"Washu's gonna die?!" Sasami wailed. "We'll never see our Earth again, will we, Duo?"
"We're working on it. Maybe we'll find a way to get you back." Duo was kneeling on the floor, so he would be eye-level with Sasami.
"I just wish I could help Washu… and I wish you could meet her."
"Eh, me too I guess. She sounds… interesting. And what is up with that hair of hers?"
"Fine with me." Ryoko chuckled. "But you look disappointed!"
"Maybe you didn't hear me, I said your friend is dying." Trowa was exasperated with Ryoko's selfishness.
"But at least her death brought us true lovers together! It kind of evens out when you look at it that way!"
"I give up." Trowa left angrily.
"So there is no cure then?" Ayeka had somehow managed to get one of Heero's arms around her shoulders, though he wasn't happy about it.
"No."
"And we'll never be able to leave this world?"
"We're still trying to reproduce the events that brought you here. I have hopes that we'll get you home."
"But no hope for Washu?"
"Don't give up yet." Heero was shocked that he was comforting this spoiled girl at all. He knew she was just using him to try and make that Tenchi guy jealous… but she really did seem so pitiful right now…
Quatre nearly fell over as Mihoshi buried her face in his shirt. She wasn't taking the news too well. "It's okay, really. Please stop crying all over me."
"Wah…" Mihoshi couldn't reply.
"Come on, Washu wouldn't want you crying like this!"
"I'm not crying because of Washu!" Mihoshi looked up. "I'm crying because I'm gonna miss my favorite TV show! Endless Waltz is coming on and I have never seen it before." She broke down again and threw her arms around Quatre miserably.
"TV show? That's what's making you so upset? Mihoshi, you're in a TV show right now!"
"Hey," Mihoshi brightened. "You're right! This is a great opportunity. And I'll get to know you better, too!"
Quatre blushed when he realized that she still had her arms around him and seemed quite satisfied in keeping them there.
"Meow?" Ryo-ohki was dumbfounded.
"Yes. That girl was not weak. She's very honorable." Wufei was holding Ryo-ohki up so that she could see Washu's resting figure.
"Meow meow?"
"We don't know yet."
"Meow ow meow?"
"What!? How can you be thinking of carrots at a time like this?"
The entire group was stationed in Washu's room, discussing plans and digesting a well-made dinner by Sasami.
"If we knew why this reality was the one we came to, we might know more about the thing that sent us here." Tenchi suggested. He was holding Washu's hand and pushing her hair (did the electricity do that?) out of her face.
"Yes, but how could we find that out?" Ayeka looked tired.
"I think I have a theory." Quatre announced. "The only one of us who has knowledge of both worlds is Mihoshi here." He squeezed Mihoshi's hand. "So it would seem that she has quite a bit to do with your coming here."
"Hmm… that makes sense." Trowa agreed.
"Mihoshi?" Ryoko was a bit more solemn since Trowa had left her earlier that day. "How could she be responsible for this? It was her fault!" Ryoko pointed at Washu's peaceful presence.
"Well… not exactly…" Mihoshi gulped.
"What is it?" Ayeka sighed. "What did you do, Mihoshi?"
"Well I didn't mean to!" The blonde started sobbing and instinctively hugged Quatre's arm. "I just went down there to see what Washu was doing, but I got lost and the door disappeared!"
"Meow!" Ryo-ohki scolded.
"Mihoshi, we all know better than to wander into Washu's laboratory!" Sasami said sternly.
"And it was so dark and scary that I started looking for a light switch…" Mihoshi sniffled uncontrollably.
"You can stop right there cause I know the rest." Ryoko sneered. "You started pushing buttons left and right and then everything went up in smoke, right?"
Mihoshi nodded and fell into a spasm of sorrow. Quatre comforted her the best he could.
"I should have known." Ryoko grumbled. "Leave it to Mihoshi to really ruin your whole day… scratch that! Our whole lives!"
"She's sorry." Quatre reprimanded. "And you're all in this together so I think you ought to apologize to her."
"Apologize?" Ryoko levitated angrily. "You mean the 'I'm sorry' kind of apology?"
"Yes."
"I don't do sorrys. Sorry." She answered sarcastically.
"Ryoko…" Trowa looked at the floating girl.
"What? Why should I apologize?"
"Maybe it would make a nice impression on me." Trowa looked away.
"Oh?" Ryoko thought it over. "I'm sorry, Mihoshi. It really wasn't your fault at all! It could have happened to anybody… even me!"
"Wow. That sounded really sincere." Tenchi gasped.
"Can you fathom that?" Ayeka put a finger on her chin.
"Apology accepted." Mihoshi was drying her eyes. "Thank you for sticking up for me." She whispered to Quatre.
Trowa gave Ryoko an approving look and she seemed to melt away.
"See? I can be gracious." Ryoko blushed.
"So how did Mihoshi tune in to our world?" Duo looked confused.
"I'm not sure. Do you remember what happened when you were in the laboratory?" Quatre looked at Mihoshi.
