Aikan Muyo
Chapter 8 - No Need For Experimentation

     "It's poetry in motion,
      She turned her tender eyes to me,
      As deep as any ocean,
      As sweet as any harmony.
      But she blinded me with science,
      and failed me in biology."
        -- "She Blinded Me With Science", Thomas Dolby


Story by Happosai
Pre-reading by Ryan Anderson and Brazil
Wardrobe assistance by Adam Alman, Joshua Prismon, and Tim Sovine

Disclaimer: Tenchi Muyo and its characters are the property of AIC and
Pioneer. If any of their lawyers are reading this, please don't sue
me. Instead, pass my humble work on to the creative geniuses behind
this my favorite series, in the hope that they might actually like it.



Somewhere in the vast emptiness of the universe, near the edge of a
huge, drifting cloud of reddish gas and dust, a ship floated, its
three occupants dutifully keeping watch on the frontier of the space
claimed by their home planet. One of them, the master of the ship,
looked out at the seemingly-unchanging nebula that his fellow Juraians
called the Kouruikiri, the Fog of Blood Tears. Its color was not the
only reason for its name. Many battles had been fought here through
the ages, countless lives taken by the weapons of foes or the deadly,
merciless void. And unbeknownst to those aboard the graceful ship
named Matsu-oh, another conflict was about to ensue.

"Kehata, anything interesting to report?" asked the tall,
eagle-featured Juraian.

"No, Kajimoto-dono," replied the guardian. "Nothing at all."

"No messages from Jurai, either," added the other guardian.

"Thank you, Youkado."

"My pleasure."

Kajimoto disciplined himself, forcing himself to stand at his position
and not pace around the deck. His knew his attention wasn't truly
necessary. Kehata and Youkado could easily control the ship without
his oversight, except in combat. And they would alert him instantly,
should anything out of the ordinary occur. But it was a matter of
principle and pride. So he swept his gaze across the red nebula and
black emptiness, as if his eyes could see an enemy before Matsu-oh's
sensors did.

"Detecting gravitational distortion at the edge of the nebula nearest
to us, Kajimoto-dono," reported Kehata suddenly.

"Show me."

Diagrams and lists of data hovered in the air in front of him.

"Why the large uncertainty factor?" he demanded.

"Many circumstances regarding the nebula make scans unreliable,"
apologized the guardian.

"Well, we have to investigate this. It could be pirates, or smugglers.
Take us towards it. Youkado, send a report of our departure from
assigned patrol route."

"At once, Kajimoto-dono."

After a few minutes, they were much closer, almost within the
Kouruikiri's outer veils. "Any improvement in the scans?" asked
Kajimoto.

"I'm afraid not," replied Kehata. "Error probability is very high, but
it's most likely a large ship, or a tight formation of several small
ones. However, it could also be matter in the early stages of stellar
collapse."

"If its a ship or ships, they seem to want us to follow them in,"
mused Kajimoto out loud. "So the best thing to do, would be to wait
for them here." He considered this for a moment. "Kehata, hold our
position."

"Yes, sir." Matsu-oh glided smoothly to a halt.

"Let's see if they'd care to show themselves," said Kajimoto.

As if in answer to a taunt, the blood-colored clouds of the Kouruikiri
swirled and parted. Kajimoto's eyes widened as he saw what emerged.

"Large ship, closing on us at extremely high speed," warned Kehata
unnecessarily.

For just a moment, Kajimoto's training and discipline fled him in the
face of the enormous vessel filling his view. "Back us away, and
identify that!" he said, recovering.

"No match in current data banks," said Kehata. "Accessing archives.
Found one match, probability one-hundred percent. Results now on
display."

"It can't be!" gasped Kajimoto.

"Match probability is one-hundred percent," reiterated the guardian.

Kajimoto fixed his gaze on his enemy, knowing he was about to die, and
not particularly concerned about it. There was something more
important than survival he had to accomplish. He snapped an order to
Youkado.

"Transmit to Jurai: Kajimoto of Matsu-oh, about to be destroyed by..."

His prediction was cut short, transformed abruptly into fact.

