I don't own these characters or profit from them.

Little red Ryoko hood
By, Clayton Overstreet

  Washu smiled as she ran the final checks. The sensors all read green, the 
dimension oscillator was at peak efficiency, and that beeping thing she 
couldn't remember why she put there was beeping. With a laugh she hit the 
button and the dimension tuner began to hum.
  "Now all I need to do is test it." She said to herself. "I can't use it on 
me, so I guess the others will do. This'll teach them to ruin my 
inventions!" With an evil laugh she threw the switch.

  Once upon a time in a land far, far away there lived two princesses. One 
who was young and sweet and wanted nothing more than to play with her 
friends. The other was rapidly turning into an old maid and had designs on a 
young boy who lived not too far away. The older sister had worked out the 
perfect way to get his attention.
  Aeka smiled and put the final touches on the basket. She licked her lips 
and turned to her younger sister. "Now Sasami you remember what I want you 
to do?"
  "I'm supposed to take this basket of goodies to the Shinto shrine for 
grandpa Yosho and his apprentice and to tell them that it's from you." The 
little girl said.
  The purple haired woman nodded. "Now I want you to put on your cloak and 
remember to stay on the path. There are wolves in the woods you know."
  "Yes Aeka." She took her red cloak off of the hook and put it on. "I don't 
know why you don't take it yourself though."
  "That wouldn't be proper. Now hurry before the fruit goes bad."
  Sasami picked up the heavy basket and with a tiny groan walked out the 
door and towards the path outside their cottage. Hefting her burden she 
hobbled down the road as Aeka slammed the door behind her.
  A little ways down the road she had to stop for a breather and set it 
down. Taking a deep breath she thought she could smell gingerbread. Turning 
she saw a house that was covered in frosting made entirely out of the stuff. 
A woman with spiky blue hair came out carrying a bag to the cookie dough 
trashcan behind the house.
   "Hello, are you our new neighbor? My name is Sasami and I live up the 
street." Sasami said.
  She turned and smiled down at the little girl. "Yes I am. My name is 
Ryoko. I got a great deal on this waterproof gingerbread house from the 
Three Little Pigs realty officer as long as I promised to clean out the oven 
myself." She kicked the trashcan. "The previous owner had an accident."
  "Yeah I heard about that." Sasami said. "My two friends from the other way 
told me about how she 'fell' into the oven."
  "So where are you going little girl with such a big basket?"
  Sasami reached into her pocket and pulled out a Polaroid then handed it to 
her. It was a picture of Yosho with Tenchi in the background holding an ax. 
"I'm supposed to take them this basket of goodies from my sister. She said 
to stay on the path to avoid the wolves and to give them this basket from 
her."
  "Nice looking old man. Who is the cute woodsman behind him?"
  "That's grandfather Yosho who runs the shrine and his apprentice Tenchi."
  Ryoko smiled and licked her lips. "Really cute guy... wait a minute. You 
said your sister warned you about the wolves in these woods right?"
  "Uh huh." Sasami said happily.
  "But she still sent you out alone, in those bright colors, with a heavy 
basket of food?" The girl nodded again. "Heh, some sister. Look kid I'm 
gonna help you out. I'll take the basket over to the shrine and you can play 
here with my pet." She turned and whistled. A tiny little rabbit-like 
critter came running out of the house and meowed.
  "Oh she's so cute!" Sasami said leaning down to pet it.
  "This is Ryo-oki. Now look why don't you two go eat the garage and I'll 
give out whatever is left to trick-or-treaters this Halloween."
  Sasami stood up hugging Ryo-oki to her chest. "Oh thank you Ryoko. Please, 
take my cloak so you don't catch cold!"
  Ryoko helped her get it off and slung it over her shoulders. "My I'll bet 
this makes me look good." She picked up the basket. "Which way to the shrine 
kiddo?"
  "Just follow the path and there'll be signs." Sasami said.
  She nodded, waved goodbye, and then began floating down the path with the 
basket firmly in hand. A short time later she came to a fork in the road 
with no signpost. She cursed under her breath and grumbled to herself, 
"That's the last time I trust directions from a kid."
  Suddenly something rustled in the bushes to her left. Ryoko turned and 
looked at them closely. A man stepped out and smiled at her holding up a 
video camera. "Well would you look at this? A pretty girl lost all alone in 
the woods. Would you like to come back to my place and make a movie?"
  Ryoko growled and picked him up by the collar. "Tell me the way to the 
Shinto shrine and maybe I won't tear your arms off!"
  He gulped and nodded, pointing down the left fork. "My son works there. 
You just follow this road until the end."
  "Are there any more forks?"
  "Nope, it's a straight shot there."
  She dropped him back into the bushes and continued on her way. From behind 
her the old wolf yelled, "If you change your mind just ask for Noboyuki!"