"Well, I went in and started looking for Washu, but she had all these wires sticking out of her head, and she couldn't hear me or something. So I got really scared and I saw this shiny machine, so I pressed some buttons on it. Then Washu came out of her trance and tried to un-push the buttons but it was too late." Mihoshi seemed awash in guilt. "So she told me to go warn everybody to run away… and I did. But I didn't know she was going to stay there… I thought she was going to hide, too."
At this point, everybody stole a glance at the occupant of the bed.
"But she stayed behind and got electrocuted." Duo finished. "Sasami, you're right. Washu does seem like a person I'd like to meet. And would somebody tell me if her hair was like that before?"
"And then we were all outside." Sasami recalled.
"And Ayeka offered to protect us with her Jurain shield." Tenchi smiled at Ayeka.
"But Tenchi didn't want to risk it so we all ran." Ayeka smiled back.
"The energy sphere was so fast, though." Ryoko frowned. "It overtook us quickly."
"And then we were all waking up in your hanger." Mihoshi seemed to enjoy this part. "And I felt happy."
"That's it?" Wufei said. "Nobody has any more information?"
"Meow." Ryo-ohki signaled a negative.
"Then we're no further along than we were before." Heero grumbled. "Everybody should go to their rooms. Try and picture all the details you can about the events that brought you here. We'll talk again tomorrow morning."
"Sounds like a good plan, Heero." Ayeka raised her eyebrows at him. "Would you escort me to my room?"
"Why? You forgot where it is?" Heero said hollowly.
"No… I just would like some company on the way there."
"It's a short walk."
"Well maybe you could come inside and we could talk for a while."
"Ayeka?" Tenchi was arranging Washu's hands so that they would lie by her side. "Would you listen to yourself?"
"I know exactly what I'm saying. I have something to discuss with Heero!" Ayeka said defensively.
"Sure." Ryoko rolled her eyes. "Just like I have something to discuss with Trowa."
"It's nothing like that you nasty person!"
"Go alone." Heero interrupted the argument. "We have nothing to talk about."
Ayeka looked crestfallen, but departed calmly.
"Now about that discussion, Trowa." Ryoko held out her hands. "Care to?"
"Ryoko?" Tenchi scolded her protectively. "I think you've said quite enough tonight."
"But Tenchi, I'm just having a little fun!" Ryoko protested.
"Go to bed." Tenchi ordered. "For your own good."
"If you say so." Ryoko grinned as she levitated upwards. "Don't forget that I can travel through walls, though. I can visit any of you whenever I want." She disappeared through the ceiling.
"Quatre?" Mihoshi looked hopefully at her friend.
"Please… don't even say it." Quatre begged.
"But I really just want to talk! Honestly!"
"Promise?"
"Absolutely."
Quatre helped Mihoshi to her feet and escorted her to her room.
"I'm really tired. I'll be going now, too." Sasami yawned then turned to regard Washu. "Miss Washu… please get better."
Sasami exited quietly.
"Those girls are a pain in the neck." Tenchi grinned. "But I feel like it's my responsibility to take care of them… so of course I appreciate everything you all have done. Thanks." Tenchi left the remaining gundam pilots alone with the sleeping scientist.
"No! I'm quite sure that Heero could blow up Trowa any day!" Ayeka insisted.
"Are you crazy? Trowa would make scrap metal out of Heero's junky robot!" Ryoko took a big bite of breakfast. "Yum!"
"And what if he ran out of ammunition? Then what?"
"Trowa would still conquer!"
"Do they do this every morning?" Duo whispered to Sasami.
"Oh yes. It's kind of like a tradition… I'm used to it! Wait a few weeks and you will be too."
"Oh please let us find a way to send them home!" Duo said in prayer fashion.
"This is delicious again, Sasami!" Quatre complimented the little chef.
"Thank you, thank you!" Sasami bowed.
"So what's the agenda for today?" Wufei asked.
"Let me check my date book." Quatre whipped a little red book out of his pocket and flipped through the pages quickly. His eyes nearly popped out.
"What?" Duo asked. "What's scheduled for today?"
"Uh oh…" Quatre slammed a hand to his forehead.
Trowa snatched the book away and looked at it for himself. "Uh oh…" He said.
"WHAT?" The table asked.
"Relena's going to stop by today." Trowa gave the book back to Quatre.
"Who? Who's Relena?" Ayeka didn't like the sound of that at all.
"That's Heero's girlfriend!" Mihoshi cheerfully informed Ayeka. "The princess Relena Peacecraft!"
"Princess… Relena Peacecraft." Ayeka let it sink in. "You led me on you peasant!" She yelled sorrowfully at Heero. "You might have told me you were already involved with a princess!"
"Poor Ayeka!" Ryoko cooed. "Hey Trowa, you don't have any spare girlfriends that might just show up, do you?"
"Nope!" Mihoshi answered. "I've seen all forty-nine episodes."
"Only forty-nine? That's a rip off." Wufei said.
"When is her royal highness coming?" Ayeka snorted resentfully.
"Noon." Quatre sighed. "And she's going to have a truckload of questions about you guys."
"I'm assuming that she's stunningly beautiful?" Ayeka was really loosing it.
