Disclaimer: Characters and concepts from "Tenchi Muyo!" were created by Kajishima Masaki and Hitoshi Okuda, and are Copyright AIC and Pioneer LDC. This work is a parody and not to be used for any commercial purposes.
Tree and Infancy, Ch. 2
It was bedtime, and Ayeka was having another problem. She had a book titled "Journey to the West" open on her lap, and it was a little larger than her lap, and she was reading slowly from it. "The old man ...answered...'This...unworthy...place is called the...Flaming...Mountain. It is hot in all...four...seasons.'" She looked up from the book. "I'm sorry, Sasami. It's really hard now. I know the words, but it's like I haveta -- have to -- look up all the bigger words in a big dish'nary --dict-tio-nary-- in my head."
"That's okay, Ayeka." Sasami consoled. "Tomorrow we can get someone else to read the bedtime story. Say--I bet brother Tenchi would read it if we asked him nicely."
"That would be great!" Ayeka clapped her hands. With a bit of difficulty, she closed the book and put it on one of the lower shelves. She went back to her futon and pulled the sheet half-way over herself.
"It still feels strange to wear p'jamas again."
Sasami smiled. "I think it's a good idea, though. You're probably going to move around a lot more when you're asleep." She turned off the light, and got into her own futon.
"I guess so." Still, Ayeka tried to arrange herself in the classic sleeping pose, facing straight up, and her arms folded in so that her hands just crossed on her lower abdomen. "Sasami?" she asked uncertainly.
"Yes?"
"How long do you think Lord Tenchi will wait for me to grow again?"
Sasami considered her reply. "Brother Tenchi is fair-minded and very kind. I think he would wait at least several years." I've always hoped he would wait long enough for me to grow up, she added silently.
"I hope he doesn't have to," Ayeka said. "Oyasumi, Sasami-chan (good night, little Sasami)."
"Oyasumi, Ayeka-chan." There were two giggles, and then two pairs of eyes closed.
About an hour later there was a soft buzzing sound near the ceiling. Ryoko's head emerged from empty air, and the cyan-haired woman looked down on the two sleepers. Sasami's prediction was coming true, for Ayeka's small body was now sprawled almost diagonally across the mattress. Ryoko smiled quietly, then looked further around the room. She noticed that the small statuette of Yosho must have been put away. A thought occurred to her. I kind of like Ayeka that size, too . . .
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The morning sun edged its way into the isolated valley of the Masaki shrine. A passerby would have concluded that here was a part of Japan where time almost stood still. Such a passerby would have been mostly right, but the currents of fashion could be felt even in such a place, however much an old shrine priest might struggle to keep them away. He might drop hints about tradition, or he might speak directly of unhealthy habits, but occasionally distasteful things would happen. Like his son-in-law developing a fondness for coffee instead of tea.
Nobuyuki, like many Japanese professionals, had become an enthusiastic coffee drinker. He claimed it helped him work more productively, and made him more respected at the office. Katsuhito shook his head, and predicted trouble. And trouble had arrived, although not what Katsuhito expected.
"I'm sure I can still help with the coffee, Sasami." Ayeka was surprisingly eager to lend a hand that morning. At her urging Washu had made a smock small enough to fit her. She had also borrowed a pair of Sasami's hair covers.
"Well," Sasami replied uncertainly, "I don't want you to get hurt. See if you can get the coffee maker out."
"Okay." In spite of the fact that there was a shiny red coffee maker with advanced-looking displays sitting plugged in on the counter, Ayeka trotted over to a nearby cupboard and opened it. She pushed aside a large pot and dragged out a cardboard box. From this, with noticeable effort, she lifted a plain-looking black coffee-maker. "See? I can do it."
Sasami took the black coffee-maker from Ayeka's arms and set it on the counter. "I think you should have Ryo-Ohki's help. Time to transform, Ryo-chan!"
"Mya!" the cabbit leaped off of Sasami's head, and changed with a soft "pop" into her toddler form.
In the meantime, Ayeka clambered up onto the counter, kneeling to keep her feet off the surface, and began measuring scoops of ground coffee into the two machines. As she finished each one, Sasami poured in the water. Sasami then unplugged the red coffee-maker, and plugged in the black one. Ayeka jumped off the counter, and Sasami handed the red one to Ayeka and Ryo-Ohki. Each holding one side, the tot-sized pair brought the device out of the kitchen, through the living room, and then through the sliding door out of the house.
