Episode Three - Too many cooks?

Scene One

Zoerat waves its hands around it's crystal ball. "Nephrat, report."

"Lord Zoerat, I have found a source of great power. Tomorrow there will be a ceremony where the young female humans will celebrate their coming of age. They will be radiating tremendous amounts of energy."

"You have done well, Nephrat. Still, this might be a phenomena we'll want to study close up."

"Yes, sire."

"I will raise a droido for you to use. Infiltrate one of these ceremonies."

"Yes!" Nephrat makes a fist and holds it to his chest in a salute.

"Behold, Chefarat!" A new rat appears.

"Excellent, your highness. We will transform top-side. Their energy will belong to us!"

Zoerat nods and returns to studying its crystal ball.

Scene Two

Rei looks at Serina with distrust. "What do you mean, you want to help with the ceremony tomorrow?"

"Rei, you're so suspicious. I happen to remember my coming of age ceremony fondly and want to pass on the good experience."

Rei does a slow burn, then has a sly smile cross her lips. "This wouldn't have anything to do with the fact that Tenchi is also helping out, now would it Serina?"

Rini's annoying voice pops up. "Gee, two timing on my Darren one week after he gets a job out of town to avoid you?"

"Shut up you little fungus!"

"Rini, would you like to help tomorrow with scout business?"

"Would I? Of course!"

"Okay, both of you come here first thing tomorrow. You'll both be able to keep an eye on Tenchi."

Rini jumps up and down "Yea!"

"Rei, this better not be a practical joke."

"Serina, trust me, you'll have an important job."

Scene Three

Sasami and Washu sit on the porch.

"Sasami, are you sure you want to go through with this plan?"

"Washu, according to Mihoshi's report, there was a monstrous demon in the public bath near Tenchi's apartment."

"Yes, with short hair."

"So, I need to be near Tenchi to protect him."

"Shouldn't we just warn Tenchi?"

Sasami sighs. "That would just get him upset. He should be enjoying Tokyo."

"Okay, but won't Tenchi recognize you?"

"Not if I dress as a young boy cooking prodigy." Sasami points her finger in the air and winks.

"Okay, I'll hack into the Hino Shrine's catering company's computer and get you in there."

"There you two are."

Sasami and Washu jump a bit.

"Plotting monkey business to get with my Tenchi?"

"Ayeka, you know Tenchi is in danger," Sasami scolds her older sister.

Ayeka's frown softens. "Yes, I suppose you're right. But if I can be any help?"

"We have it covered for tomorrow, but we'll keep you in mind!" Washu give Ayeka a big smile.

Ayeka smiles and walks back into the house. Washu and Sasami breathe a sigh of relief.

Scene Four

Ami, Lita and Mina sit around a low table in a living room.

"Lita, thanks ever so much for letting us use your apartment for study buddies."

"Thanks, Ami, it's the least I could do, with Rei and Serina preparing for the girls ceremony."

"Did you two have a girls ceremony?"

Lita and Ami giggle.

"I had a real good time at my girls ceremony..." Lita eyes glaze over.

Flashback to an outdoor festival. A younger looking Lita sits at a table with a bunch of other girls, all shorter than her.

"...I told one of the servers that the pastry was over cooked. Before I left, the cook came out and apologized and gave me a freshly baked pastry."

"Wow, Lita, that must have been great." Mina says.

"It was still over cooked, but I didn't want to embarrass him further, he looked very sad."

Mina smiles. "How was yours Ami?"

"My mother didn't let me take any books, so I was real fidgety..."

Flashback to a younger looking Ami with longer hair sitting by herself at a raucous ceremony, with kids running around having a good time.

"Then an older Shrine Priest talked to me, and said that I would have plenty of time to study tomorrow, but this day was special and was only going to happen for me once and I should experience it fully."

The Shrine priest is recognizable as Tenchi's grandfather.

"So I joined in the games. I actually forgot all about studying and had a great time."

Lita's eye widen. "Wow!"

"Yes, I'll never forget my time at the Masaki Shrine."

Mina does a double take. "Ami, why didn't you say you were at the Masaki shrine before?"

"Oh, I was just there once. Besides, I wouldn't have been interested by Tenchi wasn't there since he was a boy."

Mina gets a sly look on her face. "So, you're interested in him now since he's no longer a boy?"

Ami blushes. "That's not what I meant!"

"What about you Mina? What about your ceremony?" Lita gives Mina an inquisitive look.

"I had a good time..."

Flashback to Mina in a colorful kimono at a more subdued, but happy ceremony.

"If it wasn't for this one girl who had a more colorful kimono than mine. I used to hate that girl for a long time, but now I don't."

Lita and Ami get in her face with raised eyebrows. "Humm?" Both say in unison.

"Because it was Rei! I've never told her this though."

The other two girls giggle.

Artimus bounds into the room. "Hey scouts, you better turn on the TV!"

Lita turns on the TV, cutting off Mina. "Allow me."

"... This makes the total number of victims of this strange new disease twenty-five. The victims seem to lose all their energy."

The girls gasp.

Artimus jumps on the TV. "I think we may be dealing with a Negaverse attack."

"But what are we going to do Artimus? There doesn't seem to be any pattern to their attack."

"You're right Mina, Luna and I have been working hard on this case but it seems like they're everywhere and nowhere at once."

"Well, I think we should get back to studying. Maybe they'll tip their hand soon? They don't seem very bright."

