothed. "It's not the ground's fault that you feel so conflicted."
Still not looking up, Tenchi scowled as he heard her laugh again and begin humming as the sound of her foot steps went in the direction Ryoko had gone.
He glanced over to see she had left the water bottle by the path. Too thirsty to disdain it, he picked it up and took a long swallow of water. He knew Ryoko wasn't the child she appeared to be, but was as old as some of his favorite classmates at school, nearly his age really. Even though she was wearing such a little body and spoke in such a ridiculous little squeak, she was a teenager, just like him. And her attitude was certainly one of a teenager.
He didn't know what to think about Ryoko anymore. Some days he didn't think the same way twice. He had thought he had lost his old friend forever, and in many ways that loss was still with him, yet as the days passed he began to see that the best parts of her old personality were showing through more and more. As the shy, almost sickeningly sweet little girl had begun to relax and get to know her new friends, other parts of her personality had begun to peek through. She could still be shy and sweet, but she could also be selfish, demanding, and brash. It was as if his Ryoko was returning to him bit by bit. No, it was more than that. It was as if the softer side of his Ryoko, the one he had always known she kept so guarded was now allowed to freely show. He was beginning to understand that the Ryoko he now knew was the Ryoko that would have been if she had been spared her terrible past. It was becoming more and more difficult to cling to the memory of his friend as the 'real Ryoko'. The young lady he was getting to know was so vibrant and full of life, so right, that even he was beginning to be glad she had this chance at redemption. Then other hand, this child would never replace his Ryoko, no matter how wonderful she was. He had fallen for Ryoko with all of her flaws in place. They were part of why he cared about her so much. This new Ryoko could never fill the same place in his heart.
He shook his head angrily. There it was again! Couldn't he just make up his mind? How did he feel about her?
As Tenchi pondered, the soft sound of matter displacement alerted him to Ryoko's presence. He turned to see Ryoko looking up at him with a smirk.
She pulled her cap off and released a cascade of blue hair that was now almost as long as her mother's. It reached the backs of her knees as she fanned herself with the hat. "So she left you the water. Good."
"Hey, Ryoko," he greeted with a nod, holding out the water bottle for her inspection. "Aren't you supposed to be in school?" He pushed his troubling thoughts out of his mind. For now, he would just concentrate on being this Ryoko's friend.
"It's Saturday," she pointed out. "Everyone but me gets the day off." She scratched her nose in irritation. "That woman is a slave driver."
Tenchi nodded. "But won't she get mad if she realizes you aren't paying attention?"
Ryoko shrugged. "Nah, my doppelganger will fool her for now."
Tenchi looked impressed. "Doppelganger. That's a good word!"
Ryoko flushed prettily. "Isn't it? Lady Ayeka taught it to me."
"She did?" he asked, inwardly cringing as he sensed where the conversation was headed.
Ryoko nodded, stars in her eyes. "Lady Ayeka is very kind to me Tenchi. She is so pretty, gentle, and… and… wonderful!" she gushed. "There are times when I want to be a princess just like her!"
Tenchi winced and tried to smile. Ryoko's current hero worship of Ayeka was a little bizarre. It was too hot for crazy conversations, so he headed for the shade of an old tree and motioned for Ryoko to come and join him.
He sank down in the grass and leaned against the tree enjoying the relative coolness. "I don't see you as the princess type," he stated, wondering how she would react to that.
She didn't join him on the ground, but instead stood, arms akimbo, and regarded him seriously. "I could be a princess if I wanted to," she said stubbornly.
"Do you want to?" he asked, taking another drink of water.
Ryoko looked at him for a long moment. She crossed her arms and sighed. "Not completely. I like the idea of being graceful and refined, but there's lots of stuff Ayeka isn't allowed to do. It's not a fair trade."
Tenchi blinked, still phased by Ryoko's ability to cross back and forth between silly and serious with out so much as a breath. "What isn't she allowed to do?"
Ryoko looked at him as if he was an idiot. It was a look he had received from Washu many times. "If you don't know, I'm not sure I can tell you."
"Will you try?" he asked, taking a long pull from his water bottle.
Ryoko thought for a moment, tapping her chin with an index finger. "Well, she isn't always allowed to say exactly what's on her mind. She has to be aware of her station and the importance people will give her words, Tenchi. She just doesn't speak for herself, she speaks for her empire. And that goes with everything she wants to do too. She has to be careful all of the time."
Tenchi thought back to all of the times Ayeka had just been freely angry with Ryoko, and all of the times Ryoko and Ayeka had gotten dead drunk in the onsen. It became even more clear to him that in Ryoko, Ayeka had the one friend with whom she could be completely open and honest.
As crow called deep within the bamboo grove that edged the forest, Ryoko walked over and leaned against the tree beside Tenchi. "I think Ayeka is wonderful, but I'm glad I don't have to live her life," she said at last.
Tenchi smiled up at her. "I know Ayeka thinks you are pretty wonderful too."
"Really?" Ryoko squealed, sounding even more like a little girl. "I want to be like her as much as I can!" She looked as if she might say more, but suddenly her cheeks paled. "Damn! Mom's figured it out! See ya, Tenchi!"
Tenchi just waved as she faded from vision. He didn't have the heart, or the desire, to tell her that princesses didn't say 'Damn' out loud.
***
"Desu ne! Desu ne! Desu ne! Desu ne! Desu ne!" Ryoko sang along to the pop song as she flew around the living room. She had discovered Japanese pop music and seemed to be loving every sped-up second of it.
As she zipped through the air her long hair streamed out behind her. Today she had braided her forelocks and tied the ends with cel phone straps pilfered from Sasami and Ayeka. One strap sported a 'Hello Kitty' charm and the other an anime character named Yuki in his rat form.
"Itoshi no mai mai mai DARLING!" she sang, flying loop-de-loops over the rafter that had reportedly once been her bed. Her cute red and yellow skort set fluttered with her rapid movement, adding to the impression that she was just a streak of light bouncing about the room. Moving with speed only she could manage, she gulped down a swallow from a bottle of CC lemon between the chorus and the next train of lyrics.
Still singing, Ryoko buzzed the empty couch and coffee table and swiped up the sound system's remote control and thumbed the volume up a bit more. "Ne ne motto tanoshii koto kara hajimemasen ka?"
The door to Washu's sub-space lab slammed open, and the irritated scientist stomped out, soot smeared on one cheek and a golf club gripped tightly in one hand. "What is all this racket?" she demanded. She was looking unusually casual, wearing blue jeans and a green sweater. Her hair was gathered into a thick pony tail at the crown of her head all the better to showcase her pique.
"Hora hora GOOD!" Ryoko sang at her, flashing by and planting a smooch on her mother's cheek before flying up, out of reach, and making circuits of the room's high ceiling.
Washu shook the golf club at her. "I'm trying to think! Turn it down!"
Ryoko shook the remote at Washu, both mocking her movements with the golf club and communicating who had control of the remote. She added a raspberry to the mix of insults and giggled, holding her belly as she turned over and over in a spin of laughter induced barrel rolls.
Washu sighed in annoyance, narrowing her eyes as she caught sight of the soda bottle in Ryoko's hand. "Oh that's just perfect! Who gave you sugar?" she shouted against the music.
Ryoko grinned wildly and planted her fists on both sides of her head, indicating two ponytails.
"Sasami!" Washu called, walking briskly into the kitchen. "What did I tell you about giving her sugar?"
The young cook looked up from the daikon she was chopping and giggled apologetically. "Isn't CC Lemon, just juice?" She wiped her hands on the carrot printed apron that protected her pink kimono and stepped closer to Washu. "Is this about the loud music?"
Washu winced as the music crept up another few decibels. "How can that girl stand all of that distortion? Her hearing is better than mine and it is driving ME nuts!" She turned to Sasami. "Yes it's about the music and no, CC Lemon isn't juice, it's a soda, and anyway, it doesn't matter if it comes from juice or refined sugar. At this age, Little Ryoko can't process sugar very well, the Mass components of her system just don't know what to do with that particular chemical compound." As Sasami's eyes glazed over Washu shook off an annoyed look. "Its like catnip to a cat, Sasami," she simplified.
"Opps!" Sasami giggled her mischievous grin communicating her enjoyment of the situation.
"Oops nothing," Washu said sternly. "You may find it cute to see her rolling around out there, but it's not good for her. Please be more careful."
"But I didn't give it to her," Sasami defended with a pout. "I told her no."
"Then who?" Washu wondered. "She wanted me to think it was you, and I fell for it. So who?"
Tenchi strolled into the kitchen, looking pained from the loud music. He wore sweat pants and a Tee shirt with frogs and an American beer printed on it. "What's with the golf club, Little Washu?" he asked eyeing her oddly.
"Aha!" Washu trumpeted. "It's for whacking stupid boys who can't say no," she proclaimed hefting the club like a baseball bat and advancing on him.
Tenchi backed up, holding out a hand to defend his head. "Wait. You see, all I did was…."
"Get twisted around my daughter's pinkie finger?" Washu demanded, sounding more amused than angry. "Geeze, Tenchi, she is playing you like a piano!"
Tenchi stopped backing up as his shoulders bumped into a wall. "All she wanted was a little soda. It's not like I got her some candy to go with it."
Ryoko flew through the wall both hands wrapped around a chocolate bar as she chomped away on it.
Sasami and Washu put their hands on their hips and looked at Tenchi.
Tecnhi laughed nervously and scratched his head. "Uh, what I meant to say is that I didn't give her very much candy."
"Tenchi!" Ryoko squealed, dive-bombing towards him with chocolate smeared across her lips. "Thank you! Thank you! Thank you for going to the store for me!" She blasted into him, knocking them both to the floor. She crouched over his prone form on her hands and knees, giggling.
Tenchi groaned and pushed up on his elbows. "Ryoko, you promised not to tell!"
"Did I?" she asked coyly and planted a wet smooch on his cheek. "Guess I forgot!" She kissed his cheek several more times, deaf to his protests, until Washu cleared her throat. Ryoko looked up from her pleasant task. "Mommy!" she crowed and launched her self at Washu, who knew better than Tenchi and planted her self firmly so as not to be bowled over.
Ryoko hooked her arms around her mother's neck and let her self orbit around her for a few revolutions. "My mom is the best in the universe! I love you!" she crowed, stopping her spins and covering Washu's cheeks with kisses.