Once outside, they proceeded to a flat rock on the ground, surrounded by a patch of ground that was bare except for a few shriveled clumps of grass.
"We'll set it down here, Ryo-Ohki," Ayeka instructed.
"Myaa." the toddler-cabbit agreed.
With a little maneuvering between the two of them, they lowered the red coffee-maker gently to the surface of the rock. After making sure it was steady, they turned and started back to the house. Ryo-Ohki began skipping, and Ayeka found herself joining in. Once back inside, Ayeka opened a closet and pull out a large roll of extension cord. She passed the plug end to Ryo-Ohki.
"Okay, Ryo-Ohki, take this end to Sasami." Ayeka said. The toddler-cabbit walked back to the kitchen, trailing the cord. Ayeka herself dragged her end out to the coffee-maker on the rock, and connected it. Returning to the house, she slid the glass door shut. Ryo-Ohki joined her, and they both looked through the glass. "All ready!" Ayeka called over her shoulder.
"FIRE IN THE HOLE!" Sasami shouted, and plugged her end of the extension cord in.
The red coffee-maker seemed to give a burp. Then another. Steam started coming out, and a high-pitched whine began to build in volume. More and more steam covered the area, and then there was a yellow flash from within the cloud, and the boom of an explosion.
Up on the hill of the main carrot field, a startled Tenchi turned towards the sound. "A quarter after six already?" He said aloud. He grasped his hoe and redoubled his efforts on the furrow in front of him.
Back in the kitchen, Sasami pulled the plug back out of the wall socket, shaking her head. She turned and flicked the switch on the black coffee-maker, which gave a gentle gurgle and began to make coffee.
In the meantime, there was a knock on the door to the closet under the stairs. The door opened, and Washu looked out. She glanced downwards, to discover Ayeka and Ryo-Ohki wearing oven mitts, and offering her the smoking remains of a red coffee-maker.
"Rats! I was sure I had it this time!" Washu said. "Are you sure Mihoshi didn't go near it?"
Ayeka giggled at that. "Yes I am, Lady Washu. Miss Mihoshi is still asleep."
Washu fixed the little princess with a freezing glare. "I suppose you could do better?"
"I wouldn't mess--" Ayeka began, then thought better of it. "Ahh. . .if I were the greatest scient'if in the universe, I would invent something better, like . . ." she paused, then inspiration struck, "a lev'tation belt for my friend so she could reach the shelves in the kitchen."
"Oh, you can get Ryoko to fly up to the higher shelves." Washu waved a hand in dismissal. "I, Washu, will not be foiled by some native beverage on a back-water colony planet! Time to approach this at the quark level instead of the molecular level!" Taking the wreck of her coffee-maker, she stalked back into her lab with a diabolical laugh.
"We're gonna need a longer 'stension cord." said Ayeka.
"Mya." Ryo-Ohki nodded.
Setting the breakfast table was another thing that Ayeka could only do part-way. The chabudai table was low enough for her to reach, but the plates were now too heavy for her to carry more than a few at a time. A displeased Ryoko found herself doing that part, while Ayeka got the chopsticks and napkins. Ryoko looked suspiciously at Ayeka, wondering why she was insisting on doing things.
The answer became clearer when Tenchi walked in after completed the early morning work in the carrot fields. "I helped, Lord Tenchi!" Ayeka said, running up to Tenchi and evidently hoping to be hugged.
"I helped, too." Ryoko pointed out quickly. Ayeka shot her a glare.
Tenchi smiled at the two. "Thank you both," he said, gave a polite bow to each, and went into the kitchen to wash his hands. Ayeka said a word that four-year-olds are not supposed to know.
But breakfast proceeded surprisingly smoothly after that. Ayeka concentrated on using the chopsticks, scooping as Ryoko had advised with the more difficult foods, and using them the usual way with pieces of rolled omelet. For her part, Ryoko refrained from snatching any food from Ayeka's plate.
As breakfast was finishing, Ayeka spoke up. "I just thought of something. I know it's kinda like lying, but I think it would be better if my parents didn't know about this."