Beams of green energy slashed into the Juraian ship. It came apart
under the force of its much-larger foe's attack. The shattered remains
of the Matsu-oh, now little more than a cloud of worthless debris,
began to drift.

Aboard the huge silver-white vessel, someone smiled. Not all of what
was left was valueless. Great care had been taken to see that the most
important part of Matsu-oh, its heart and brain, remained intact.

Amidst the wreckage of the Juraian ship, a tree floated, totally
unscathed.

The smile deepened. The experiment had been a complete success.

Somewhere very far from the flotsam that marked the site of Kajimoto's
violent death in service to Jurai, one of his relatives was quite
unaware of his demise. She was occupied with concerns completely
unlike those that had filled his last moments of life.

Aeka tied a length of purple silk around Tenchi's ankles as he sat
naked on his bed. Moonlight streamed through the window, softly
lighting their skin and glistening on the princess' shiny leather
attire. She pulled the whip from her belt, brushed it against Tenchi's
neck, then set it down on the night stand without another glance.

Aeka leaned over and kissed him as the sound of romantic samisen
strings played from the stereo at exactly the right volume so that it
could only be heard if consciously listened for. It wasn't Tenchi's
kind of music. It was a just little too soft and traditional. But he
didn't mind. Aeka liked it, and it was like Aeka. It suited her.

"Uh, Ae-chan..." he started to say.

"Oujo-sama," she insisted softly.

"Oujo-sama, please don't be insulted, but I still think it's kind
of... strange. It's *really* a Juraian tradition?"

Aeka smiled warmly. "Oh, yes, Ten-chan. I know it doesn't seem so, but
there is deep meaning in all of this." She looked him in eyes. "Every
small thing I do says that I love you, in a different way."

"Well, what about...?" he asked, nodding towards his feet.

"That is so you cannot run. It says `There will be no escape from my
love, for you.' Now, give me your hands."

He held out his wrists to her. She bound them with another length of
silk.

"And this," she explained, "is so that you cannot stop me. It says `My
love will be something you can never resist.'"

"But Ae-chan, I wouldn't *want* to. So, why?"

Aeka gently forced Tenchi prone. She lay down on top of him, and
whispered in his ear.

"I will permit no more questions tonight, Ten-chan. You will call me
`oujo-sama.' And you will obey."

Then her lips pressed against his, their touch a warm, soft,
irresistible command. 

She slid up between his arms, and her  fingertips began to dance over
his skin. He tried his best to return her caress despite his bonds,
having been told that he wasn't supposed to slip out of them, no
matter what happened.

"Now, Ten-chan," Aeka said, her voice seductive but stern as she moved
off of him and lay down at his side, "give me pleasure. I command it!"

Tenchi smiled and started kissing her neck, wondering again what the
point was of her ordering him to do what he wanted to do anyway.

"Yes, but more, Ten-chan!" she gasped, reaching down to his penis and
stroking it. "Show me the full truth of your loyalty. Submit your
flesh to me, that I might accept it. Submit!"

Tenchi kept on kissing her neck, moving down towards to her shoulder.

"Ten-chan, you are being most uncooperative," she chided.

"I am?" he asked, still kissing.

Her thumb and finger closed around his shaft, tugging gently. "When I
tell you to submit your flesh to me, that means I want you to put it
in. You simply *must* learn these things. They are important."

"Sorry. Can't we do it without the poetry?" asked Tenchi.

"No. That would be vulgar," she insisted. "Now submit, Ten-chan. Or I
will be very angry with you."

"Yes, oujo-sama," Tenchi replied. He pulled her closer, penetrated
her, and started slowly thrusting. Aeka closed her eyes and gave a
passionate moan. Then she brought her lips to his ear.

"Body... heart... soul..." she whispered, wrapping her arms and legs
around him, "as I told you... Ten-chan.... you have... but to obey..."

Downstairs, Sasami and Ryoko sat at the kitchen table, drinking  mugs
of warm milk while discussing the not-so-successful mission of piracy
they'd just returned from. Ryo-oh-ki waited at Sasami's elbow, eating
carrots as fast as the princess could feed them to her.