Washu tried to look stern, but it was clear her resolve was crumbling under Ryoko's onslaught of affection. Her arms reached out and crushed Ryoko to her in a bear hug. "I love you too!"
Ayeka came in the back door carrying a watering can, looking amused at the scene before her. "Oh my!" she exclaimed, setting the watering can on the floor by the door. Looking refined in her kimono of violet silk, she raised her hands to her ears and looked towards the living room. "Isn't the music a little loud?"
"Princess Ayeka!" Ryoko squealed, pushing off from her mother and flying towards the first princess.
"Stop!" Ayeka commanded, holding out a hand. "Is that chocolate all over your face?"
Ryoko screeched to a stop and hovered in front of Ayeka. "Who cares? I want to give you a kiss!"
Ayeka crossed her arms, looking very much like a big sister. "You may kiss me after you have cleaned your face." She looked to Ryoko's sticky digits. "And hands," she added.
"But I want to kiss you now!" Ryoko said petulantly.
"Ayeka," Washu called, wiping sticky slobber off of her cheek. "Just let her kiss you. Trust me."
Ryoko, taking this as a green light, started to move forward, a huge grin splitting her face.
"No," Ayeka said firmly, stopping Ryoko's progress towards her. "She needs limits, if we don't want a repeat of history."
While Washu looked offended, Sasami quickly spoke up. "Sister, she's been eating sug…."
Before Sasami could finish, Ryoko launched her self at Ayeka, knocking her down and kissing her right on the lips, leaving chocolate hand prints on the lapels of Ayeka's kimono.
Ayeka pushed Ryoko off with an angry screech. "Down you demon!" she exploded reflexively, growing more angry as she looked down at the stains. "Do you know how much this cost?!"
"Sister!" Sasami gasped looking stricken.
Ryoko rolled back onto her haunches all color draining from her face as the harshness of Ayeka's tone penetrated her sugar daze. Her bottom lip quivered as a shimmer of liquid coated her lower eyelashes.
The family stood there for several frozen moments as Ryoko pulled in difficult breaths.
Ayeka's hand crept to her mouth and covered it in shame, as if trying to stop the exit of other harmful words. "Ryoko, please," she whispered. "I'm so sorry."
A single tear spilled over Ryoko's cheek as she started to crawl backwards away from the princess. "You – you don't like me do you?" she choked, sniffing. "Tenchi said… Tenchi said that you liked me."
Ayeka pulled up to her knees and reached for the receding girl. "I am very fond of you Ryoko. I just forgot myself."
"I'm sorry about your dress," Ryoko whispered, looking down. "I hope I can afford to buy you a new one." She stopped her backwards crawl when she bumped into Tenchi who was still sitting on the floor.
"The dress is fine," Ayeka protested. "I'm sure Sasami will be able to clean it."
"Mmmm," Ryoko sighed a tear dripped on the floor by her knee.
Tenchi got to his knees and rubbed Ryoko's arm. "Lady Ayeka didn't mean what she said," he said softly. "Remember what you said about how she needs to be careful with her words? You know it's hard to be careful all the time."
Ryoko didn't look up at him, choosing instead to let her long hair shield her face. "You mean she slipped and told me what's really on her mind?" she whispered. "She thinks I'm a demon." She faded from view, the two phone straps falling to the floor as she left them behind.
Washu rubbed her temple and approached the kneeling princess. "Ayeka," she began sounding exhausted.
Ayeka buried her face in her hands. "I don't believe I said that." Her shoulders shook. "I cannot believe I would be so stupid!" She took her hands away, revealing her own teary eyes. "I swear I didn't mean it!"
Washu bent forward, looking Ayeka in the eyes. "I know you didn't. We all know." She straightened and looked out the window, her eyes distant. "These changes are hard for all of us. Even for me. "
Ayeka nodded. "I will apologize at once."
Washu shook her head. "Don't worry about it, she's pretty resilient, and besides, she needs to sleep off the sugar, that made her react so strongly, I think. That and the fact she admires you so much."
"M-m-me?" Ayeka stuttered.
Washu sighed. "Don't tell me you haven't noticed yourself? She is very excited to meet real princesses, and she looks up to you, Lady Ayeka, if you can believe it. You have become something of a role model to her."
Tenchi picked up an abandoned phone strap and ran his thumb along its smooth edge. "She was just telling me the same thing last week," he added. "She thinks the world of you."
Ayeka indulged in another moment of shame, before schooling her face into an expression of regal dedication. "I shall not let her down again. I promised myself I would help her, and now I have even more reason to do so."
Tenchi got to his feet and walked over to Ayeka and handed her the strap. "You already have helped her. Don't worry, she will forgive you."
"Tenchi's right. Just keep being her friend," Washu said simply. "That's all she ever needed."
"That's all I ever needed too," Ayeka whispered too low for anyone to hear.
Later that evening Ayeka sat on the edge of the dock, soaking her feet in the cool waters of the pond, as the sky above her shone with an intense blue that heralded the end of twilight. As her dress was in the process of drying in the laundry room, was wearing a simple set of pink shorts and a mauve blouse. She felt the wooden planking vibrate with small footsteps. Guessing who it might be, she didn't turn around and gave her visitor the chance to make the first move. The footsteps stopped just behind her and there was a moment of silence.
"Lady Ayeka? Are you busy?" Ryoko's meek voice inquired.
Ayeka turned around and smiled at the youngster. Ryoko was ready for bed and stood facing her in her nightclothes and robe. "Please, just call me Ayeka," she said as gently as she could, willing the youngster to feel at ease.
Ryoko bit her lip and shrugged. She reached into her pocket of her footed pajamas and took out a small box. Without a word, she held it out to the princess, a single fang worrying her bottom lip.
The rising moon's pale light reflected off of Ayeka's purple tresses as she looked at the box. "What is that?"
"It's for you," Ryoko said motioning for her to open it.
Ayeka took the box and opened it carefully. Inside was a stack of folded paper money in surprisingly large bills. She looked to Ryoko. "I don't understand."
"It's to buy you another dress," Ryoko said shyly. "I'm sorry that I didn't listen to you earlier. I hope it wasn't your most favorite dress."
Ayeka closed the box and smiled. "There is no need for you to give me your savings. Sasami was able to remove the stains." She handed the box back to Ryoko, who, she noted was very quick to take it back.
"Mom would have killed me," Ryoko said relief plain in her voice. "She has always told me not to spend my capital." Ryoko crammed the box back into her pocket, taking a moment to look at the stars just beginning to speckle the sky.
"Wise words," Ayeka said, following Ryoko's gaze to the heavens. She saw the struggle on the girl's face and spoke to ease her discomfort. "Why haven't you invested that sum?"
"A-ayeka?" Ryoko asked, ignoring the question. She looked down at the seated princess. "Do you like me? Did you like me before?" she asked carefully, the beginnings of tears in her voice.
Ayeka held a hand out to Ryoko. "Ryoko, you have always been my friend. In the past we argued about many things, yet you always forgave me for my temper in the end."
Ryoko cautiously took Ayeka's hand in her own. "I did?"
Ayeka squeezed Ryoko's hand. "Yes, more or less. Will you forgive me again, for speaking to you so harshly? I did not mean those words."
Ryoko nodded many times. "Of course!" She looked at Ayeka shyly. "Will you please forgive me for messing up your dress?"
Ayeka grinned. "I've already told you, there is no damage done."
Ryoko sank to her knees besides Ayeka and held the princess' hand with two of her own. "But do you forgive me for not listening to you? I should have listened," she implored.
Ayeka covered Ryoko's hands with her free hand. "Yes, silly goose. It's all in the past now. We shall speak of it no more! Agreed?"
Ryoko giggled a little. "My lips are sealed," she said, leaning her head on Ayeka's shoulder.
Ayeka looked happily surprised at the intimate contact and moved her free hand to stroke Ryoko's rough hair. "Well then, let us get back to our discussion of banking. It is not wise to leave such useful resources in your drawer, or subspace-pocket or what have you, to gather dust instead of interest."
"Interest?"
Ayeka's eyes gleamed. "My young friend, let me introduce you to the concept of investment banking." This time around, Ryoko wouldn't have to steal to support herself.
***
The inside of Tenchi's room was warm and comfortable, cast in a soft golden glow from his study lamp as he sat at his desk working on his English vocabulary words. It amazed him that anyone would ever be able to fluently speak such a bizarre language.
"Excuse me, Tenchi?" Ryoko asked as she rapped gently on the door frame of Tenchi's room.
"Yes?" he responded, looking up from his homework to smile at her. It still threw him every time Ryoko knocked before entering his room. She had on her yellow and blue stripped dress and Tenchi wondered if she was starting to get any taller. It was hard to tell.
She floated into the room, the tips of her toes barely missing the carpet. "I was wondering what you were doing." She peered over his shoulder. "And it looks like you are doing your homework. Again."
He chuckled at the irritation in her voice. "Is there a problem with that?" He noticed she had been floating, so that's where the extra inches had come from.
She chewed on the inside of her cheek before answering him. "It's just that you are always doing homework."
"You have homework too, don't you?" he asked, twisting in his chair so he could better observe her.
"Yeah, but I get mine done faster, way, way faster," she said looking a tad superior.
"Ryoko," he said seriously. "You are the daughter of a genius. Of course you get your work done faster."
She looked at his brown and tan shirt, clearly ignoring his comment. "Do you always wear that shirt?" Don't you have any other clothes?" she asked, teasing half-heartedly.
Tenchi laughed. "I like this shirt. Now do you need anything? I really need to get this homework finished."
"I'm bored, Tennnnchi," she whined, drawing his name out to three times its normal length, her voice sounding squeakier than usual. "My investments are moving predictably, mom's busy, Sasami is out shopping with grandpa, Mihoshi is asleep, and Ayeka is being all princessly right now."
"I thought you liked being 'princessly' with her," Tenchi stated. "You guys didn't have another fight did you?" he asked with concern.
Ryoko grinned and leaned against his desk. "Nope. Our last fight was about a week ago. It was about how risky my portfolio should be. You can guess how that went, right?"
Tenchi tapped his pencil against his desk. "Let's see. You wanted high risk and she wanted low?" he guessed.