Ryoko thought for a moment. "You don't want to be taken back to Jurai, huh?" She gave a sidelong glance at Tenchi. "I don't know, Ayeka. I think you'd be much better off with your parents to take care of you."
"You just want me out of the way!" Ayeka protested.
"Who, me?" Ryoko put on her best innocent look. "I'm just looking out for your welfare."
"Ayeka should not go anywhere." Washu said flatly. "This is connected with her tree, so she should stay close."
"You just want to do some more tests." Ryoko accused.
"Who me?" Now it was Washu's turn to look innocent.
"Well, that's all right." Sasami spoke up cheerfully. "Ayeka can stay here, and I'm sure Mother will come to help for a while."
Ryo-Ohki smiled at the idea of Masaki being at the house. The entire rest of the family looked appalled. Ryoko's face especially had an expression like someone who discovers she's on the track of a runaway train.
"On second thought," said the ex-space-pirate, "I'm sure Queen Misaki has enough to concern herself with. Let's keep this quiet. "
"At least until we have a better idea how long this will last," Tenchi found himself agreeing. Heads nodded around the table.
A short time later, Ryoko was starting to regret not getting extra help. Sasami was washing the breakfast dishes, and the cyan-haired woman was drying, falling further and further behind to Sasami's amazing speed.
"Wouldn't it be easier to have an automatic dishwasher?" Ryoko said plaintively.
"Oh, I don't mind." Sasami's voice was as cheerful as ever. (Ryoko couldn't help thinking that one member of the team did mind.) "But more important, Washu would want to 'improve' the dishwasher, and you know what would happen then."
"You have a point. Still, I wish--" And in the middle of her complaint, Ryoko giggled.
"See, it's not really bad at all." Sasami said.
"That's not me!" Ryoko said hastily. "I'm still having a lousy time; that must have come from Ryo-Ohki!" Her head turned as loud thumps started to come from the living room. "Oh-for-crying-out--" Ryoko dashed for the door.
In the living room beyond, several cushions had been dragged into place on the floor to form a sort of obstacle course between the couch and a large armchair. Ayeka and Ryo-Ohki were bouncing energetically back and forth between the two pieces of furniture, and squealing in delight.
"Stop that!" Ryoko remembered Washu's warning that Ayeka's brain might not be entirely stable. "Ayeka, that's not safe!"
"And when did you li'then to me about being safe?" Ayeka kept bouncing.
"Aw, man -- you sneaked some of Nobuyuki's coffee, didn't you?" Ryoko made the connection.
"Yeah! It tastes bad unless you put in lotsa sugar!"
"Just great." Ryoko moaned. "Ryo-Ohki, come here!"
"Mya, mya, myaa!" the toddler-cabbit showed no more sign of slowing down than Ayeka.
"Who's a wet blanket?" Ryoko demanded. She leaped to catch Ryo-Ohki. In mid-air, Ryo-Ohki transformed back into her small cabbit form, and Ryoko caught nothing but air. "Bad, bad battleship!" she yelled in frustration. "And, you Ayeka, why can't you be more like your sister--"
But at that moment Ryoko realized that the thumping and yells of delight had redoubled. She turned her head, and was scandalized to see Sasami also bouncing between the cushions. "Hey, Ryoko, this is really fun!" shouted the newly largest of the princesses.
"Sasami!" Ryoko's voice rose another notch. Further attempts at catching misbehavors were ruled out, as she found she needed to hold her own head with both hands to keep it from exploding. "Enough! All of you, stop this before someone gets--"
But she was interrupted by a crash as the armchair was landed on by too much weight, and overturned. Ryoko hurried to the spot, and saw a shock of blonde hair spilling out from under the wreckage. "MIHOSHI?"
"Itai (oww)," came the GP detective's lament.
"Hmm. This is going to be even more interesting than I thought." Washu remarked from the open doorway to her lab.
"This is going to be a complete nightmare." Ryoko countered. And if the pirate guilds ever find out about this, I'll never live it down. Ayeka, when you've grown up again -- you're toast!
(To be continued . . .)
Author's note: It could be argued that Ryoko should be able to keep up with Sasami with the dishes. However, in "No Need for Tenchi!" manga Vol. 8, "Chef of Iron", Sasami shows herself to be a champion dishwasher as well as cook.