"Relena was raised as a normal girl… she doesn't act like a princess." Duo realized that it was the second morning in a row that he was consoling Miss Jurai.
"But she's stolen Heero's heart clean away anyway. Boo-hoo."
"She's just a friend!" Duo cringed. "Don't blow anything up please!"
Ayeka dashed out of the kitchen, hair streaming behind her mournfully.
"Wow. Ayeka's really upset." Tenchi commented. "For a while, I thought she was just faking everything to make me jealous."
"I think she was, to begin with." Heero groaned. "She's really very forceful, isn't she?"
"Just like Relena." Trowa said.
"I can't wait to meet her!" Ryoko smiled. "Trowa, we can tell her all about our engagement!"
"WHAT?" Everybody shouted. Even Ayeka rushed back in.
"That's right!" Ryoko nodded. "Me and Trowa are getting married!"
"No we're not." Trowa scooted his chair away.
"Oh no?" Ryoko asked evilly. "You mean you're going to deny proposing to me last night?"
Trowa glared at her. "Yes."
The space pirate growled. "Listen, I don't care if I have to tie you up and fly away with you I'll…"
*Ding Dong *
"She's here!" Duo announced. "That's Relena!"
"We haven't even finished breakfast yet!" Mihoshi complained.
"That's cause we spend so much time arguing, we don't get to eat!" Tenchi
wailed.
"Listen, I'm going to go let her in." Quatre stood up. "I don't want this to get complicated, so I'm just going to tell her that you girls are my sisters and Tenchi's a door to door salesman, okay?" Quatre left toward the front hall.
"Door to door salesman?" Tenchi looked confused. "Do I look like a door to door salesman to you?"
"Yes. You do." Wufei silenced Tenchi.
Quatre reappeared with a young girl with dark blonde hair. Ayeka seethed.
"Relena Peacecraft, these are my sisters Ryoko Winner, Ayeka Winner, Mihoshi Winner, and Sasami Winner. Oh, and this is a door to door salesman who's having breakfast with us." Quatre paled when he realized how stupid that sounded.
"Nice to meet all of you." Relena curtsied a perfect little curtsy and smiled a perfect little smile. Ayeka thought evil thoughts.
"How's it going?" Ryoko shook Relena's hand. "I'm… uh… Ryoko Winner and I'm Trowa Barton's new fiancée!"
"No she's not!" Trowa protested.
"Oh… sis is such a prankster!" Sasami laughed.
"I see." Relena seemed to ignore everything except for Heero. She had been focused on him from the minute she came through the door. "I've been missing you, Heero. And thinking about what you said at the party."
Ayeka grinded her teeth.
"What exactly did you mean?" Relena continued.
"This will have to wait until another time, Relena." Heero said.
"Do we have that much time?" Relena averted her eyes.
"Of course."
"Then I'll change the subject for now. You're really all Quatre's sisters?"
"Uh huh!" Sasami giggled. "That we are!"
"And I'm a door to door salesman, don't forget!" Tenchi almost died laughing.
"Quatre, I don't want to be your sister… that's no fun!" Mihoshi wailed.
"Too bad, Mihoshi." Quatre gave her a killer look. "That's just the way it has to be. Got it?"
"Good afternoon Miss Peacecraft." Ayeka almost snarled. "I've heard so many things about you."
"Ayeka Winner." Relena bowed.
"I must say I've noticed you have exceptional taste."
"Thank you Miss Winner."
Ayeka couldn't contain it anymore. "Leave Heero alone! He's mine!"
"What?" Relena started. "Did I hear you right?"
"Heero is in love with me!"
Heero slammed a fist on the table. Now he knew how Tenchi felt when the girls started up.
"In love with you? I don't think so." Relena was becoming angry.
"Of course he is… tell her, Heero."
Heero shook his head. "Sorry Ayeka. You're incorrect."
Relena looked confused.
"This is my demented sister." Quatre whispered confidingly. "She does that sometimes."
Relena nodded, alarmed. "Quatre, I thought you were the youngest child in your family."
Quatre gulped miserably. "Maybe."
"Sasami Winner looks a lot younger than you do…" Relena had a stern expression on her face. "And I've heard that all your sisters are very responsible, sane people."
"Most of my sisters are." Quatre searched the room for help. "I… uh… don't really know what to say."
Ryo-ohki chose that moment to bounce into the room, mewing joyfully.
"Eeeeaaagh!" Relena leapt onto a chair and pointed at Ryo-ohki nervously. "What is that rodent thing?"
"Meow?" The pet responded.
"It's only Ryo-ohki!" Mihoshi gathered the cat-like being in her arms. "See? She's nice!"
"Heero, what is going on?!" Relena glared at everybody suspiciously.
"I vote we give in, guys." Duo sighed. "We've totally blown it."
"Relena…" Quatre helped Relena step off the chair. "It's like this…"
"That would explain everything, but it's pretty farfetched don't you think?" Relena had listened patiently to the explanation of the guests' origin. "What if they all were just trying to sabotage the gundams? What if they just made up that story to cover everything up?"
"They've proven themselves." Trowa explained. "Ryoko?"