Ryoko crossed her arms. "Wrong! Just the opposite! I don't want to lose my money, I've saved it for a long time!"
"The riskier the investment, the higher the return is, right?" Tenchi asked, thinking back to his economics class.
She smirked, and the expression sent a chill down his spine. He had gotten so used to her being just HER, that the little flashes of her old self startled him now. Or was he used to anything at all anymore? Ryoko constantly had him off balance. He was never sure if he was lamenting the loss of her or celebrating her new happiness. "What was that look for?' he asked.
"That's a very simplistic way to look at the market, Tenchi. Shame on you. Mom and I plotted out the betas for high risk investments over the next twenty thousand years…"
"Twen… twenty thousand?" he stammered, he stammered, remembering Washu's age. Is that how old Ryoko would get? Would they all out live him?
"Well yeah, Tenchi. Investments are for the long term, you know. Anyway, over the next twenty thou, the general pattern is that high risk investments lose more than they gain," Ryoko recited. "And like I said, I don't wanna lose my money."
"You told Ayeka that?" he inquired, wondering if the princess would buy it. Ayeka didn't brook many arguments when it came to financial matters.
Ryoko nodded. "Yep, and she changed her investments down to medium risk, too. Just like mine," she said proudly.
"She changed because of what you said?" Tenchi asked, amazed.
"Well," Ryoko drawled. "More like she changed based on what mom said. Who wouldn't?"
Tenchi laughed. "Good point. So if you and Ayeka didn't have a fight, why aren't you hanging out with her? Don't you two have a favorite TV drama on tonight?"
Ryoko looked mischievous just then as she leaned over the desk and closer to Tenchi. "Well, you know I just love Ayeka, Tenchi, but she gets really weird about sex," she whispered confidentially.
"Whaaaat?" Tenchi gasped, turning as red as a cherry, pushing back in his chair. They had been talking about banking! How had sex entered into it?
Ryoko's grin deepened until she was showing off both fangs. "Not you too!" she protested. "I was just asking her how the Jurians did it and she turned the same color as you!"
" 'Did – did it?'" Tenchi quoted in disbelief.
"Yeah, Tenchi, IT!" Ryoko said with a laugh. "You know - procreation?"
Tenchi buried his face behind a hand and groaned. "I know what sex is for Ryoko."
"Then why," she laughed, "are you so freaked out about it?" Her large yellow eyes gleamed with mirth as she took in Tenchi's flushing features.
"Ah, didn't, ah, Lady Ayeka teach you that it isn't, ah, lady-like to ask those sorts of questions?" he asked lamely, kicking at the wall behind his desk.
"That's the part of Princess-ness I just don't get," Ryoko retorted. "Sex is a natural beautiful thing, Tenchi. I want to know all about it!"
"Y-you do?" he asked peeping out from behind his hand.
"Well, yeah I do! I mean it happens with the flowers and the animals too. All you need is the male and the female DNA, and wahlah! You get a genetically unique specimen!" Ryoko's eyes gleamed as she caught her hands up under her chin. "Oh, and mom says that doesn't even touch on asexual reproduction!"
"She does?"
"Yup! Heeeyyy, I wonder if the Jurians bud or something? I bet that was why Ayeka was so upset! What do you think Tenchi?" Ryoko asked eagerly.
Tenchi now had both of his hands over his face. "I think that I don't want to continue having this conversation."
Ryoko giggled, and seated herself on the edge of Tenchi's desk. "Come on Ten-chan! It's just me, good old Ryoko, you can tell me how Humans do it, right?"
Tenchi just groaned.
Ryoko's back stiffened for a moment and her eyes flashed. "Mother!" Ryoko snapped. "That is so not true! And why are you eavesdropping on me anyway? You know I hate that! Hmmpf!" Ryoko looked back to Tenchi who had lowered his hands and was watching her with the beginnings of a smile twitching at his lips. "Um, did I say that out loud?"
Tenchi nodded, not speaking for fear of laughing at her.
Ryoko flushed. "Mom said that I was obsessed with sex because I was created in an atypical manner. She said I had issues," she said crooking her fingers in the air as she said the last word, giving it quotations. "Which I don't!"
That was too much for Tenchi and laughter burst free, and he was soon holding his side because of the stitches.
"Hey! Don't laugh at me!" she cried and whacked him on the arm. "I mean it, Tenchi!"
"Sorry," he said between belly-laughs. "I just can't help myself!"
Ryoko growled. "I'll give you something to laugh about, school boy!" She hooked her fingers into claws and began to quickly tickle his ribs.
Tenchi's laughs became yelps and soon he was trying to dislodge her tickling digits from his side. "Stop! Stop that!"
"No way!" she crowed, tickling him all the more.
He tried to tickle her back, but she seemed immune and just laughed at his poor attempts to get revenge. He tried to pull her off, but she kept her elbows tight to her body and he couldn't get a good grip. The only way out was down, so he slid out of his chair and carried her with him as he fell the short distance to the floor. As they touched down, Ryoko's elbows popped up, and Tenchi discovered her ticklish spot.
With out mercy he tickled her arm pits till she was fairly screaming for him to stop as they rolled around the floor, each vying for tickling superiority. "Say Uncle," he demanded.
"Okay, okay," she wheezed. "Uncle."
He looked down at her and realized he was lying atop her on the floor. Her face was flushed from exertion and her eyes were bright with mischief. She was so beautiful. Up this close, when he was just looking at her face, she didn't have the appearance of a little girl anymore. She looked just like she used to… so beautiful.
"Tenchi?" she asked uncertainly. "You're looking at me in that weird way again."
"Mmmm?" he asked, not really listening, watching the way her mouth moved as she spoke.
"Tenchi?" she asked more urgently.
"Yes?" He pulled his focus off of her lips and looked her in the eyes.
"Is this how humans do it?" she asked with a smirk.
He leapt off of her with a scream as Ryoko teleported away giggling.
***
Ryoko had been with the family, by her estimation, for six Earth months. It had been fun, that was for sure. The most fun she had ever had in all of the many places she had lived. She couldn't help but wonder, as the GA semester was winding down, when Washu would want to move again. They always moved between semesters as Washu's academic needs took them to new places. It was hard saying good bye to her friends, but it was always fun making new ones.
Only this time, Ryoko hoped she had one more semester on earth. These friends were extra special, and she didn't want to say good bye. Even to that weirdo Tenchi who could make her feel guilty without knowing why.
"Ryoko-chan, don't forget this is a timed test!" Sasami's voice came into Ryoko's reverie.
"Oh right!" Ryoko jumped and hurriedly looked at her recipe.
Sitting on a tall kitchen stool, Sasami watched closely as Ryoko carefully mixed together a brine for the pork tenderloin they had picked up at the butcher shop earlier that morning. Ryoko had her wild hair caught up in two pony tails, each at the side of her head tied with bright red pop-knots.
"You know," Sasami began, "even though I'm testing you on your Home-Ec skills, you didn't have to fix your hair like mine." Even their outfits were similar, with Ryoko's pink dress being very similar to Sasami's typical house dress. Even more conspicuous was Ryoko's apron that has sported little crabs rather than carrots.
Ryoko carefully sliced a lime in half and used a reamer to free the juices over a clear glass mixing bowl. She contrived to look innocent as she glanced up at her kitchen mentor. "But don't you think we look like sisters this way?" she asked winningly.
Sasami shook a stern finger at Ryoko. "I am immune to flattery, even if I am cute!"
Ryoko wiped her citrusy hands on her apron and reached for the salt cellar. She pinched four fingerfuls of salt into the lime juice. "Flatter you? I guess saying that you kinda look like beautiful-me is a compliment," Ryoko teased.
Sasami laughed and tried to look stern. "Just don't forget the mustard powder."
Ryoko turned around to show that she was already in the act of measuring out the spice. "Have faith, Sasami-chan."
Sasami picked up a clipboard from her lap and made a notation. "That's minus two points for being too familiar with the instructor."
"Oh man," Ryoko groaned.
Sasami checked the kitchen clock. "And you better hurry! You only have 45 minutes left to complete the project."
Ryoko quickly began whisking the ingredients together. "What is this? Iron Chef?" she complained.
"Don't be mad, Ryoko-chan. You know that it was really hard for Washu to convince the GA to let me teach you this course. We have to follow the rules or you won't get the credits!" Sasami implored, clutching the clip board to her chest.
"I know," Ryoko groused. "It's just weird, you being so strict."
Sasami laughed again. "This is nothing! Be glad Ayeka isn't teaching you etiquette!"
Ryoko giggled. "Point taken! In fact, I think…." Ryoko's words trailed off as she grabbed at her stomach.
Sasami hopped off the stool, laying the clipboard on the counter. "What's wrong?" she asked as she hurried over.
Ryoko leaned against the counter. "I don't know. My stomach just cramped."
"Ryoko-chan?" Sasami asked uncertainly. "This isn't a trick is it? You are doing fine on the test so you don't have to do this."
Ryoko turned hurt eyes over to her teacher. "When have I ever tricked you?" she asked gasping as another cramp hit her.
Sasami looked bashful as she climbed off of her stool. "I'm sorry, it was just –just- something I remembered. Maybe you should sit down for a minute." She placed a hand on Ryoko's shoulder.
"I think sitting will make it worse. Don't worry, Mom's on her way," Ryoko panted.
"I'm sorry I said that," Sasami said quietly as they waited.
"Don't worry about it. The old me, right?" Ryoko asked.
Sasami nodded, looking downcast.
"I was a real stinker, huh?" Ryoko asked through her pain.
"As stinky as they come," Washu confirmed striding into the kitchen with a hand-held medical scanner at the ready. "But you couldn't help yourself."
"But we still loved you," Sasami said earnestly as Washu ran the scanner over Ryoko's body.
"Well, we tried to," Washu amended as she fine tuned a frequency and went back to scanning.
"Stop being mean!" Sasami cried. "How can you even say that!? Don't make Ryoko-chan feel ashamed of her self. She couldn't help being that way, you said so yourself!" The young princess' eyes flashed and her cheeks reddened in outraged anger.
"Sasami," Washu began, her voice sounding hurt. "I didn't mean it that way."
"It's okay, Sasami-chan," Ryoko grunted. "I don't mind. Honestly, I don't. I didn't know her, this other me, so it doesn't hurt my feelings. Mom knows that."
