These characters do not belong to me, they belong to AIC and Pioneer. I'm not making any money from writing this. The Bet By Kenzie Kennedy "Oh, little Ryoko?" Washu called, peeking her head around her lab door. Not a sound greeted her. "Hmm..." Washu's grin faded to a frown. She shut the door to her lab behind her and walked into the kitchen. "Sasami?" she called. No answer. But a piece of paper lay on the kitchen counter. Washu picked it up and read, Little Washu, we are going into town to do the week's shopping. You didn't answer the door, so we decided to leave without you. We'll see you when we get back. It was signed simply, Tenchi. Washu sighed. She had been in the back lab again and had taken her time getting back to the front. 'I'm going to have to install a transporter there whether I want to or not.' She thought. She wandered through the house, looking it over. Usually there was a fight between Ayeka and Ryoko raging, or someone had invaded, or Mihoshi was about to crash into it again. Ayeka and Sasami's room was very clean. Washu nodded, knowing Sasami's cleanliness fetish with Ayeka's sense of duty. Washu peeked into Tenchi's room seeing that it was a typical male bedroom. Sparse, full of dirty clothes on the floor, and odd bits and pieces of things everywhere. Mihoshi's room was a tornado. Washu backed out of it quickly. Washu cast a glance backward. Ryoko's rafter. Disappearing and appearing there, Washu looked around. Nothing to suggest it was hers. Not even a pillow. Washu knew that she always took a pillow from the couch to sleep on. Either that or slept on the couch. She sighed. Her daughter was so bound in her ways by Kagato's influence. No emotions, no possessions, nothing to hold on to... She started to walk downstairs. Her daughter. Hers! She thought fiercely. Not Kagato's despite what Ryoko privately thought. Ryoko didn't believe that Washu was her mother consciously. What mother would abandon her child to someone like Kagato? Better to believe that Kagato made her than Washu who did show some feeling toward her occasionally. But subconsciously... When Ryoko dreamed, she sometimes had dreams of the earlier years. Kagato had kidnapped Ryoko when she was fifteen. Washu gritted her teeth. He didn't want Ryoko when she was a child, no, that would have been too difficult for him to handle. "Tenchi, are you all right? Are you sure that isn't too heavy for you?" Ryoko's voice came through the door. "I'm all right." Shortly after that, Tenchi tripped and groceries went everywhere. Ayeka started to fight with Ryoko, saying it was all her fault that Tenchi tripped and now he was hurt. Sasami was the one who put her groceries down easily and helped Tenchi to his feet. Tenchi picked the groceries back up and headed off with Sasami to the kitchen. The fight ended when Ryoko noticed Washu standing in the rafters. She phased up there angrily. "What are you doing up here?" she asked, hands on her hips. "Do you have to invade everything that's mine?" "There's nothing up there to say that it's yours." Ayeka called up. "Is there, Miss Washu?" Washu looked at Ryoko steaming at her. She appeared down beside Ayeka. "No, Miss Ayeka. There isn't." Changing the subject, Washu walked into the kitchen. "So what did you get that's good, Sasami?" Ayeka followed her. *** After dinner and the obligatory fight between Ayeka and Ryoko, Washu left for her lab. Five steps away from the lab, she looked at the door. It was just a door, but it signified her escape. Her life, she reminded herself. One side of the door was science and one side held people. "Hey, Washu! What are you doing?" Sasami asked. Washu smiled. "Just looking at the door, Sasami." Sasami took a look at the door. "What's wrong with it?" "Nothing's wrong with it Sasami." Washu sighed. She waved good-bye and opened the door. *** At about nine in the evening, Washu was still awake. There was a lot of data to enter into the main computer and think about. Washu rested her elbows on the elbow pads beside her computer. What was wrong with her lately? Her medical records were up to date and they showed her as fine. Her eyebrows puckered together as she thought. Let's see, what have I been doing lately? I've eaten properly, I've rested every twenty-three hours, I've had tons to do with my computers... A voice came out of her memory. "You work too much, Washu. You need to get out more." It had been at the science academy before she had been dean there. She had smiled at her fellow professor and asked him why. He had replied that if she spent too much time with her data and experiments she would become listless and stagnant after a while. Washu smiled at the faint memory. He had been killed when one of his energy experiments became unstable. Something about a star going supernova. But his advice was sound. She had felt so much better after a few nights out a week with him as her guide. They had not been lovers but good friends. She looked down at the floor swinging her feet. "Oh, Washu!" she said exasperated with herself. She hopped down from the cushion and walked to out of her lab. "Washu? Is something wrong?" Ayeka asked. Washu grimaced. "Is it that odd to see me come out of my lab?" she asked mildly. Ayeka nodded her head. Washu's shoulders slumped. "I decided I needed to get out of the lab and, you know, talk to people." Washu waved a hand carelessly, but her language betrayed herself. Ayeka hid a smile. "So, Washu, want to go drinking?" Ryoko asked nastily from the rafters. Washu looked up. "So kind of you to offer, Little Ryoko. I accept." Washu turned to Ayeka. "Would you like to come with us or-?" Ayeka politely declined while Ryoko's mind caught up with Washu accepting. Grumbling, Ryoko phased downstairs and Washu grinned up at her. "Ryoko, where will we go?" *** Washu looked