"You want a demonstration, right?" Ryoko grinned. "Always ready to impress." The space pirate levitated, and then passed her arm through a table. "Let's just say we're not from around here."
Relena stared. "But that's all the more reason not to trust them! How do we know who they are?"
"We just want to go home." Sasami whimpered. "We don't want to hurt anybody!"
"Fine then." Relena nodded. "Go home."
"It's not that easy." Duo closed his eyes. "We already told you that their scientist friend is out of the picture… and she's the only one who might know how to send them back."
"I've had my medics examine her." Quatre motioned for the group to follow him. They all walked into the guest room Washu was occupying. "She was electrocuted very badly… and by a type of electricity we've yet to isolate."
"Oh. Is that how her hair got like that?" Relena frowned.
"You noticed that, too?" Duo and Wufei said at the same time.
"What's this?" Trowa plucked something from Washu's afore mentioned hair. "Was this here before?" He showed the group a little doll, which rather resembled the scientist.
"No, that's new. How'd that get there?" Quatre took the doll from Trowa.
"That's one of Washu's little dolls." Ayeka explained. "They're really quite strange."
"How do you mean?" Wufei took the object. "It's just a toy."
"Nothing of Washu's is just anything." Ryoko warned. "I wonder if it's still functioning?"
Wufei was about to ask what she meant by that, when the doll began to stir in his hand. "Hey, it's moving."
"Moving?" Duo said.
Wufei held the 'Tiny Washu' up for everybody to see. It was moving its head slowly.
"Wow!" Quatre exclaimed. "That's pretty neat!"
"Why isn't it talking?" Sasami worried. "Maybe it can tell us how to help Washu."
"It talks too?" Duo grinned. "This I've got to see!"
"Stop squishing me!" The doll complained. The gundam pilots and Relena jumped a little.
"Sorry…" Wufei apologized, confused. He set the strange creature on the bed.
"Thank you." The doll looked around the room. "Oh! An alternate dimension, am I right?"
"Um… quite right." Ayeka agreed. "Do you know how to help Washu?"
The doll turned its head to regard Ayeka. "Hmm? I am Washu, Ayeka!"
"What?" Ryoko snatched the little creature away. "How could this be Washu?"
"I transferred my consciousness to this doll when I realized that this," She gestured at the larger Washu. "Body was in danger of destruction. And it's a good thing I did, too. I'm not doing so well over there, am I?"
"Why didn't you talk to us earlier?" Wufei sounded annoyed.
"The transfer was not instantaneous. Souls don't travel that quickly, my uneducated friend."
The gathering was entirely confused.
"Now, you're all probably worried about getting home, aren't you?" Washu's little representative queried.
"Yes, we are!" Mihoshi laughed. "Can I bring Quatre with us?"
"Hang on there! I'm still working out the details." Washu interrupted. "I think this would all be easier if I were able to be my normal self."
"Yes, how do we bring you back?" Ayeka looked faint.
"Glad you asked, Ayeka! I think another electrocution is in order." The little doll informed.
"Another electrocution?" Quatre gasped. "Don't you think you've had enough?"
"My brain waves are slowing, aren't they? They need to be stimulated again by the same magnitude of electricity."
"Huh?" Duo was lost.
"I think electricity with wavelengths approaching a similar rate of nanometers as visible light should be sufficient."
"I see what you're getting at." Trowa nodded. The gathering looked at him in amazement. "You want to recreate the energy at the opposite side of the spectrum, right?"
"You've got it!" Washu cheered. "Red electricity!"
"Oh Trowa, you're so clever!" Ryoko hugged Trowa's arm.
"I'm not sure how to create that though…" Trowa admitted. "I'm not a scientist."
"Well that is a problem." Washu sounded disappointed. "It would help to have another scientist on hand."
"What if that kind of energy doesn't exist at all in this world?" Relena cried.
"It must." Washu explained. "Energy is relative."
"Huh?" Duo was lost.
"We'll have to find it soon though." Washu spoke. "We have a time restraint to consider, don't we?"
"Yes." Heero answered. "Your body will be lifeless by tomorrow night… possibly sooner, so we all should start researching this 'red electricity' right now."
"I'm on it!" Quatre exited quickly. The other gundam pilots followed suit.
"Not possible…" Trowa groaned. "The atom is totally annihilated when fused with electricity at all."
"Don't fuse it." Heero suggested. "Mutate it."
The two were laboring over a computer monitor, and had been for several hours. Ryoko and Ayeka were in the back of the room, trying to be helpful.
"Oh yes," Ayeka said. "That's a very good idea, Heero."
"Mutate this atom into that one? I don't think so." Trowa argued.
"Absolutely genius, Trowa!" Ryoko sounded like a cheerleader.
"Like this…" Heero demonstrated an equation for Trowa.
"You show him, Heero!" Ayeka clapped.
"Yes, that works at this stage, but what would we do when we enlarge it?"
Heero shook his head. "Call Washu in again."
Ryoko cheerfully flew away and returned with the tiny scientist. "Here she is!"
"Hey! We were making real progress in there! What do you two need now?" Washu complained.