"I still don't like it," Sasami murmured under her breath. Composing herself, she turned to Washu. "What's wrong?"
Washu nodded to herself as she read the ever changing readouts on the scanner's screen. "Well, it seems puberty is finally upon my rather short daughter," she announced. "Great news Ryoko, you're finally gonna get taller!"
Ryoko groaned and leaned her head on the counter top. "Is this gonna hurt as much is it did the last time I grew?"
"Worse," Washu confirmed. "This is likely your last spurt, so you have about two feet to grow in one go, not to mention the final maturation of your body."
"Can you put me in stasis until it's all over?" Ryoko asked hopefully. "Like last time?"
Washu's expression darkened. "Never ask me to do that," she said coldly, stepping back and distancing herself from her daughter.
"But…"
"Just don't, and don't ask me why," Washu said with a voice of ice. "I won't ever do it."
Ryoko turned a pained and bewildered face to Sasami. "Don't they do that for pain on Jurai?"
Sasami licked her lips and looked away, her knuckles going white because she was clenching her fists so hard.
With a grunt, Ryoko straightened up and pushed away from the counter. "Okay, I get it. Because of my deep, dark, past, I have to stay awake through this. Fine, but I get dibs on the couch."
Washu turned off her scanner and rolled her shoulders to ease the tension. "I can accelerate your growth so that it is over by tomorrow morning," she offered.
Ryoko began limping towards the living room with an anxious Sasami supporting her. "Let me guess, it'll hurt more, right?"
"Way more," Washu said taking Ryoko's other side and helping her to the couch.
Ryoko eased into the leather cushions. "Time difference?"
"Ten hours versus four days," Washu pronounced.
"Speed it up," Ryoko decided. "I hate being shorter than Tenchi," she joked weakly.
Washu nodded. "It will take me a couple of hours to get everything set up. Why don't you go to your room and get ready for bed?"
Ryoko looked annoyed. "Do I have to move? Can't we do it here? I wanna watch TV."
Washu took a hold of Ryoko's arm and helped her sit up fully. "Trust me, you won't be paying attention to the TV once we get going."
Stay tuned!
A/N: Don't worry, there's plenty to come! This chapter was hard to write as it was just a montage of scenes to help you get to know this version of Ryoko. They didn't really hang together in a linear way, no matter how I fussed at them. What you see here is as far as I got before I gave up! Sometimes you just have to be done, ready or not.
Of note, it amused me that people found the last chapter to be shorter than the others. It was actually two pages longer. Hee hee! I guess time flys when you are having fun. That or the last chapter was very poorly paced…heh…. I'll pretend it was the former for my own sake! Now don't say that again, this chapter was TWICE as long as a typical ZT chapter – 20 pages!
The song Ryoko is spazzing out to is called "Chokotto Love" and is by Morning Musume, A Japanese teen girl pop band. It is absolutely frenetic! I love it and am teaching myself to sing it in Japanese much to my husband's horror. If you can find it on Lime Wire or what have you, it's certainly worth a listen. The translated lyrics will be provided after my responses to the reviewers.
Oi, let me plug a new Anime that I have been watching. "Fruits Basket". It's like Tenchi with the roles reversed (one girl and lots of boys) and less chaos. It's my new, second only to the Tenchi worlds, favorite anime series.
On to my lovely reviewers. I thank everyone who reads my story and has taken a moment to comment. I might not respond to them all, but I hold all reviews dear to my heart as long as they are constructive. Anyone who wants to email me can do so at shire@one.net
Crion – That's what I hoped the explanation of the dress would do! I'm glad it worked.
Ministry Agent – Tenchi's a hard nut to crack in this story. I am trying to make him inconsistent within himself. Sometimes he's happy for Ryoko, sometimes he misses his old friend. He wants to support her, but at the same time he is grieving too. Add to that the fact that this new Ryoko is funny and engaging and you have one confused Tenchi. At least that's what I am trying for.
alighthawk – I won't be leaving Ryoko as this hyper-teen forever. You can already see that she is mellowing out – well a bit maybe- in this most recent chapter. A lot of it has to do with her moods as well as how comfortable she feels around the family. For her to be really silly is a sign that she trusts them.
The Entry Plug – I'm glad you like my Ayeka – phew! I think of you as the "good Ayeka writing" litmus test, so that means quite a bit to me. A conflict brooding – did you read my mind? *Zips her lips* Anyway, I agree with you that Tenchi's character development has taken a back seat to Ryoko's – despite all of my efforts. When I am writing this story Tenchi feels very distant to me, like a barge that has broken free of its tug boat. I keep trying to pull him in, but he always stays distant to the voice of this story. Did you notice that many of the scenes are from his POV? And even that doesn't seem to help. That's just how this story wants to be told I guess. Still, it's strange.
Beagle-san – Thanks for the comments. You know I never really considered Ayeka's own victimization by Kagato before now. That's a really good point. One I will keep in mind for future fics.
Artist: Morning Musume
Title: Chokotto LOVE (Little bit o' love)
words and music: Tsunku (nanka kimochi warui~)
I tried to change my hairstyle just a tiny bit
I want you to notice it just a tiny bit
my dear Darling!
I made myself strong just a tiny bit.
I feel I've advanced forward just a tiny bit.
My dear Darling
C'mon why don't we start off with more fun things ?
See see ! Good !
Let's have a wonderful romance !
Hey Hey! So you want a more touchy-feely relationship ?
Hmmm, I don't think I can help you there... (that's right that's right)
I looked up the character for love in the dictionary
and added your name next to it.
It's more fun together,
Let's write the character for dream... (dot dot dot)
I'll send you a tiny bit of mail by portable phone
it's a tiny reminder of our friendship
My dear FRIEND!
C'mon It's OK to use simpler words.
See See! Let's tell how we really feel about each other !
Hey Hey! So, are you gonna stick with a less touchy-feely relationship ?
I like it when you're modest. (Like you Like you !)
When I remember the character for love
the faces of my family came up first
I'll go ahead just a little further
My sweetheart, All you need is love ... (dot dot dot)
Translated By: Brian Stewart &Takako Sakuma
Translator's Notes: What a cute song! I am like all girlish over this song (-B) T: Kimochi warui~. Anyway we both love this song. Its like Korean dance pop. The (dot dot dot) portion, is in the original Japanese (maru maru maru) the way to say an elipses in the language. We opted to use the more accessible touchy-feely rather than "a relationship of strong stimulation". screams to Centigrade@BlandPlanet.com
By Diane Long
Chapter Five: Getting to Know You
Cicadas sang out their hymn to the summer as the bright sun beat down upon the fields. Tenchi ran the back of a gloved hand over his brow, wiping the sweat away. It had been very hot this season, but today was the hottest yet. Wearing only a white tank top and brown cargo shorts, he raised his hoe and struck it into the hard earth of the carrot row. The dry soil was like a rock and he felt the shock of the tool hitting the baked dirt rebound back into his shoulder. He winced and shook his head to clear the fuzzy lines that danced across his vision. Maybe he needed a drink of water and a moment of rest in the shade.
"… And that's why the people of this mountainous region terrace their land for agricultural purposes," Washu's voice lectured.
Tenchi squinted against the sun and looked towards the sound of the voice. Washu and Ryoko were walking towards him along the edge of the field. Looking like young twin sisters, both wore their GA uniforms as Washu lead the way, speaking non-stop as the sunlight reflected off of the small glasses she wore perched on her nose. Both had their hair hidden up under physics-defying caps, with just their forelocks and bangs showing pink and blue respectively. Ryoko had a floating semi-transparent laptop under her fingertips and typed in notes as she walked keeping one eye on the path her feet were following.
Tenchi smiled at what had become a morning ritual over the last month. Rain or shine, seven days a week, Washu attended to Ryoko's education in the morning hours. Often, like today, she incorporated local themes into her lectures. Usually, he only got to see or hear small bits of what was being taught, but today it seemed he was part of the lesson. Puffing up with a little self-conscious pride, he began to hack away at the soil as if it were an effortless task.
"Because the Japanese have been farming this way for so long, whole ecosystems have evolved around the process. If the farming were to stop, several indigenous species might face extinction," Washu said walking past Tenchi without acknowledging him.
Ryoko glanced up from her keyboard and made brief eye contact with Tenchi. Her brow wrinkled in concern. "Mother, I think Tenchi needs a drink," she said.
Washu stopped in her tracks, her long coat brushing her ankles. Not turning around she crossed her arms in aggravation and cleared her throat.
Ryoko stopped walking too, a small frown replacing her earlier serious expression. "Excuse me, Professor Washu," she said stressing the honorific. "I think Tenchi needs some water."
Pleased that Ryoko cared, Tenchi glanced between the two of them with amusement as Washu shook her head and cleared her throat once more. Even if they looked the same in so many ways, the way Washu carried herself clearly indicated she was the sempai of the pair. Authority radiated out from her small form, telling all who was in charge.
Ryoko's frown was joined by an irritated curl of her lip as she tugged on the pom-pom on her belt. "Little Washu?" she tried.
"No!" Washu said petulantly.
Ryoko banished her keyboard and crossed her arms, mirroring her mother perfectly. "Geeze! What do you want me to call you today?" she growled, glaring at her mother's back.
"Don't get saucy with me, young lady," Washu said as her shoulders shook with silent laughter. She turned around, hands clasped under her chin, her features schooled into the cutest expression possible. "You can call me 'Professor Momma' today!"
Ryoko staggered back, looking disgusted. "No way!"
"Oh come on!" Washu pleaded, coming closer to her daughter. "It's the best of both worlds!"
"No!" Ryoko shouted, backing up and pushing her mother out of her face.
Tenchi leaned against his hoe and chuckled at their antics. He knew Washu was just jerking Ryoko's chain, just like she used to do. Only now he understood that Washu had just been trying to recreate moments like these.
Washu slid an emerald eye in his direction, her playful smile shading into a calculating grin. "Tenchi, tell my daughter to show me some respect!"
Tenchi pressed his lips together and mimed turning a key in a lock . He wasn't going to get dragged into this. They were so cute together, so different now, but so much the same. Without Ryoko's hate, these banters were silly and carefree. He noticed Ryoko scowling at him and winked at her. Well, maybe not perfectly carefree, but Ryoko being annoyed was a very different thing than Ryoko going berserk over a minor insult.