Artimus slumps his head. "You might be right about that Ami."

Scene Five

"Rei, Rei this is the best outfit ever." Rini walks around in a mini kimono, stopping to strike poses.

"Rei, I am going to kill you."

"Serina, you said you wanted to keep your eye on Tenchi. He's also going to be clown! So start getting happy, the kids will be here in one hour."

Serina, in full clown garb and make up, slumps.

"Ah, ha. Serina can't even be a clown right." Rini sticks out her tongue.

"Now, if you'll excuse me, I'll check on the chefs."

Rei walks over to a tent where three cooks prepare food.

"Is everything okay?"

A small man with a mustache turns around, puts his finger in the air and says "It will be unquestionably delicious!"

The two larger men nod.

Rei walks out of the tent and when she does, a shadow falls on the two men who grin evil grins from the darkness.

Commercial Break

Scene Six

Chaos reins supreme. Rei, Chad, Grand Father Hino and Rini run around serving food, giving presents, and leading in games. Serina and Tenchi try to entertain the girls with routines, but the girls are more amused by Serina's lack of coordination.

Chefarat and Nephrat walk out of the tent. They take off their chef hats and shake out their hair.

Unseen by Chefarat and Nephrat, Rini sneaks into the tent and rubs her brow. She sees Sasami talking to Ryo-oki in her normal voice.

"I have a bad feeling about those other two cooks, they may be after Lord Tenchi."

Ryo-oki nods.

Rini gasps.

Sasami looks around and in her fake male voice says "Oh, Rini, is it time for the clam pastries yet?"

"You're not a guy, you're a girl."

"Okay, sure, but it's hard to break into the world of catering if you're a girl."

"And, why are you taking to that rabbit?"

Sasami puts her hand to her head, "Oh, that's just my lucky pet."

"I think you're up to no good."

"Hasn't the food been good so far? I saw you snitching some of the food you were supposed to be serving."

Rini gets embarrassed. "Yes, it was yummy."

"Try some of the clam pastry."

"How do I know you're not a monster and this is a trick?"

"We'll split one, okay?"

"Sure!"

Outside the tent, Nephrat nods to Chefarat. "It is time."

Chefarat nods and transforms into a hideous half rat, half chef.

"Chefarat, drain their energy!"

Chefarat raises his soup ladle and energy waves flow towards the ladle from all directions. Serina falls on top of Tenchi. The girls all collapse.

Nephrat laughs.

Rini is on the floor of the tent, trying to fight it off. "She must have poisoned the pastry."

Ryo-oki nudges a groggy Sasami "Time to change."

Sasami nods. "Juckum, juckem, gukem, no siree berets! Sami Davis broiler chicken!" Sasami transforms. "This is a job for Pretty Girl Sami!"

Rini looks miserable. "Why can she transform and I can't? It's not fair!" Rini passes out.

Sami looks out the tent flap and sees the Negarat monster. "It's stealing everyone's energy."

"Sami, don't go out there, Washu will surely see you."

"You're right Ryo-oki, but I have to do something."

"Use Pretty Archery."

Chefarat stands laughing collecting energy. Suddenly he is shot with a arrow, turns to cheese and vaporizes.

Nephrat gets a scared look on his face, turns into a rat and vanishes into the bushes.

Ryo-oki nudges Sami. "We better get out of here."

Sami turns back into Sasami. "Wait one minute."

Sasami helps Rini up. "Are you okay?"

"You can transform."

"Rini, can you keep a secret? After all, I did get rid of the monster outside that was stealing people's energy."

Rini looks skeptical. "I don't know."

"Split another pastry?"

"But, you poisoned it."

"I'll eat first." Sasami eats half of a pastry.

After a few seconds Rini eats the other half and they both laugh.

Back in the main festival area, people start waking up.

Chad tries desperately to cover. "Okay, people, did we all have an excellent nap?"

Serina wakes up and is happy for one split second that she's with Tenchi, then gets horribly embarrassed.

Tenchi wakes up, realizes what happened and pulls away, embarrassed.

Rini enters. She pushes a pastry cart. "How wants clam pastries?" The girls mob the cart. Rini steps back. "I wonder if I'll see that young girl with the bunny again?"

Scene Seven

Nephrat appears before Zoerat. "Our droido was killed with one blast. We could absorb no energy from the blow."

Zoerat is enraged. "Nephrat, you failed me!"

Nephrat has a look of horror, then falls, body completely stiff.

Zoerat kicks Nephrat's lifeless body into the sewer stream. "Why did his failure not surprise me?"

Scene Eight

Sunset at the Hino Shrine. The young girls leave as Tenchi, Rei, Serina, Chad, Rini and Grand Father Hino wave good bye.

"Are you three going to help clean up?"

"Well, I have to study."

"And, I have to get Rini home."

"Dudes, no problem. I feel energized by those kids."

Rei sighs. "Okay, Chad, I guess you can handle it. Why don't you two change inside?"

As Serina and Tenchi enter the Temple, Tenchi stops her. "Serina, I just want to thank you for bailing me out out there. I would never have gotten a laugh if it wasn't for you. You're a natural."

Serina looks depressed. "A natural klutz."

"No, it's a gift and you should be happy for it."

Serina smiles, clown face and all.

End Theme for credits: "Talent For Love" (Tenchi OVA ending theme)