Trowa pointed at the computer screen angrily. Ryoko brought Washu over so she could see.
"Hmm? You've got it all wrong! Don't mutate it! Look, it doesn't work out when you do it this way!" Washu scolded the pilots.
Heero sighed. Why should he be wasting his time with this anyway?
"Washu?" Quatre appeared in the doorway. "We're stuck. Can you come back and give us a hand?"
"We're not going to be ready in time at this rate!" The doll complained.
"Heero and Trowa are still just trying to recreate the 'red electricity'." Duo checked his watch. It was going on midnight. "How's the electricity rod coming?"
"Not so well." Wufei grumbled. "Quatre keeps making mistakes."
"Sorry…" Quatre looked exhausted. "But this is hard! Washu says it has to be just perfect, or else the electricity will be out of hand."
"Yeah, well things aren't looking so great." Duo noticed Sasami sleeping in a recliner. "Everybody's tired, and nothing's getting done."
"We can't stop now." Relena was overseeing the construction of the lightning rod. "How is Washu doing now anyway? I mean 'big' Washu."
"She's punctual, gotta hand her that. Dying right on schedule." Duo shook his head. He picked up Sasami and carried her to her guest room.
"If we had more time, there wouldn't be a problem." Quatre wailed. "Oops."
"You snapped that wire again, didn't you?" Wufei snarled.
"This wire," Quatre looked at it maliciously. "Was just created to make me miserable!"
"That's the fourth time, Quatre!" Wufei snatched the broken bit of machinery away. "If you would stop being so clumsy…"
"If you would stop being so cranky!" Quatre glared tiredly. "Who cares if I've broke that wire four times? You cracked that same section of covering seven times!"
"It was a brittle piece." Wufei explained.
"Don't fight." Relena ordered. "This is too important to argue over."
"You're right." Quatre's expression softened. "I know it's no excuse, but I'm just so tired…"
"Aha! And then adjust this like so!" Heero smiled a little. "We're almost done, Trowa… Trowa?" Heero glanced around, and then noticed Trowa sleeping in the computer chair. "Trowa?" No response. 'Oh well.' Heero thought. 'It's no wonder he's tired, what with that Ryoko girl on his back all day. She's almost as bad as Relena… or Ayeka for that matter.'
Sasami lifted her head slowly. "How did I get in my room? I fell asleep in the office." She put her feet on the floor and stretched. "Well, time to make breakfast!" She trotted over to the mirror and brushed her hair out. "I wonder who brought me in here last night?"
"No time for breakfast, sorry." Washu commanded. "We've still got a lot to do… and I'm almost dead!"
"Everybody needs to eat!" Sasami insisted. "They'll work better if they do." Sasami shook the little doll in her hand as she said this.
"Careful! I'm so sick of being this doll! You have no idea what it's like to have to be carried all over the place!"
"I'll carry you for a little while!" Mihoshi offered.
"That's alright Mihoshi, I'll carry Washu." Tenchi said nervously. He took the little figure from Sasami gingerly. "And I agree with Sasami. Everybody needs a breakfast break."
"I know." The little Washu closed her eyes. "I'm just getting kind of worried, you know?"
Ayeka and Ryoko were not fighting at the table this morning. It would have been hard even for them to fight in their sleep.
"Nice and peaceful today." Trowa commented. He was supporting Ryoko's head, trying to keep her hair out of his face. She had a satisfied look on her sleeping face.
"Yes, it is." Mishoshi smiled. She was similarly holding Quatre. "Poor Quatre was up all night long."
"Come on everybody! Stop gabbing, and finish eating!" Washu sounded desperate, her voice drifting over from Tenchi's hand.
"Yes ma'am!" Duo didn't need to be reminded. All participants who were awake finished their meals quickly.
"Back to work, Quatre." Mihoshi nudged Quatre's head off her shoulder. "Wake up now!"
Quatre groggily opened his eyes. "Did I fall asleep?"
"Mm hmm." Mihoshi nodded. "I guess you'll just have to wait until lunch now."
Trowa was trying to shake Ryoko away, but she didn't budge. "Wake up. I've got to go."
"Mmm." Ryoko spoke in her sleep. "Don't go. Everybody leaves me. Don't leave me, too."
"I'm sorry…" Trowa gestured for Tenchi to come take over. "But I have to."
"Promise to come back." Ryoko's expression changed to sorrow.
"I… I… I will." Trowa handed Ryoko to Tenchi. Her expression remained unhappy.
"Oh Trowa." Ryoko drifted back into a deep sleep.
"That's it!" Relena cheered. "You guys did it!"
"Well done." Tiny Washu complimented.
"It's as close to perfect as it's going to be." Quatre carefully held up the lightning rod. It had several buttons and switches across the surface.
"Who's going to operate it when it's time?" Relena looked at the complicated equipment.
"I will." Wufei said. "I don't trust Quatre with it."
Quatre looked exasperated. "So I broke that wire seventeen times…"
"Yes, I think that's a good idea, Wufei." Washu agreed.
"How are the others coming along?" Tenchi questioned.