"I'm sorry," he said on the tail end of a laugh. "Ryoko, she's just kidding, right?"
Ryoko rolled her eyes, her hands firmly planted on her hips. "Nope. She's serious." She flicked her head so that her long forelocks fell behind her shoulders.
Washu nodded at that. "Indeed I am. Come on, Ryoko, say it," she said expectantly a quirky smile pushing up the corners of her mouth.
Ryoko puffed a breath upwards so it moved her bangs. She cast a baleful look to Tenchi. "Every class she teaches, she wants a new name to go with it. Right, 'Greatest Scientific Genius in the Universe' ?"
Washu shrugged. "An oldie but goodie, it's worth repeating from time to time."
"Can we just get on with it?" Ryoko asked. "It's hot and Tenchi's thirsty!"
"Not till you say it," Washu said tapping her foot.
"No," Ryoko grumbled her entire body stiffening as if to show her resolve to be unmoved.
"You'd better do it," Washu warned.
"No way. Forget it," Ryoko said, pulling her feet up so that she was hovering in the air, sitting Indian Style, her face stubbornly turned away.
Washu walked over to Ryoko, and laid a firm hand on her daughter's shoulder, her face suddenly serious. "Little Ryoko. Don't make this a battle of wills. You know who will win."
Tenchi realized where Ryoko's stubborn streak had come from. He wondered that he hadn't noticed before. Keeping quiet, he wondered who would win, or if there was a way to win at this point. This was the kind of head to head conflict his Aikido training had taught him to avoid.
"I won't do it and you can't make me," Ryoko said shaking her head.
"Hmmm," Washu considered, tapping her cheek with an index finger. "If you don't, poor, poor Tenchi will have to suffer without a drink of water."
Ryoko turned her head and made eye contact with her mother, her lips jutting out in a large pout. "That's not fair!"
Tenchi looked to his canteen, keeping cool under the shade of a nearby bush. "Actually," he interjected, "I have…" he clipped off the end of his comment under Washu's glare.
"Well?" Washu prompted. "His fate lies in your hands."
Tenchi groaned, not liking being in the middle.
"Mom," Ryoko pleaded, her cheeks turning pink.
Washu drew up to her full childish height. "Oh! I see," she snickered, looking over at embarrassed farmer. "You don't want to say it in front of Tenchi!"
"Mom!" Ryoko shouted, hiding her face behind her hands.
"Oh that is so cute!" Washu beamed, letting out a happy cackle.
"What ever, Professor Mama! Let's go!" Ryoko grumbled, touching her feet to the ground and marching past her mother.
"Music to my ears," Washu swooned. She looked after her retreating daughter. "What about Tenchi's water?" she called.
"Who cares!?" Ryoko shouted, walking even faster.
Washu giggled behind a hand and gave Tenchi a thumb's up.
Tenchi just shook his head. "Don't tease her too much, little Washu." Ryoko was embarrassed? About him? What did that mean? He watched as Ryoko started running then flying. Soon she was out of sight.
"Afraid I'll ruin this budding little romance?" Washu teased. "Is my wittle Tenchi in love?"
Tenchi used all of his control to stop the flush of blood he felt running to his cheeks. "Get real, Washu. She's just a kid." As if he could even think of that child romantically. Not that he could think of anyone that way ever again. Some days it felt like his best friend had died right before he realized he had loved her.
Washu snickered then took a moment to adjust her spectacles. "No more of a kid than you are, ne?" she asked pulling a sports bottle filled with water out of a hyper-space pocket and offered it to him.
"Whatever, Washu," he said more harshly than he had intended. Ignoring the water, Tenchi turned his back to her and resumed his work, hoeing the carrot rows with renewed vigor. He clenched his teeth as he put more power into the swings of the tool. Leave it to Washu to tease him. No wonder she used to drive Ryoko nuts. She could be completely inappropriate at times.
"Now, now, Tenchi," Washu soothed. "It's not the ground's fault that you feel so conflicted."
Still not looking up, Tenchi scowled as he heard her laugh again and begin humming as the sound of her foot steps went in the direction Ryoko had gone.
He glanced over to see she had left the water bottle by the path. Too thirsty to disdain it, he picked it up and took a long swallow of water. He knew Ryoko wasn't the child she appeared to be, but was as old as some of his favorite classmates at school, nearly his age really. Even though she was wearing such a little body and spoke in such a ridiculous little squeak, she was a teenager, just like him. And her attitude was certainly one of a teenager.
He didn't know what to think about Ryoko anymore. Some days he didn't think the same way twice. He had thought he had lost his old friend forever, and in many ways that loss was still with him, yet as the days passed he began to see that the best parts of her old personality were showing through more and more. As the shy, almost sickeningly sweet little girl had begun to relax and get to know her new friends, other parts of her personality had begun to peek through. She could still be shy and sweet, but she could also be selfish, demanding, and brash. It was as if his Ryoko was returning to him bit by bit. No, it was more than that. It was as if the softer side of his Ryoko, the one he had always known she kept so guarded was now allowed to freely show. He was beginning to understand that the Ryoko he now knew was the Ryoko that would have been if she had been spared her terrible past. It was becoming more and more difficult to cling to the memory of his friend as the 'real Ryoko'. The young lady he was getting to know was so vibrant and full of life, so right, that even he was beginning to be glad she had this chance at redemption. Then other hand, this child would never replace his Ryoko, no matter how wonderful she was. He had fallen for Ryoko with all of her flaws in place. They were part of why he cared about her so much. This new Ryoko could never fill the same place in his heart.
He shook his head angrily. There it was again! Couldn't he just make up his mind? How did he feel about her?
As Tenchi pondered, the soft sound of matter displacement alerted him to Ryoko's presence. He turned to see Ryoko looking up at him with a smirk.
She pulled her cap off and released a cascade of blue hair that was now almost as long as her mother's. It reached the backs of her knees as she fanned herself with the hat. "So she left you the water. Good."
"Hey, Ryoko," he greeted with a nod, holding out the water bottle for her inspection. "Aren't you supposed to be in school?" He pushed his troubling thoughts out of his mind. For now, he would just concentrate on being this Ryoko's friend.
"It's Saturday," she pointed out. "Everyone but me gets the day off." She scratched her nose in irritation. "That woman is a slave driver."
Tenchi nodded. "But won't she get mad if she realizes you aren't paying attention?"
Ryoko shrugged. "Nah, my doppelganger will fool her for now."
Tenchi looked impressed. "Doppelganger. That's a good word!"
Ryoko flushed prettily. "Isn't it? Lady Ayeka taught it to me."
"She did?" he asked, inwardly cringing as he sensed where the conversation was headed.
Ryoko nodded, stars in her eyes. "Lady Ayeka is very kind to me Tenchi. She is so pretty, gentle, and… and… wonderful!" she gushed. "There are times when I want to be a princess just like her!"
Tenchi winced and tried to smile. Ryoko's current hero worship of Ayeka was a little bizarre. It was too hot for crazy conversations, so he headed for the shade of an old tree and motioned for Ryoko to come and join him.
He sank down in the grass and leaned against the tree enjoying the relative coolness. "I don't see you as the princess type," he stated, wondering how she would react to that.
She didn't join him on the ground, but instead stood, arms akimbo, and regarded him seriously. "I could be a princess if I wanted to," she said stubbornly.
"Do you want to?" he asked, taking another drink of water.
Ryoko looked at him for a long moment. She crossed her arms and sighed. "Not completely. I like the idea of being graceful and refined, but there's lots of stuff Ayeka isn't allowed to do. It's not a fair trade."
Tenchi blinked, still phased by Ryoko's ability to cross back and forth between silly and serious with out so much as a breath. "What isn't she allowed to do?"
Ryoko looked at him as if he was an idiot. It was a look he had received from Washu many times. "If you don't know, I'm not sure I can tell you."
"Will you try?" he asked, taking a long pull from his water bottle.
Ryoko thought for a moment, tapping her chin with an index finger. "Well, she isn't always allowed to say exactly what's on her mind. She has to be aware of her station and the importance people will give her words, Tenchi. She just doesn't speak for herself, she speaks for her empire. And that goes with everything she wants to do too. She has to be careful all of the time."
Tenchi thought back to all of the times Ayeka had just been freely angry with Ryoko, and all of the times Ryoko and Ayeka had gotten dead drunk in the onsen. It became even more clear to him that in Ryoko, Ayeka had the one friend with whom she could be completely open and honest.
As crow called deep within the bamboo grove that edged the forest, Ryoko walked over and leaned against the tree beside Tenchi. "I think Ayeka is wonderful, but I'm glad I don't have to live her life," she said at last.
Tenchi smiled up at her. "I know Ayeka thinks you are pretty wonderful too."
"Really?" Ryoko squealed, sounding even more like a little girl. "I want to be like her as much as I can!" She looked as if she might say more, but suddenly her cheeks paled. "Damn! Mom's figured it out! See ya, Tenchi!"
Tenchi just waved as she faded from vision. He didn't have the heart, or the desire, to tell her that princesses didn't say 'Damn' out loud.
***
"Desu ne! Desu ne! Desu ne! Desu ne! Desu ne!" Ryoko sang along to the pop song as she flew around the living room. She had discovered Japanese pop music and seemed to be loving every sped-up second of it.
As she zipped through the air her long hair streamed out behind her. Today she had braided her forelocks and tied the ends with cel phone straps pilfered from Sasami and Ayeka. One strap sported a 'Hello Kitty' charm and the other an anime character named Yuki in his rat form.
"Itoshi no mai mai mai DARLING!" she sang, flying loop-de-loops over the rafter that had reportedly once been her bed. Her cute red and yellow skort set fluttered with her rapid movement, adding to the impression that she was just a streak of light bouncing about the room. Moving with speed only she could manage, she gulped down a swallow from a bottle of CC lemon between the chorus and the next train of lyrics.
Still singing, Ryoko buzzed the empty couch and coffee table and swiped up the sound system's remote control and thumbed the volume up a bit more. "Ne ne motto tanoshii koto kara hajimemasen ka?"
The door to Washu's sub-space lab slammed open, and the irritated scientist stomped out, soot smeared on one cheek and a golf club gripped tightly in one hand. "What is all this racket?" she demanded. She was looking unusually casual, wearing blue jeans and a green sweater. Her hair was gathered into a thick pony tail at the crown of her head all the better to showcase her pique.