Ryoko glared at the cabbit. "You don't deserve those, after disobeying
my orders like that!" she growled. Ryo-oh-ki huddled down for a
moment, fearing her mistress' wrath.

"Please don't be mad at her, Ryoko," pleaded Sasami. 

"I *am* mad at her. We'd have had a lot more fun if she'd done what I
said."

"But it'd be really mean to make Ryo-oh-ki do something she didn't
want to, just so we could have fun."

"You're spoiling her, Sasami. What if it had been something
*important*?"

"Ryo-oh-ki would know the difference," answered the princess
confidently, giving the cabbit an affectionate pat on the head.

"MIYA!" agreed Ryo-oh-ki.

Ryoko bent down and brought her nose within an inch of the cabbit's, a
very stern look on her face. "I mean it, furball. You'd better listen
to me from now on. What if *Tenchi* was in danger? Can I depend on you
*then*?"

"MIYA!!!" assured Ryo-oh-ki.

"Yeah, so you *say*. After tonight, and the way you disobeyed me last
time because you had the hots for that damn flea-bitten pest
Ken-oh-ki..."

"MIYAAAAAA!!!!!!" protested Ryo-oh-ki angrily.

"Don't talk back to *me*, you little traitor! There's no *way* I'm
letting you near him again."

"Miiiyyyaaaaaa..." whined the cabbit, hanging her head and starting to
cry.

"Awwwww..." said Sasami, gently petting her. "Don't worry, Ryo- oh-ki.
She doesn't mean it."

"Yes, I *do*."

"But they're in *love*, Ryoko! You *have* to let them be together! It
would be like you not being with Tenchi!"

"Ken-oh-ki's not sweet and kind like Tenchi is. There's things I could
tell you about him, Sasami, if you were older." Ryoko's eyes narrowed
and she edged slightly closer to her spaceship. "But Ryo-oh-ki should
remember them. Let me see... Shi-oh-ki, Tsu-oh-ki, Ka-oh-ki,
Iru-oh-ki..."

The cabbit gave out a quavering "Miyaaa..." and pulled down her ear
flaps with her paws.

"...Shin-oh-ki, Maro-oh-ki, Tan-oh-ki..."

"Miyaaaaaaa...!" protested the cabbit plaintively.

"...and then Fumi-oh-ki, Chi-oh-ki, Ku-oh-ki, Ji-oh-ki, Kami-oh- ki...
and those are just the ones I *know* about from *LAST YEAR*!"

"Miyaaaaa...!" whined Ryo-oh-ki, her voice full of denial.

"Well, I don't care HOW set you are on being his I-don't-know-
how-many-HUNDREDTH-girlfriend, you can forget it! What if you caught
some kind of disease from him?"

"MIIIYYYA!!!" protested Ryo-oh-ki, opening her mouth to expose her
teeth.

"You *bet* he does! Probably some so rare even *Washuu's* never heard
of them."

"MIIIYYYA!!!" repeated the cabbit.

"Yes, he *does*! Quit thinking with your hormones!"

"Miya," replied Ryo-oh-ki. Then she closed her eyes and began to purr,
a blissful, faraway look on her face.

"Yeah, *right*," said Ryoko. "Dream on. He's *not* that kind of guy.
You're just setting yourself up for heartbreak."

"Miya," said Ryo-oh-ki again, nudging her head against the air.

Ryoko frowned. "I said `no', and I mean `no.'" Then she reached out
and gently stroked the cabbit's fur. "Come on. He just wants you for
your body. You're better off this way."

"Miyaa..aa..aa..aa..aa..aa.." whimpered Ryo-oh-ki.

"You'll meet someone else. Really! Some *nice* guy, not a gigolo like
*him*. Besides, Nagi's probably not going to be back here soon,
anyway."

"Miya..." answered the cabbit.

Sasami petted her, looking concerned and sad. "Poor Ryo-oh-ki. I'm
sure you'll see Ken-oh-ki again someday."

"Don't get her hopes up, Sasami."

"But she *will*! She loves him, so she *has* to!"

"Miyaa!" said Ryo-oh-ki happily.