"They're coming." Duo said. "I think we'll be fine, time-wise."
"Take me to them so I can help." Washu directed.
"Four o' clock." Sasami peered inside the room where Heero and Trowa were working. "I'm going to go check on 'big' Washu."
"Do that." Heero nodded, not looking up. "We should still have a few hours."
"Yes." Tiny Washu agreed. "Two hours, twenty-four minutes. The seconds will be left up to my metabolism."
"Counting the minutes now?" Trowa was working out an intense calculation.
"I think I have the right to be worried." Washu sighed. "You're not the one dying."
"Oh no?" Trowa erased a few errors. "If we don't save you, we won't send Ryoko home. And if we don't send Ryoko home, I don't plan on surviving long."
Heero chuckled involuntarily. "She really bugs you, doesn't she?"
"She doesn't bug me… her moods do."
Heero laughed a little louder. "Are you done with that equation? Because if you are, we're all set."
Trowa penciled in a few more digits. "Yes. Please check this, Washu." He carried the scientist to his work.
"Yes… that's it alright! You're smarter than you look!" Washu giggled.
"Okay then, let's go set everything up." Heero felt relieved. These people had to leave.
"Hook that up there!" Duo pointed. "You've got to hook that up, Relena!"
"This?" Relena held up a wire.
"No, that!" Duo pointed again. "The yellow one!"
"Oh… hook it to what?" Relena asked.
"Hang on, I'll show you."
"And you should put that in my arm." Washu moved her head a little.
"What? That's sharp!" Quatre was holding a wire with a small blade attached.
"Mmm hmm. How else would you get it in my arm?"
"I'm not gonna do that! It'll hurt you!"
"I'm unconscious!"
"I'm not gonna do it!"
"Argh! Just close your eyes!"
"And we'll recreate the energy from here." Trowa was holding a small box, another project they had been up all night making. "So it will need to be aligned with the rod."
"Got it." Heero accepted the box. "Do you need it on a level plane?"
"No, slightly higher. The electricity had a tendency to descend once it's created."
"Get her off the bed." Wufei directed. "We don't want to start a fire or anything."
Ayeka lifted 'big' Washu and set her on a wooden chair. "Good enough?"
"That's perfect."
"Five thirty!" Sasami warned. "You guys better get to it!"
"We're fine." Washu assured. "We've got about an hour."
"And we're ready!" Duo announced. "Everything's set!"
The assembly looked nervous.
"Is everybody sure they know what to do?" Relena asked.
"I'm directing the lightning energy from here." Trowa answered.
"And them I'm gathering it here." Wufei continued, flipping a few switches on the lightning rod.
"And I'm overseeing the actual application of the energy to Washu." Quatre grimaced at the assorted wires stuck in Washu's left arm.
"Then let's go!" Tiny Washu would have smiled, if the doll could. "I can't wait to be out of this doll body!"
"Is everybody ready?" Heero glanced around.
Trowa, Wufei and Quatre nodded. The rest of the group shifted uneasily.
"Then go ahead and start." Heero nodded.
Trowa pressed the single button on the energy box and turned a knob slowly, increasing the electric force. He looked up at Wufei, who nodded. The box began to emit a line of light, which made its way to Wufei's lightning rod.
Wufei began pushing a variety of buttons, reshaping the electricity's form within the rod. He then flipped a large switch. 'Big' Washu trembled.
"Looking good." Quatre knelt by Washu's arm. The scientist shook momentarily… and then stopped.
"That's it…" Mihoshi looked hopeful.
"Well?" Duo asked the question on everybody's mind.
Quatre removed the wires from 'big' Washu's arm. Her eyes were still closed. Nothing apparent had changed. Quatre put two fingers to Washu's neck.
"How is she?" Ayeka murmured.
"How…" Quatre took Washu's face in his hands. "What about Tiny Washu?"
Tenchi examined the little toy. "Lifeless."
"Is she okay, Quatre?" Mihoshi began to feel concerned.
"She's…" Quatre ran a hand through Washu's limp hair. "She's… dead."
"What?" Ryoko exclaimed. "How is that possible?"
"This can't of happened…" Ayeka put an arm around Sasami, who had started shaking.
"No way…" Duo whispered.
"We did everything she said." Trowa looked confused. "Did it kill her?"
"I don't know…" Quatre released the lifeless scientist. Everybody saw how pale she was. Sasami started crying softly.
"We failed." Heero announced angrily. We totally failed!!"
Ryo-Ohki walked over slowly and sniffed Washu's hand. "Meow?"
"I know." Quatre stepped back, overwhelmed. "What do we do… now?"
Tenchi squeezed the doll in his hands tightly. "Washu… no."
Wufei stood silently, focused on the scientist's pitiful form.
"I can't believe this…" Ryoko levitated to where Trowa was standing. "I was so sure it was going to work."
"So was she." Trowa replied. He noticed tears in Ryoko's eyes. "You're… crying."
Ryoko nodded and flung herself at Trowa, but she did not attempt to crush him. "I did care… about going home… and Washu, too."
Confused, Trowa put his arms around her. "I know that. Me too."