"Hora hora GOOD!" Ryoko sang at her, flashing by and planting a smooch on her mother's cheek before flying up, out of reach, and making circuits of the room's high ceiling.
Washu shook the golf club at her. "I'm trying to think! Turn it down!"
Ryoko shook the remote at Washu, both mocking her movements with the golf club and communicating who had control of the remote. She added a raspberry to the mix of insults and giggled, holding her belly as she turned over and over in a spin of laughter induced barrel rolls.
Washu sighed in annoyance, narrowing her eyes as she caught sight of the soda bottle in Ryoko's hand. "Oh that's just perfect! Who gave you sugar?" she shouted against the music.
Ryoko grinned wildly and planted her fists on both sides of her head, indicating two ponytails.
"Sasami!" Washu called, walking briskly into the kitchen. "What did I tell you about giving her sugar?"
The young cook looked up from the daikon she was chopping and giggled apologetically. "Isn't CC Lemon, just juice?" She wiped her hands on the carrot printed apron that protected her pink kimono and stepped closer to Washu. "Is this about the loud music?"
Washu winced as the music crept up another few decibels. "How can that girl stand all of that distortion? Her hearing is better than mine and it is driving ME nuts!" She turned to Sasami. "Yes it's about the music and no, CC Lemon isn't juice, it's a soda, and anyway, it doesn't matter if it comes from juice or refined sugar. At this age, Little Ryoko can't process sugar very well, the Mass components of her system just don't know what to do with that particular chemical compound." As Sasami's eyes glazed over Washu shook off an annoyed look. "Its like catnip to a cat, Sasami," she simplified.
"Opps!" Sasami giggled her mischievous grin communicating her enjoyment of the situation.
"Oops nothing," Washu said sternly. "You may find it cute to see her rolling around out there, but it's not good for her. Please be more careful."
"But I didn't give it to her," Sasami defended with a pout. "I told her no."
"Then who?" Washu wondered. "She wanted me to think it was you, and I fell for it. So who?"
Tenchi strolled into the kitchen, looking pained from the loud music. He wore sweat pants and a Tee shirt with frogs and an American beer printed on it. "What's with the golf club, Little Washu?" he asked eyeing her oddly.
"Aha!" Washu trumpeted. "It's for whacking stupid boys who can't say no," she proclaimed hefting the club like a baseball bat and advancing on him.
Tenchi backed up, holding out a hand to defend his head. "Wait. You see, all I did was…."
"Get twisted around my daughter's pinkie finger?" Washu demanded, sounding more amused than angry. "Geeze, Tenchi, she is playing you like a piano!"
Tenchi stopped backing up as his shoulders bumped into a wall. "All she wanted was a little soda. It's not like I got her some candy to go with it."
Ryoko flew through the wall both hands wrapped around a chocolate bar as she chomped away on it.
Sasami and Washu put their hands on their hips and looked at Tenchi.
Tecnhi laughed nervously and scratched his head. "Uh, what I meant to say is that I didn't give her very much candy."
"Tenchi!" Ryoko squealed, dive-bombing towards him with chocolate smeared across her lips. "Thank you! Thank you! Thank you for going to the store for me!" She blasted into him, knocking them both to the floor. She crouched over his prone form on her hands and knees, giggling.
Tenchi groaned and pushed up on his elbows. "Ryoko, you promised not to tell!"
"Did I?" she asked coyly and planted a wet smooch on his cheek. "Guess I forgot!" She kissed his cheek several more times, deaf to his protests, until Washu cleared her throat. Ryoko looked up from her pleasant task. "Mommy!" she crowed and launched her self at Washu, who knew better than Tenchi and planted her self firmly so as not to be bowled over.
Ryoko hooked her arms around her mother's neck and let her self orbit around her for a few revolutions. "My mom is the best in the universe! I love you!" she crowed, stopping her spins and covering Washu's cheeks with kisses.
Washu tried to look stern, but it was clear her resolve was crumbling under Ryoko's onslaught of affection. Her arms reached out and crushed Ryoko to her in a bear hug. "I love you too!"
Ayeka came in the back door carrying a watering can, looking amused at the scene before her. "Oh my!" she exclaimed, setting the watering can on the floor by the door. Looking refined in her kimono of violet silk, she raised her hands to her ears and looked towards the living room. "Isn't the music a little loud?"
"Princess Ayeka!" Ryoko squealed, pushing off from her mother and flying towards the first princess.
"Stop!" Ayeka commanded, holding out a hand. "Is that chocolate all over your face?"
Ryoko screeched to a stop and hovered in front of Ayeka. "Who cares? I want to give you a kiss!"
Ayeka crossed her arms, looking very much like a big sister. "You may kiss me after you have cleaned your face." She looked to Ryoko's sticky digits. "And hands," she added.
"But I want to kiss you now!" Ryoko said petulantly.
"Ayeka," Washu called, wiping sticky slobber off of her cheek. "Just let her kiss you. Trust me."
Ryoko, taking this as a green light, started to move forward, a huge grin splitting her face.
"No," Ayeka said firmly, stopping Ryoko's progress towards her. "She needs limits, if we don't want a repeat of history."
While Washu looked offended, Sasami quickly spoke up. "Sister, she's been eating sug…."
Before Sasami could finish, Ryoko launched her self at Ayeka, knocking her down and kissing her right on the lips, leaving chocolate hand prints on the lapels of Ayeka's kimono.
Ayeka pushed Ryoko off with an angry screech. "Down you demon!" she exploded reflexively, growing more angry as she looked down at the stains. "Do you know how much this cost?!"
"Sister!" Sasami gasped looking stricken.
Ryoko rolled back onto her haunches all color draining from her face as the harshness of Ayeka's tone penetrated her sugar daze. Her bottom lip quivered as a shimmer of liquid coated her lower eyelashes.
The family stood there for several frozen moments as Ryoko pulled in difficult breaths.
Ayeka's hand crept to her mouth and covered it in shame, as if trying to stop the exit of other harmful words. "Ryoko, please," she whispered. "I'm so sorry."
A single tear spilled over Ryoko's cheek as she started to crawl backwards away from the princess. "You – you don't like me do you?" she choked, sniffing. "Tenchi said… Tenchi said that you liked me."
Ayeka pulled up to her knees and reached for the receding girl. "I am very fond of you Ryoko. I just forgot myself."
"I'm sorry about your dress," Ryoko whispered, looking down. "I hope I can afford to buy you a new one." She stopped her backwards crawl when she bumped into Tenchi who was still sitting on the floor.
"The dress is fine," Ayeka protested. "I'm sure Sasami will be able to clean it."
"Mmmm," Ryoko sighed a tear dripped on the floor by her knee.
Tenchi got to his knees and rubbed Ryoko's arm. "Lady Ayeka didn't mean what she said," he said softly. "Remember what you said about how she needs to be careful with her words? You know it's hard to be careful all the time."
Ryoko didn't look up at him, choosing instead to let her long hair shield her face. "You mean she slipped and told me what's really on her mind?" she whispered. "She thinks I'm a demon." She faded from view, the two phone straps falling to the floor as she left them behind.
Washu rubbed her temple and approached the kneeling princess. "Ayeka," she began sounding exhausted.
Ayeka buried her face in her hands. "I don't believe I said that." Her shoulders shook. "I cannot believe I would be so stupid!" She took her hands away, revealing her own teary eyes. "I swear I didn't mean it!"
Washu bent forward, looking Ayeka in the eyes. "I know you didn't. We all know." She straightened and looked out the window, her eyes distant. "These changes are hard for all of us. Even for me. "
Ayeka nodded. "I will apologize at once."
Washu shook her head. "Don't worry about it, she's pretty resilient, and besides, she needs to sleep off the sugar, that made her react so strongly, I think. That and the fact she admires you so much."
"M-m-me?" Ayeka stuttered.
Washu sighed. "Don't tell me you haven't noticed yourself? She is very excited to meet real princesses, and she looks up to you, Lady Ayeka, if you can believe it. You have become something of a role model to her."
Tenchi picked up an abandoned phone strap and ran his thumb along its smooth edge. "She was just telling me the same thing last week," he added. "She thinks the world of you."
Ayeka indulged in another moment of shame, before schooling her face into an expression of regal dedication. "I shall not let her down again. I promised myself I would help her, and now I have even more reason to do so."
Tenchi got to his feet and walked over to Ayeka and handed her the strap. "You already have helped her. Don't worry, she will forgive you."
"Tenchi's right. Just keep being her friend," Washu said simply. "That's all she ever needed."
"That's all I ever needed too," Ayeka whispered too low for anyone to hear.
Later that evening Ayeka sat on the edge of the dock, soaking her feet in the cool waters of the pond, as the sky above her shone with an intense blue that heralded the end of twilight. As her dress was in the process of drying in the laundry room, was wearing a simple set of pink shorts and a mauve blouse. She felt the wooden planking vibrate with small footsteps. Guessing who it might be, she didn't turn around and gave her visitor the chance to make the first move. The footsteps stopped just behind her and there was a moment of silence.
"Lady Ayeka? Are you busy?" Ryoko's meek voice inquired.
Ayeka turned around and smiled at the youngster. Ryoko was ready for bed and stood facing her in her nightclothes and robe. "Please, just call me Ayeka," she said as gently as she could, willing the youngster to feel at ease.
Ryoko bit her lip and shrugged. She reached into her pocket of her footed pajamas and took out a small box. Without a word, she held it out to the princess, a single fang worrying her bottom lip.
The rising moon's pale light reflected off of Ayeka's purple tresses as she looked at the box. "What is that?"
"It's for you," Ryoko said motioning for her to open it.
Ayeka took the box and opened it carefully. Inside was a stack of folded paper money in surprisingly large bills. She looked to Ryoko. "I don't understand."
"It's to buy you another dress," Ryoko said shyly. "I'm sorry that I didn't listen to you earlier. I hope it wasn't your most favorite dress."
Ayeka closed the box and smiled. "There is no need for you to give me your savings. Sasami was able to remove the stains." She handed the box back to Ryoko, who, she noted was very quick to take it back.