  Once she was out of sight the man grinned and got up, heading down the 
right path that was a shortcut to the shrine. A short time later he reached 
the shrine and saw his son out back chopping wood. He snuck into the front 
door and smiled at the old man.
  "Ah Noboyuki, here for this weeks confession?" Yosho asked.
  He shook his head. "Not today grandfather Yosho. I just saw a gorgeous 
girl headed here with a basket full of fine food and I think she would be 
perfect for Tenchi."
  "Yes, the boy certainly could use a girl in his life. But he is so shy."
  "That's why I've got this plan. I wanted to clear it with you before she 
gets here and we ask her what she thinks."
  They talked about it and agreed on the plan. Then Yosho made tea and they 
waited for Ryoko to arrive.

  Ryoko stopped at a crossroad with a yellow sign showed the silhouette of 
three bears chasing a stick figure. Looking both ways she saw someone coming 
down the other road to her right. It looked like a blond woman and another 
woman with green hair running her way. As they got closer she could hear 
what they were saying.
  "I told you we shouldn't have gone in, but no! You just had the have the 
porridge didn't you Mihoshi!" The green haired woman said.
  The blond sniffled and said, "Well I'm sorry Kiyone! We haven't eaten in 
so long! Anyway it was your idea to use their bedroom." They ran passed 
followed by three angry bears.
  After she was sure they were gone Ryoko smiled and continued on her way. 
The road twisted and turned for quite some time but eventually it led to a 
small building. Outside the cute boy from the picture Sasami had shown her 
was stacking wood. Ryoko straightened out her dress, ran her fingers through 
her hair, and then cleared her throat.
  Tenchi turned and smiled at her. "Oh hello. Can I help you?"
  Ryoko grinned showing her fangs and her eyes lit up. "I think you can. 
You're a nice strong boy aren't you?" She walked up close to him and looked 
into his eyes. Tenchi gulped and leaned back a bit, blushing wildly. "I've 
been walking so long and this basket is so heavy. I brought it just for you 
and the priest. Could you tell me where to put it and then maybe show me 
someplace around here where I can rest... or nude sun bathe?"
  "Uh... sure." He said nervously. "Um, just take it right in there." He 
pointed towards the door but couldn't take his eyes off of hers. Ryoko 
giggled slightly and brushed passed him noticing the small trickle of blood 
from his nose.
  Inside the door she set the basket down and looked around to see who was 
there. She was surprised to find Noboyuki sitting next to the old man from 
the picture. "You again!"
  He held up his hands. "Wait! We want to hook you up with my son Tenchi."
  She looked at him suspiciously. "How?"

  Meanwhile outside Tenchi was debating whether not to get to work in the 
garden or wait for the girl to finish inside the shrine. Suddenly he heard 
an ear-piercing scream from inside.
  "Oh help! There's a horrible wolf attacking us!"
  Without thinking he grabbed the ax from where he'd left it and ran to the 
door. He threw it open and found his face pressed into Ryoko's chest. He 
dropped the ax and stood there dazed.
  "Oh Tenchi you scared it off! You're my hero!" Ryoko lifted his face up 
and kissed him on the lips leaving Tenchi slightly dazed.
  From behind him Noboyuki looked at Yosho and said, "Well it wasn't a 
terribly original or complicated plan, but it works."

  Aeka went to get the mail a week later and found one addressed to her and 
Sasami from the Shinto shrine. With a grin she tore it open expecting a 
thank you from Tenchi for the lovely fruit basket. But when she opened it 
she found instead a gold edged invitation. Her smile vanished and her eye 
twitched as she read it out loud to herself.
  "You are cordially invited to the wedding of Tenchi Masaki and Ryoko..."
  Sasami smiled up at her and said, "Oh goody, Ryoko delivered the basket 
for me after all. I was beginning to wonder."
  Aeka glared down at her and screamed, "Sasami!"
  Several minutes later Kiyone, Mihoshi, and the three bears were surprised 
when a girl with blue hair ran passed them being chased by a woman with 
purple hair and the foulest curses they'd ever heard.

The End

Author's note
  You know this started out n my head at 2:30 in the morning as Mihoshi and 
the three bears. It evolved in my head into this and I couldn't sleep so I 
just spent an hour typing it up. Tell me what you think at 
clayton_n@hotmail.com