Ryoko shook her head. "Oh, well, might as well let you fantasize, I
guess," she said, feeding the cabbit a carrot.

Sasami finished off her milk and set down the mug. "Can you sleep in
our room tonight, Ryoko? Since Aeka won't be there?"

"She won't?" asked Ryoko nervously, feeling strangely reluctant to
discuss the matter with the young princess.

"She'll probably be with Tenchi all night." Seeing Ryoko's surprised
expression, Sasami frowned. "I'm not old enough to have a whip yet,
but I'm not *that* little," she said, pouting slightly.

"Sorry, Sasami-chan. You're right, you're a big girl." She patted the
princess on the head, then smiled proudly. "And if Mihoshi and Kiyone
had caught us tonight, you'd be a wanted criminal, just like me!"

"Wow!" gasped Sasami. "Really?"

"Yep." Ryoko stretched and yawned. "I'd better get a futon to put
upstairs. I don't think Aeka will be very happy if I use hers."

"Yeah, she's kinda picky about stuff like that," agreed Sasami.

A few minutes later, Ryoko plopped her futon onto the floor, on the
opposite side of Sasami's from Aeka's, and spread it out.

"Do you think you can stay here every night?" asked the princess, as
Ryoko placed a comforter on top of the futon. "When you're not with
Tenchi, I mean."

"Sure. If your sister doesn't kick me out."

"But she won't!" protested Sasami. "You're friends now."

"It's not quite like that, Sasami-chan," said Ryoko gently. "We're not
fighting. For now. But we're not *exactly* friends, either. We've
ha... I mean, not liked each other, for a long, long time."

"You were being nice to each other, at dinner tonight," said the
princess, getting under her covers. "You even said Tenchi should go
for a walk with Aeka."

Ryoko nodded reluctantly and pulled the blankets up over herself. "I'd
rather not think about that, right now, Sasami-chan."

"Alright, Ryoko. Goodnight."

"Goodnight, Sasami-chan."

After a while, Sasami spoke again. "Ryoko?"

"Yes?"

"Do you think I'll ever meet somebody like Tenchi?"

Ryoko looked over at her. "Well, there's only one Tenchi in all the
universe, but I'm sure you'll find somebody you like, Sasami."

"I wish there *was* another Tenchi, for when I'm older."

For just a moment Ryoko felt slightly threatened, but smiled, telling
herself not to be ridiculous. "You're not planning to take him away
from me, are you, Sasami-chan?" she chuckled. "I'll have to fight you,
if you try."

"No, but I wish I *could* try," answered the princess. "He's always so
sweet and kind. He doesn't want to be mean and fight everyone, like
lots of boys do. And I think he's kawaii."

"Yeah, he's kawaii, alright," agreed Ryoko, suddenly very aware of
being alone under the covers.

"I really wish I wasn't so little," sighed the princess. "I like how
he smiles when I give him a bento box to take to school with him every
day. And he even let me bandage him up after Aeka whipped him. When a
boy lets a girl do that, it's supposed to mean he likes her."

"Tenchi's not from Jurai, Sasami. I don't think he meant it that way."

"Yeah, I know. But he said I'd be pretty. He said I'd be so pretty
that I'd never have to use a whip. That's really, really, *really*
pretty, Ryoko. More than any lady on Jurai, maybe."

"He's probably right," said Ryoko. "You'll have guys lined up for
miles." She reached over and patted the princess' hand. "Don't worry,
Sasami-chan. I'm sorry that you can't have Tenchi, but you'll have
your pick of any other boy you want."

"You really think so?"

"Uh-huh. And if the one you like's too shy, let me know. I'll hand him
over to you, all tied up."

"But only the mother of the groom's supposed to do that," said Sasami,
sounding quite puzzled.

Ryoko blinked. "Oh. Never mind, then."

"Ryoko?" asked Sasami, after a minute or so of silence.

"Yes?"

"Could you tell me a bedtime story? Aeka usually does, but she's not
here. It helps me go to sleep."

Ryoko's eyes widened. "I don't think I know any good bedtime stories,
Sasami-chan," she answered quietly.

"Any story would be OK," assured the princess. "Please?"

"Hmmm..."