"Mom would have killed me," Ryoko said relief plain in her voice. "She has always told me not to spend my capital." Ryoko crammed the box back into her pocket, taking a moment to look at the stars just beginning to speckle the sky.
"Wise words," Ayeka said, following Ryoko's gaze to the heavens. She saw the struggle on the girl's face and spoke to ease her discomfort. "Why haven't you invested that sum?"
"A-ayeka?" Ryoko asked, ignoring the question. She looked down at the seated princess. "Do you like me? Did you like me before?" she asked carefully, the beginnings of tears in her voice.
Ayeka held a hand out to Ryoko. "Ryoko, you have always been my friend. In the past we argued about many things, yet you always forgave me for my temper in the end."
Ryoko cautiously took Ayeka's hand in her own. "I did?"
Ayeka squeezed Ryoko's hand. "Yes, more or less. Will you forgive me again, for speaking to you so harshly? I did not mean those words."
Ryoko nodded many times. "Of course!" She looked at Ayeka shyly. "Will you please forgive me for messing up your dress?"
Ayeka grinned. "I've already told you, there is no damage done."
Ryoko sank to her knees besides Ayeka and held the princess' hand with two of her own. "But do you forgive me for not listening to you? I should have listened," she implored.
Ayeka covered Ryoko's hands with her free hand. "Yes, silly goose. It's all in the past now. We shall speak of it no more! Agreed?"
Ryoko giggled a little. "My lips are sealed," she said, leaning her head on Ayeka's shoulder.
Ayeka looked happily surprised at the intimate contact and moved her free hand to stroke Ryoko's rough hair. "Well then, let us get back to our discussion of banking. It is not wise to leave such useful resources in your drawer, or subspace-pocket or what have you, to gather dust instead of interest."
"Interest?"
Ayeka's eyes gleamed. "My young friend, let me introduce you to the concept of investment banking." This time around, Ryoko wouldn't have to steal to support herself.
***
The inside of Tenchi's room was warm and comfortable, cast in a soft golden glow from his study lamp as he sat at his desk working on his English vocabulary words. It amazed him that anyone would ever be able to fluently speak such a bizarre language.
"Excuse me, Tenchi?" Ryoko asked as she rapped gently on the door frame of Tenchi's room.
"Yes?" he responded, looking up from his homework to smile at her. It still threw him every time Ryoko knocked before entering his room. She had on her yellow and blue stripped dress and Tenchi wondered if she was starting to get any taller. It was hard to tell.
She floated into the room, the tips of her toes barely missing the carpet. "I was wondering what you were doing." She peered over his shoulder. "And it looks like you are doing your homework. Again."
He chuckled at the irritation in her voice. "Is there a problem with that?" He noticed she had been floating, so that's where the extra inches had come from.
She chewed on the inside of her cheek before answering him. "It's just that you are always doing homework."
"You have homework too, don't you?" he asked, twisting in his chair so he could better observe her.
"Yeah, but I get mine done faster, way, way faster," she said looking a tad superior.
"Ryoko," he said seriously. "You are the daughter of a genius. Of course you get your work done faster."
She looked at his brown and tan shirt, clearly ignoring his comment. "Do you always wear that shirt?" Don't you have any other clothes?" she asked, teasing half-heartedly.
Tenchi laughed. "I like this shirt. Now do you need anything? I really need to get this homework finished."
"I'm bored, Tennnnchi," she whined, drawing his name out to three times its normal length, her voice sounding squeakier than usual. "My investments are moving predictably, mom's busy, Sasami is out shopping with grandpa, Mihoshi is asleep, and Ayeka is being all princessly right now."
"I thought you liked being 'princessly' with her," Tenchi stated. "You guys didn't have another fight did you?" he asked with concern.
Ryoko grinned and leaned against his desk. "Nope. Our last fight was about a week ago. It was about how risky my portfolio should be. You can guess how that went, right?"
Tenchi tapped his pencil against his desk. "Let's see. You wanted high risk and she wanted low?" he guessed.
Ryoko crossed her arms. "Wrong! Just the opposite! I don't want to lose my money, I've saved it for a long time!"
"The riskier the investment, the higher the return is, right?" Tenchi asked, thinking back to his economics class.
She smirked, and the expression sent a chill down his spine. He had gotten so used to her being just HER, that the little flashes of her old self startled him now. Or was he used to anything at all anymore? Ryoko constantly had him off balance. He was never sure if he was lamenting the loss of her or celebrating her new happiness. "What was that look for?' he asked.
"That's a very simplistic way to look at the market, Tenchi. Shame on you. Mom and I plotted out the betas for high risk investments over the next twenty thousand years…"
"Twen… twenty thousand?" he stammered, he stammered, remembering Washu's age. Is that how old Ryoko would get? Would they all out live him?
"Well yeah, Tenchi. Investments are for the long term, you know. Anyway, over the next twenty thou, the general pattern is that high risk investments lose more than they gain," Ryoko recited. "And like I said, I don't wanna lose my money."
"You told Ayeka that?" he inquired, wondering if the princess would buy it. Ayeka didn't brook many arguments when it came to financial matters.
Ryoko nodded. "Yep, and she changed her investments down to medium risk, too. Just like mine," she said proudly.
"She changed because of what you said?" Tenchi asked, amazed.
"Well," Ryoko drawled. "More like she changed based on what mom said. Who wouldn't?"
Tenchi laughed. "Good point. So if you and Ayeka didn't have a fight, why aren't you hanging out with her? Don't you two have a favorite TV drama on tonight?"
Ryoko looked mischievous just then as she leaned over the desk and closer to Tenchi. "Well, you know I just love Ayeka, Tenchi, but she gets really weird about sex," she whispered confidentially.
"Whaaaat?" Tenchi gasped, turning as red as a cherry, pushing back in his chair. They had been talking about banking! How had sex entered into it?
Ryoko's grin deepened until she was showing off both fangs. "Not you too!" she protested. "I was just asking her how the Jurians did it and she turned the same color as you!"
" 'Did – did it?'" Tenchi quoted in disbelief.
"Yeah, Tenchi, IT!" Ryoko said with a laugh. "You know - procreation?"
Tenchi buried his face behind a hand and groaned. "I know what sex is for Ryoko."
"Then why," she laughed, "are you so freaked out about it?" Her large yellow eyes gleamed with mirth as she took in Tenchi's flushing features.
"Ah, didn't, ah, Lady Ayeka teach you that it isn't, ah, lady-like to ask those sorts of questions?" he asked lamely, kicking at the wall behind his desk.
"That's the part of Princess-ness I just don't get," Ryoko retorted. "Sex is a natural beautiful thing, Tenchi. I want to know all about it!"
"Y-you do?" he asked peeping out from behind his hand.
"Well, yeah I do! I mean it happens with the flowers and the animals too. All you need is the male and the female DNA, and wahlah! You get a genetically unique specimen!" Ryoko's eyes gleamed as she caught her hands up under her chin. "Oh, and mom says that doesn't even touch on asexual reproduction!"
"She does?"
"Yup! Heeeyyy, I wonder if the Jurians bud or something? I bet that was why Ayeka was so upset! What do you think Tenchi?" Ryoko asked eagerly.
Tenchi now had both of his hands over his face. "I think that I don't want to continue having this conversation."
Ryoko giggled, and seated herself on the edge of Tenchi's desk. "Come on Ten-chan! It's just me, good old Ryoko, you can tell me how Humans do it, right?"
Tenchi just groaned.
Ryoko's back stiffened for a moment and her eyes flashed. "Mother!" Ryoko snapped. "That is so not true! And why are you eavesdropping on me anyway? You know I hate that! Hmmpf!" Ryoko looked back to Tenchi who had lowered his hands and was watching her with the beginnings of a smile twitching at his lips. "Um, did I say that out loud?"
Tenchi nodded, not speaking for fear of laughing at her.
Ryoko flushed. "Mom said that I was obsessed with sex because I was created in an atypical manner. She said I had issues," she said crooking her fingers in the air as she said the last word, giving it quotations. "Which I don't!"
That was too much for Tenchi and laughter burst free, and he was soon holding his side because of the stitches.
"Hey! Don't laugh at me!" she cried and whacked him on the arm. "I mean it, Tenchi!"
"Sorry," he said between belly-laughs. "I just can't help myself!"
Ryoko growled. "I'll give you something to laugh about, school boy!" She hooked her fingers into claws and began to quickly tickle his ribs.
Tenchi's laughs became yelps and soon he was trying to dislodge her tickling digits from his side. "Stop! Stop that!"
"No way!" she crowed, tickling him all the more.
He tried to tickle her back, but she seemed immune and just laughed at his poor attempts to get revenge. He tried to pull her off, but she kept her elbows tight to her body and he couldn't get a good grip. The only way out was down, so he slid out of his chair and carried her with him as he fell the short distance to the floor. As they touched down, Ryoko's elbows popped up, and Tenchi discovered her ticklish spot.
With out mercy he tickled her arm pits till she was fairly screaming for him to stop as they rolled around the floor, each vying for tickling superiority. "Say Uncle," he demanded.
"Okay, okay," she wheezed. "Uncle."
He looked down at her and realized he was lying atop her on the floor. Her face was flushed from exertion and her eyes were bright with mischief. She was so beautiful. Up this close, when he was just looking at her face, she didn't have the appearance of a little girl anymore. She looked just like she used to… so beautiful.
"Tenchi?" she asked uncertainly. "You're looking at me in that weird way again."
"Mmmm?" he asked, not really listening, watching the way her mouth moved as she spoke.
"Tenchi?" she asked more urgently.
"Yes?" He pulled his focus off of her lips and looked her in the eyes.
"Is this how humans do it?" she asked with a smirk.
He leapt off of her with a scream as Ryoko teleported away giggling.
***
Ryoko had been with the family, by her estimation, for six Earth months. It had been fun, that was for sure. The most fun she had ever had in all of the many places she had lived. She couldn't help but wonder, as the GA semester was winding down, when Washu would want to move again. They always moved between semesters as Washu's academic needs took them to new places. It was hard saying good bye to her friends, but it was always fun making new ones.
Only this time, Ryoko hoped she had one more semester on earth. These friends were extra special, and she didn't want to say good bye. Even to that weirdo Tenchi who could make her feel guilty without knowing why.
"Ryoko-chan, don't forget this is a timed test!" Sasami's voice came into Ryoko's reverie.