"We tried." Ayeka sniffled. "We'll have to make our lives here now."
"Oh Ayeka." Sasami trembled.
"It's not your fault." Mihoshi had gravitated toward Quatre.
"What?" Quatre looked at her.
"You think it's your fault… but it's not." Mihoshi hugged him sadly. "At least I get to stay with you now."
Then, everybody in the room became speechless.
"Nobody's eating anything…" Sasami wasn't surprised. She hadn't felt like making breakfast anyway.
"It's really a horrible thing." Duo was facedown on the table.
"It really is." Ayeka patted Duo on the shoulder consolingly. "It always is."
'The breakfast table has never been this solemn.' Tenchi thought. 'I guess it will never be the same.' He fished the Tiny Washu doll out of his pocket and stared at it. 'Never.'
"Let me see that." Wufei held his hand out to Tenchi. He handed over the doll. "She was brave." Wufei set Tiny Washu on the table.
"Now you're going to make me cry again!" Mihoshi wailed. "In fact… wah!" She put her hands over her eyes.
"Don't do that, Mihoshi." Ayeka looked up. "Because you're making me…" She broke down sobbing as well.
Sasami followed her big sister and cried miserably.
Ryo-ohki began howling.
Ryoko sniffled sadly.
"What is wrong with you people?"
Everybody looked up, tears still rolling down their cheeks.
"Nobody was listening!" Washu herself entered the kitchen, just as alive as she had been before anything had happened. "I told you, souls don't travel that fast! And I must have an exceptionally pokey soul!"
"Washu…" Tenchi rose from his seat and took the scientist's hands in his. "Washu…"
"I know." Washu smiled. "You didn't know how you were going to survive without me… and I concede, it would have been tough!"
"Oh Miss Washu!" Ayeka started crying harder. "I am so happy now!"
"Nice to meet you in person." Quatre grinned.
"Oh definitely," Washu winked. "I am much more beautiful than that doll!"
Tenchi released her hands and gave her a hug. "I'm so happy to see you, Washu."
"Yeah thanks, Tenchi." Washu hugged him back. "I'm happy not to be dead too, you know! That would have been such a drag!"
"And so you can send us back!" Mihoshi laughed.
"Of course! It'll be simple. We've opened up a kind of passageway here in this hanger!" Washu was standing at the feet of Sandrock Kai.
"So you're leaving?" Relena was sitting on Wing Zero's foot.
"Oh… not yet." Washu closed her eyes thoughtfully. "I think I owe you all one."
"You don't owe us anything!" Quatre insisted. "I'm sure you would have done the same for us."
"That or dissect you!" Washu laughed evilly. "I am truly wicked, you know!"
"Doesn't seem that way." Heero raised an eyebrow at her.
"Well aren't you the gentleman? I could get to like it here!" Washu returned to her study of the 'passageway.'
"When do you plan on going home?" Ayeka asked impatiently.
"And can I bring Quatre with us?" Mihoshi begged.
"Quiet down you! I'll decide everything when it's time. Until then, enjoy yourselves." The scientist said.
"Oh I will, that's for sure!" Ryoko winked at Trowa. "And so will you!"
"Stop that." Trowa rolled his eyes.
"Stop pretending, Trowa. I know you've kind of started to like me!" Ryoko said seriously.
"Well… I…" Trowa stumbled.
"Shh. You can't fool me!" The space pirate hugged Trowa… gently.
"Hmm." Washu observed the couple. "I could swear that he really does have feelings for her. Doesn't that bother you, Tenchi?"
"What?" Tenchi pried his gaze away from Ryoko and Trowa. "What makes you say that?"
"Just that expression on your face, Tenchi. And why isn't Ayeka taking advantage of this?"
"Why should she?" Tenchi looked down. "She's fallen in love with Heero."
"Oh poor Tenchi!" Washu leaned towards him. "So you're saying you've lost your two biggest admirers?"
"It's a relief really. I haven't had a break from them in so long."
"But it's hard, anyway." Washu was quite close now. "And I'll bet you're so lonely!"
"What are you getting at, Washu?" Tenchi stepped backwards. Washu followed.
"I'll keep you company! I haven't fallen for a gundam pilot!"
"That's very nice, but I'm fine, really!"
"Would you look at them?" Ryoko turned Trowa's face toward Tenchi and Washu. "What's Tenchi doing?"
"He looks uncomfortable." Trowa watched Tenchi squirm as Washu advanced closer.
"He should be." Ryoko looked broken hearted. "What is he doing with her? Is he trying to make me jealous?"
"I don't think so."
"You mean you don't think Tenchi would want to make me jealous? We've known each other for a long time and…"
"Aren't you trying to make him jealous?"
"No…" Ryoko looked back at Trowa uneasily. "There's no… reason to. I'm going to forget all about him." She leaned against Trowa. "After all, he's already forgotten all about me…"
Quatre was playing the violin for Mihoshi. She was sitting with her mouth open and her hands clasped together. He ended the piece and sat next to her.
"That's wonderful, Quatre! You are so talented!" Mihoshi clapped.
"Thanks. Listen Mihoshi, there's something I've got to tell you."