"Pleeaassee!"

"OK. Let me think a moment." She stared up at the ceiling briefly.
"How about a space pirate story?"

"Sure."

Ryoko cleared her throat. "Once upon a time, there was a lady space
pirate. The most wanted, the most dangerous, and the most beautiful
space pirate in the whole entire universe..." Sasami giggled, and
Ryoko smiled. "Then, one day..."

Almost a half-hour later, Ryoko concluded her story, oblivious to
Sasami having fallen asleep already. "`You were so wonderful when you
first saved me. So valiant and brave,' she said to him. And he said
`I'm happy you'll stay with us. I love you. I want you to be with me
forever.' And he kissed her, and he didn't care at all that his dad
and grandpa and the policewoman were watching. And the Earthling and
the space pirate lived happily ever after. The End."

She looked over and noticed that Sasami's eyes were closed. She
floated over the princess' futon and gently tucked her in, then kissed
her on the forehead.

"Sweet dreams, Sasami-chan," she whispered, before she lay back down.
Looking over at Sasami, Ryoko gave a very heavy sigh, then swallowed
the lump forming in her throat. Her eyes began to moisten. Then she
shook her head slowly, sighed again, and stared up at the ceiling,
wanting very much to rest her head against Tenchi's chest and let his
comforting, reassuring heartbeat lull her into slumber.

Ryoko reached over and softly grasped Sasami's hand. She closed her
eyes. Slowly she drifted off to sleep.

Many hours later, Aeka's peaceful repose ended with the sound of
birdsong in her ears. She could feel the warmth of Tenchi's skin
against hers where his arm wrapped around her, on her face where it
pressed against his shoulder, and under her arm and hand that lay
across his chest. For a few minutes she savored his presence, not
wanting to ever leave it.

Then she frowned, realizing that she had to. Silently she looked from
Tenchi's face to the first rays of the sun, cursing the dawn.

Slowly, with intense reluctance, Aeka gently pried Tenchi's arm off of
her, and started to get up. A tug at her scalp reminded her that he
was lying on one of her long ponytails. After a while she managed to
free it without disturbing him. Then she put on her kimono, sat down,
and sighed.

*Is it going to hurt like this EVERY morning?* she wondered, as she
looked down at Tenchi. Briefly she considered *not* leaving, but she
reminded herself that she'd sworn an oath. Oaths had to be kept, no
matter to whom they were made.

*You've broken your oath to carry on the traditions of Jurai. Twice,
now. Is a promise to a criminal more binding than one to your
ancestors?*

She shrugged off the temptation and gathered her leather outfit, then
picked up her whip from the night stand. Next to it lay two pieces of
purple silk. She smiled warmly, remembering. She took one and pressed
it against her cheek, considering whether she should have it set in
crystal, like the greenish-blue one her mother kept on top of her
dresser. She shook her head, deciding not to. What was the point in
making it last forever if she couldn't touch it?

She tucked it into her obi for the moment, then took the other and lay
it on the pillow.

Tenchi couldn't know the full meaning of her gesture, Aeka knew. But
she dearly hoped he'd understand a little of what the night had meant
to her, and that he'd treasure the memento of it. It was very special
to her, the first night they'd made love after he'd obediently allowed
her to bind him hand and foot. He'd tried his best to address her as
`oujo-sama' even in the deepest throes of passion, and though he'd
slipped and called her `Ae-chan' more than once, she was proud of his
attempt. Smiling, she bent down and kissed him, then quietly let
herself out.

She yawned softly, still feeling rather sleepy, as she headed towards
her room. When she got there, she opened the door and started to go
in, planning to catch a little more rest.

Ryoko lay on a futon on the other side of Sasami.

Hearing Aeka enter, the pirate rolled over and looked at her.

"Ohayo, Aeka," she said. "It's dawn already, I take it?"

"Yes," replied Aeka slowly. "What are you doing here?" she asked, more
curious than angry.

Ryoko sighed, getting ready to be ejected. "Sasami-chan asked me to,
OK?"

Aeka's eyes widened as a memory flashed in her head. She put her hand
over her mouth, looking ashamed all of a sudden. "Oh, my. Her bedtime
story. I completely forgot!"