"Oh right!" Ryoko jumped and hurriedly looked at her recipe.
Sitting on a tall kitchen stool, Sasami watched closely as Ryoko carefully mixed together a brine for the pork tenderloin they had picked up at the butcher shop earlier that morning. Ryoko had her wild hair caught up in two pony tails, each at the side of her head tied with bright red pop-knots.
"You know," Sasami began, "even though I'm testing you on your Home-Ec skills, you didn't have to fix your hair like mine." Even their outfits were similar, with Ryoko's pink dress being very similar to Sasami's typical house dress. Even more conspicuous was Ryoko's apron that has sported little crabs rather than carrots.
Ryoko carefully sliced a lime in half and used a reamer to free the juices over a clear glass mixing bowl. She contrived to look innocent as she glanced up at her kitchen mentor. "But don't you think we look like sisters this way?" she asked winningly.
Sasami shook a stern finger at Ryoko. "I am immune to flattery, even if I am cute!"
Ryoko wiped her citrusy hands on her apron and reached for the salt cellar. She pinched four fingerfuls of salt into the lime juice. "Flatter you? I guess saying that you kinda look like beautiful-me is a compliment," Ryoko teased.
Sasami laughed and tried to look stern. "Just don't forget the mustard powder."
Ryoko turned around to show that she was already in the act of measuring out the spice. "Have faith, Sasami-chan."
Sasami picked up a clipboard from her lap and made a notation. "That's minus two points for being too familiar with the instructor."
"Oh man," Ryoko groaned.
Sasami checked the kitchen clock. "And you better hurry! You only have 45 minutes left to complete the project."
Ryoko quickly began whisking the ingredients together. "What is this? Iron Chef?" she complained.
"Don't be mad, Ryoko-chan. You know that it was really hard for Washu to convince the GA to let me teach you this course. We have to follow the rules or you won't get the credits!" Sasami implored, clutching the clip board to her chest.
"I know," Ryoko groused. "It's just weird, you being so strict."
Sasami laughed again. "This is nothing! Be glad Ayeka isn't teaching you etiquette!"
Ryoko giggled. "Point taken! In fact, I think…." Ryoko's words trailed off as she grabbed at her stomach.
Sasami hopped off the stool, laying the clipboard on the counter. "What's wrong?" she asked as she hurried over.
Ryoko leaned against the counter. "I don't know. My stomach just cramped."
"Ryoko-chan?" Sasami asked uncertainly. "This isn't a trick is it? You are doing fine on the test so you don't have to do this."
Ryoko turned hurt eyes over to her teacher. "When have I ever tricked you?" she asked gasping as another cramp hit her.
Sasami looked bashful as she climbed off of her stool. "I'm sorry, it was just –just- something I remembered. Maybe you should sit down for a minute." She placed a hand on Ryoko's shoulder.
"I think sitting will make it worse. Don't worry, Mom's on her way," Ryoko panted.
"I'm sorry I said that," Sasami said quietly as they waited.
"Don't worry about it. The old me, right?" Ryoko asked.
Sasami nodded, looking downcast.
"I was a real stinker, huh?" Ryoko asked through her pain.
"As stinky as they come," Washu confirmed striding into the kitchen with a hand-held medical scanner at the ready. "But you couldn't help yourself."
"But we still loved you," Sasami said earnestly as Washu ran the scanner over Ryoko's body.
"Well, we tried to," Washu amended as she fine tuned a frequency and went back to scanning.
"Stop being mean!" Sasami cried. "How can you even say that!? Don't make Ryoko-chan feel ashamed of her self. She couldn't help being that way, you said so yourself!" The young princess' eyes flashed and her cheeks reddened in outraged anger.
"Sasami," Washu began, her voice sounding hurt. "I didn't mean it that way."
"It's okay, Sasami-chan," Ryoko grunted. "I don't mind. Honestly, I don't. I didn't know her, this other me, so it doesn't hurt my feelings. Mom knows that."
"I still don't like it," Sasami murmured under her breath. Composing herself, she turned to Washu. "What's wrong?"
Washu nodded to herself as she read the ever changing readouts on the scanner's screen. "Well, it seems puberty is finally upon my rather short daughter," she announced. "Great news Ryoko, you're finally gonna get taller!"
Ryoko groaned and leaned her head on the counter top. "Is this gonna hurt as much is it did the last time I grew?"
"Worse," Washu confirmed. "This is likely your last spurt, so you have about two feet to grow in one go, not to mention the final maturation of your body."
"Can you put me in stasis until it's all over?" Ryoko asked hopefully. "Like last time?"
Washu's expression darkened. "Never ask me to do that," she said coldly, stepping back and distancing herself from her daughter.
"But…"
"Just don't, and don't ask me why," Washu said with a voice of ice. "I won't ever do it."
Ryoko turned a pained and bewildered face to Sasami. "Don't they do that for pain on Jurai?"
Sasami licked her lips and looked away, her knuckles going white because she was clenching her fists so hard.
With a grunt, Ryoko straightened up and pushed away from the counter. "Okay, I get it. Because of my deep, dark, past, I have to stay awake through this. Fine, but I get dibs on the couch."
Washu turned off her scanner and rolled her shoulders to ease the tension. "I can accelerate your growth so that it is over by tomorrow morning," she offered.
Ryoko began limping towards the living room with an anxious Sasami supporting her. "Let me guess, it'll hurt more, right?"
"Way more," Washu said taking Ryoko's other side and helping her to the couch.
Ryoko eased into the leather cushions. "Time difference?"
"Ten hours versus four days," Washu pronounced.
"Speed it up," Ryoko decided. "I hate being shorter than Tenchi," she joked weakly.
Washu nodded. "It will take me a couple of hours to get everything set up. Why don't you go to your room and get ready for bed?"
Ryoko looked annoyed. "Do I have to move? Can't we do it here? I wanna watch TV."
Washu took a hold of Ryoko's arm and helped her sit up fully. "Trust me, you won't be paying attention to the TV once we get going."
Stay tuned!
A/N: Don't worry, there's plenty to come! This chapter was hard to write as it was just a montage of scenes to help you get to know this version of Ryoko. They didn't really hang together in a linear way, no matter how I fussed at them. What you see here is as far as I got before I gave up! Sometimes you just have to be done, ready or not.
Of note, it amused me that people found the last chapter to be shorter than the others. It was actually two pages longer. Hee hee! I guess time flys when you are having fun. That or the last chapter was very poorly paced…heh…. I'll pretend it was the former for my own sake! Now don't say that again, this chapter was TWICE as long as a typical ZT chapter – 20 pages!
The song Ryoko is spazzing out to is called "Chokotto Love" and is by Morning Musume, A Japanese teen girl pop band. It is absolutely frenetic! I love it and am teaching myself to sing it in Japanese much to my husband's horror. If you can find it on Lime Wire or what have you, it's certainly worth a listen. The translated lyrics will be provided after my responses to the reviewers.
Oi, let me plug a new Anime that I have been watching. "Fruits Basket". It's like Tenchi with the roles reversed (one girl and lots of boys) and less chaos. It's my new, second only to the Tenchi worlds, favorite anime series.
On to my lovely reviewers. I thank everyone who reads my story and has taken a moment to comment. I might not respond to them all, but I hold all reviews dear to my heart as long as they are constructive. Anyone who wants to email me can do so at shire@one.net
Crion – That's what I hoped the explanation of the dress would do! I'm glad it worked.
Ministry Agent – Tenchi's a hard nut to crack in this story. I am trying to make him inconsistent within himself. Sometimes he's happy for Ryoko, sometimes he misses his old friend. He wants to support her, but at the same time he is grieving too. Add to that the fact that this new Ryoko is funny and engaging and you have one confused Tenchi. At least that's what I am trying for.
alighthawk – I won't be leaving Ryoko as this hyper-teen forever. You can already see that she is mellowing out – well a bit maybe- in this most recent chapter. A lot of it has to do with her moods as well as how comfortable she feels around the family. For her to be really silly is a sign that she trusts them.
The Entry Plug – I'm glad you like my Ayeka – phew! I think of you as the "good Ayeka writing" litmus test, so that means quite a bit to me. A conflict brooding – did you read my mind? *Zips her lips* Anyway, I agree with you that Tenchi's character development has taken a back seat to Ryoko's – despite all of my efforts. When I am writing this story Tenchi feels very distant to me, like a barge that has broken free of its tug boat. I keep trying to pull him in, but he always stays distant to the voice of this story. Did you notice that many of the scenes are from his POV? And even that doesn't seem to help. That's just how this story wants to be told I guess. Still, it's strange.
Beagle-san – Thanks for the comments. You know I never really considered Ayeka's own victimization by Kagato before now. That's a really good point. One I will keep in mind for future fics.
Artist: Morning Musume
Title: Chokotto LOVE (Little bit o' love)
words and music: Tsunku (nanka kimochi warui~)
I tried to change my hairstyle just a tiny bit
I want you to notice it just a tiny bit
my dear Darling!
I made myself strong just a tiny bit.
I feel I've advanced forward just a tiny bit.
My dear Darling
C'mon why don't we start off with more fun things ?
See see ! Good !
Let's have a wonderful romance !
Hey Hey! So you want a more touchy-feely relationship ?
Hmmm, I don't think I can help you there... (that's right that's right)
I looked up the character for love in the dictionary
and added your name next to it.
It's more fun together,
Let's write the character for dream... (dot dot dot)
I'll send you a tiny bit of mail by portable phone
it's a tiny reminder of our friendship
My dear FRIEND!
C'mon It's OK to use simpler words.
See See! Let's tell how we really feel about each other !
Hey Hey! So, are you gonna stick with a less touchy-feely relationship ?
I like it when you're modest. (Like you Like you !)
When I remember the character for love
the faces of my family came up first
I'll go ahead just a little further
My sweetheart, All you need is love ... (dot dot dot)
Translated By: Brian Stewart &Takako Sakuma
Translator's Notes: What a cute song! I am like all girlish over this song (-B) T: Kimochi warui~. Anyway we both love this song. Its like Korean dance pop. The (dot dot dot) portion, is in the original Japanese (maru maru maru) the way to say an elipses in the language. We opted to use the more accessible touchy-feely rather than "a relationship of strong stimulation". screams to Centigrade@BlandPlanet.com