"Really? What?" Mihoshi's eyes grew wide.
"I can't… I can't go back with you… to your world." Quatre cringed as he said it.
"Why not?"
"Everybody needs me here. I belong here."
"But nobody's nice to you here!" Mihoshi sniffled.
"Yes they are! In their own ways…"
"Not really. None of them appreciate you."
"I don't think that's true, Mihoshi."
"Maybe if you saw the other world, you'd change your mind."
"No. I have responsibilities. I'll always have responsibilities… it's just who I am."
"Please come back with me! I promise you'd be happy."
"I already know I would be." Quatre brushed her cheek with the back of his hand. "It just wouldn't work out. Everything is so different there, from what you've told me."
"It would work…" Mihoshi protested. "You could belong there."
"I'm sorry, Mihoshi. I can't!"
Mihoshi looked devastated.
Quatre shifted his eyes downward, unable to look at the saddened girl's face. "There are disasters happening as a result of the war every day. At least I have the power to do something… about some of them. It's a relief to see that people really can affect their lives… and their future. I can't turn my back on the future. Not for you. Not even for myself."
"Those are very good reasons." The detective smiled a bit. "But then again, you are the reasonable one. Out of the gundam pilots, I mean."
"Sometimes I wish I could take just one day off from my standpoint, and see the world from somebody else's view. Somebody like you… nothing ever seems to ruin your day. That's probably why I like you so much."
"My days get ruined, too. But it is a talent to let it all go and get on with your life. I think it's about time you got on with yours, Quatre." Mihoshi stood up. "Listen, you think about what's important… I mean really important. If you change your mind, I'll be waiting. I think this world has killed you enough."
Quatre watched his foreign friend leave the room, disheartened. Of course she had a point. Probably a very good point, too, but what could he do? Realistically, his only choice was to stay and clean up the post-war mess.
"What kind of future is that?" Quatre packed his expensive violin into a closet.
"The current count is: fifteen pieces of furniture in my room that I was completely unaware of! That's not counting the footstool of course, since it's more of a decoration." Duo checked a mark on a pad of paper excitedly.
"Well, that's the bonus to being tidy." Sasami giggled. "I also found this in a pile of dust." Sasami opened one of the (now shining) drawers and fished out an elaborate set of chopsticks.
"Hey! I was looking for those!" Duo accepted the eating utensils gratefully. "These ones are special! They're lucky."
"Then why'd you lose them?"
"Guess I'm not very good at keeping track of anything. Nothings really that important to me anyway… except for Deathscythe of course."
Sasami nodded. Most the pilots seemed relatively uninterested in owning things. Quatre seemed to be an exception, but the things he owned brought all kinds of pressure. The mansions, and heirlooms, and natural resources all seemed to be an unavoidable burden to him. But Duo was different. It seemed that people and things had entered and left his life so sporadically, that he learned to be unattached to anything. "Kind of sad." Sasami voiced.
"Hmm? Did you say something?" Duo smiled. "Well, you know… you did such a great job cleaning up and everything. I thought it would be nice if you kept these." He handed her the chopsticks.
"You know I couldn't!" Sasami was shocked. "I've been helping you guys out because I wanted to! You don't owe me anything."
"Yeah but you're stuck with Ryoko and Ayeka dueling it out every breakfast. The way I see it, you could use all the extra luck you can. I'm already lucky enough as it is."
"Well," Sasami shyly accepted the present. "When you put it that way… thank you." She bowed respectfully.
"Don't mention it."
"Interesting." Washu tapped her lower lip. "Very interesting."
"What's so interesting?" Ayeka tried to peek over Washu's shoulder and catch a glimpse at her computer screen, but the pink-haired scientist was a bit too quick. Ayeka hadn't seen anything. "Why don't you just tell me for once, instead of playing this childish game?"
"Why? Number one, my cute princess, it's really none of your business what I'm doing. Number two," At this point, she switched off the computer screen and turned to regard Ayeka. "I don't think I'm the only one playing childish games."
"I don't remember ever hiding scientific discoveries of mine!"
"That's not what I meant."
"What then? Why do you like playing these guessing games?"
"What I really mean, Ayeka, is that you're being rather selfish and cruel."
"Just because I want to know what you're up to?"
"No! I mean to Tenchi, of course." Washu sighed.
"Tenchi's upset?" Ayeka clasped her hands hopefully. "Did he say that? Does he miss me terribly?"
"I don't think upset's really the word. Try worried."
"Worried? That's it? Just worried, and nothing else?"
"Listen Ayeka, just drop your phony act, nobody's buying it… besides, Heero Yuy won't ever look twice at you. You're better off being honest."
"I tried that." Ayeka despaired. "I tried it for a long time, but Tenchi never noticed. I couldn't let Ryoko make Tenchi jealous and not try…"
"You're not pulling it off. Sorry."
Ayeka folded her arms and glared at Washu icily. What did she know anyway? Well, actually she knew quite a bit… but not about this! 'But I haven't gotten any results at all… and I really do miss Tenchi. I even miss fighting over him with Ryoko. Blech, what am I thinking?'