"Don't worry, I told her one," assured Ryoko, smiling.

Aeka returned the smile, then bowed slightly. "Thank you, Ryoko. She
has strange nightmares sometimes, and it helps her to have someone to
talk to before she goes to sleep."

"You're welcome," said Ryoko. "And *she's* welcome."

"If we're going to continue talking," whispered Aeka, "can we do so in
the hall? I'd rather not wake her up."

Ryoko nodded, and teleported next to her. Aeka slowly shut the door.

"I suppose you want me to beat it now, right?" asked Ryoko.

Aeka shook her head. "No. Stay, if you wish. Actually, it would be
better if you did. Sasami does not like to sleep by herself, and I
would prefer not to upset her." She frowned. "So long as you don't
*snore*."

Ryoko chuckled. "I don't. And, anyway, it's not like we'll both be
there at the same *time*, that often."

"Yes, you're right," agreed Aeka, nodding. Then a thought occurred to
her. "Another thing. Don't steal any of my belongings."

"I'm not *stupid*", protested Ryoko, rolling her eyes. "Besides, who
would I fence it to?"

"Just *don't*," insisted the princess.

"Alright, alright," sighed the pirate.

"Well, if you'll excuse me, I think I shall get some more sleep," said
Aeka. She stood up and opened the door.

Ryoko grinned. "Busy night?"

"You might say that," replied Aeka, smiling slightly, as she closed
the door behind her.

Ryoko materialized in the air over Tenchi's bed a few moments later.
She closed her eyes and exhaled with relief.

*He's still here!*

Most of her had known he would be, of course. But from the moment he'd
walked off with Aeka the previous evening, a small part of Ryoko's
mind had nagged at her, warning that she'd never see him again.

But there he was.

Ryoko smiled, watching him for a few minutes as he slept peacefully.
Then she drifted slowly down until she was hovering half a meter over
the bed. She eased lower until their lips met, and she gave him a
gentle kiss.

"Ae-chan..." murmured Tenchi.

"Not exactly," answered Ryoko, frowning slightly.

"Ae-chan..." he repeated, a smile forming on his face.

"This isn't very nice of you, Tenchi," whispered Ryoko, as she kissed
him again. "You're supposed to be dreaming of *me*."

"Ae-chan..."

"No. Ryoko," she corrected him. "Ryoko." She kissed him again, then
moved her lips next to his ear. "Ryoko. Ryoko. Ryoko."

"Ae-chan..." said Tenchi stubbornly.

"Ryoko," she insisted. "Ryoko. Please, Tenchi... Ryoko..."

Tenchi's nose wrinkled for a moment, and he scratched it, muttering
something incoherent.

"Ryoko..." she whispered to him again. "Please?"

"Ryoko..." he answered softly.

*YES!*

She quickly hugged herself to restrain the impulse to embrace him. She
didn't want to wake him up, just yet. She held her arms against her
chest, eyes closed, joy all over her face.

*YES! YES! YES! YES! YES! YES! YES!*

As her happiness ebbed to a more manageable level, Ryoko opened her
eyes, leaned over, and kissed him again.

"Thank you, Tenchi," she said very quietly. "Now, time to rise and
shine." She moved down the length of the bed and sank through it...

Once again, Tenchi awoke to the feeling of something very interesting
happening between his legs. Aeka seemed to have left, because he could
see spikes of cyan hair poking up through the covers. It wasn't very
long before he climaxed, gasping for air, and shortly afterwards Ryoko
floated up through blankets with a playful grin on her face.

"Ohayo, Tenchi," she said.

Tenchi smiled as she got under the covers with him, and he put his arm
around her. "Ohayo, Ryoko. You know, you don't *have* to do that every
morning, if you don't want to."

"But I *do* want to, Tenchi," she answered, cuddling up to him.

"No, really. It's as if you think I expect if of you. Like it's one of
your chores, or something."

Ryoko chuckled. "Since when do I do my *chores*? If I don't want to do
something, I don't do it. That's the way I am."

"No, I don't think so. If it was for someone you cared about, you'd do
it. Even if you hated it. That's something I'm beginning to understand
about you."

Ryoko frowned. "What I *hate* is you worrying like this. Stop it, OK?"

"Alright. Just as long as you know I won't be mad if you stop."

"If it makes you feel better, Tenchi, I *want* to do it. I want to be
the very first thing you think about, every morning. And it reminds me
of the first time I managed to get into your bed, so it's special to
me." She smiled. "Besides, it's fun. When I do that, you're like a toy
for me to play with."

Tenchi turned his face to her, and saw her yellow kitten eyes watching
him. "What am I, your ball of yarn?" he chuckled.

Ryoko lay her head on his shoulder. "No. You're the one I want to be
with, forever," she said softly.

Tenchi sighed, giving her a tight, affectionate squeeze. "Forever"
seemed to be one of Ryoko's favorite words, lately. He loved her, but
her love for him seemed downright obsessive, and it made him feel
rather guilty, because he couldn't think of anything he'd done to
deserve it.

*Don't worry about it. Her emotions are just more intense than yours.
Much more. ALL of them. Hatred, sadness, joy, AND love.*

*That's just making excuses.*

*Are you sure about that?*

*No, not really.*

*It'll grow. She's had a three-month head start on you.*

*Not ALL of three months, I think. Like I told her, it started
before.*

*When?*

*I don't know.*

*Where's all this leading, anyway?*

*I don't know that either...*

He looked at Ryoko still resting against him, his arm wrapped around
her.

*...and right now, I don't exactly care.*

An hour or so later, down in her lab, Washuu snoozed with her head on
her console, having fallen asleep in mid-equation sometime during the
night. A familiar dream played in her head, as it had many times
before, as it always did when she passed out on the threshold of
discovery.

"Now wait just a minute! Exactly what did I do to deserve this? All I
did was invent dimension-oscillating bullets, ozone- destroying
cannons, and a time-space converting tachyon ray!"

"Isn't that more than enough, professor?!"

"What about my final request? Have you been able to...?"

"For the last time, professor -- *NO*!"

"But...!"

"We have no more time to waste on the matter. You should have thought
of this when you decided to invent the tachyon ray."

"But...!"

"ENOUGH! You have violated the law, and shall bear the consequences.
*All* of them. Into the capsule with her!"

"The Alpha-L's a *scientific* invention. I'll walk in myself. And you
morons can go back to using flint spears and living in caves for all I
care!"

"Ohayo, Washuu!"

"Wake up, Washuu!"

The universe's greatest scientific genius rubbed her eyes and yawned,
glad the nightmare had ended. Even a mind like Washuu's took time to
recover from such a painful experience. She sighed, then mentally
immersed herself in the myriad details of her latest invention.

"It's almost ready, Washuu!" said the puppet on her left shoulder.

"Won't be long now, Washuu!" added the one on her right.

She got out of her chair and stretched. The experiment was in its
final stage, and could now be handled by automated lab equipment until
completed. She bent back a little, flexing her spine, and yawned
again. Time for a nice, refreshing soak.

Meanwhile, Ryoko walked into the women's bath and closed the door
behind her. Next to the water, Sasami sat in front of Aeka, the older
princess washing the younger one's hair.

"Ohayo, Ryoko!" greeted Sasami cheerfully.

"Ohayo, Sasami-chan," answered Ryoko.

Then she ran towards the bath and leapt into the air, tucking her legs
and arms against herself as she plummeted towards the water.

"RYOKO, DON'T!!!" shouted Aeka an instant too late, as both princesses
held up their arms to shield themselves from the resulting splash.

No splash came. Ryoko stopped just above the surface of the water and
hung there, grinning. Sasami giggled and Aeka fumed for a moment
before relaxing. Slowly Ryoko sank into the bath.

"Oh, Ryoko -- I asked Aeka if you can stay in our room every night,
and she said it was OK," said Sasami happily.

Ryoko nodded. "I know. We talked about it this morning."

"I *told* you it would be alright," reminded Sasami. "You should
listen to me, sometimes."

Aeka smiled, dumping water over her sister's hair to rinse out the
shampoo.