carefully around. This had to be one of the roughest space bars she'd ever been in. And she'd been in quite a few remembering her undergraduate days. "So, Washu, what do you want?" Ryoko threw two men off barstools. The bouncers picked up the unconscious bodies and toted them outside. "She's underage," the barkeeper growled. Ryoko threw Washu a grin, one that said, Tough Luck. "No, I'm not." Washu told the barkeeper. Reaching into mid-air, an I.D. card popped into her hand. She offered it to the barkeeper. He read it and looked at her. "You don't match the I.D., kid." Washu looked down at herself. "I don't, do I?" she whispered. Appearing to grow in a few seconds, she turned around to the man and purred, "Do I now?" He nodded, flabbergasted. "I'll have an Ryorkian Twister if you don't mind." Washu said. Ryoko ordered the same. "Where'd you get that outfit?" Ryoko asked. Washu looked at herself. Pale blue gown, deep cut at the breasts, flowing sleeves down to the elbows, black leggings underneath... "Something that was in the closet." *** After about six of that particular sort of drink, Ryoko was well into being drunk. "So why do you always look like a child, Washu?" she slurred. "Because people are disarmed by it. They don't expect a child to be able to do things I can." Washu wasn't influenced by the alcohol at all. She chuckled. Ryoko probably invited her out because she thought she could drink Washu under the table. "And the child thing." Ryoko added. "Yeah. You want another one?" Washu asked. Ryoko nodded. The drinks arrived and Washu asked a question. "Why do you hate me?" she asked. Ryoko swirled the fruity thing in her drink. "I don't know. I keep trying to remember something about you and I end up hating you. I think I keep remembering that you left me." "I didn't mean to." Washu said quietly. "And I didn't leave, I was kidnapped." "Yeah, that's right. I remember that. And I don't hate you, I hate myself." Ryoko shuddered. "So many bad things and I can't remember any good things I've done that didn't benefit myself. Except the ones for Tenchi and those I do trying to get him to love me. But it doesn't work!" Ryoko howled. Washu looked over Ryoko's shoulder. Three men were getting up and approaching the table. 'Ryoko...' Washu said mind to mind. Ryoko continued howling about Tenchi and her love. The men stopped at their table. "You need a man, honey? I'll love you." The man got ribbed by his friends and nasty grins were exchanged all around. "Go away." Washu said. The other two looked at her. "Oh, you want some too? That's fine with us." Washu's eyes narrowed. "No, I don't and neither does she." One of them grabbed her arm and the other made to take Ryoko on his back. The man who had grabbed her arm let go just as quickly. He started screaming and Washu pointed a finger at the one who had Ryoko. He bounced off the wall. Washu turned to the other one and asked, "Did you want to take care of your friends or do I hurt you as well?" He shook his head and went after his friend who had been thrown up against the wall. Washu turned to the man who was still holding his arm. She grimaced. Too soft, Washu... "Here, have an ice pack." He took it gratefully and stared at his wound disappearing. "Ryo-ohki, we need to get home." Washu spoke to thin air. They were transported to the ship immediately. *** "uhhhhh," Ryoko sat up and thought better of it. She laid back down and tried to remember last night. Something about drinking with Washu? "How's my sleepy girl?" Washu whispered. Ryoko cast a dark look at her. Washu didn't pay any attention. "If you take this, the hangover'll go away." Ryoko felt a small cup placed in her hand. Washu guided it to her mouth and Ryoko swallowed. Three breaths and Ryoko sat up, feeling fine. "Did you have some of that?" Ryoko asked. "Nope." Washu grinned at her. "The next question you'll ask is why not?" Washu continued. "I've got a tolerance like you wouldn't believe. That's why." "Where am I?" Ryoko asked. Ryoko looked around. She was in a bed that she hadn't seen before. "You're in my lab, the sleeping quarters. I didn't think you'd like sleeping on the rafters and falling off. Besides, I was the one who got you drunk this time." Washu finished. "Yeah, it would have caused a splitting headache." Ryoko admitted. Then she blinked and looked at Washu. "You actually sleep?!" Washu gazed at Ryoko with disturbing stillness. Ryoko stared right back. Washu sighed. "Yes, Ryoko, I sleep. Get up. I want to show you something." Ryoko continued to stare. "Well?" Washu demanded. Ryoko got up. Washu led her around a corner and down a hallway that was pure black. Ryoko felt disoriented for a moment, then remembered she was walking on the floor. At the end was a door. Washu stopped. "Before you go in, I want a promise from you. No laughing at anything that's in here. No teasing. What you see doesn't go out of this room." Washu looked at Ryoko sternly as she said this. Ryoko saw the vulnerability in her eyes and nodded. Washu pushed open the door and they both stepped inside, Washu first, then Ryoko. The room was done in rich brown wood. The edges of the room were tooled with flowers and symbols. Ryoko walked around the room slowly. It was a huge room easily the size of the Masaki house. Washu had the latest video viewing equipment, bookshelves full of books, comfy chairs and sofas... Ryoko looked to the other side of the room and found the kitchen. The kitchen was the length of one side of the room. Counters done in a deep blue, a huge oven and stove, other kitchen toys, and huge cabinets. Ryoko walked to the window that was on the opposite wall of the door. The scene from the window was of a fenced in backyard with grass and trees. "Turn to your right and go up the stairs, Little Ryoko." Washu said calmly. Ryoko found the stairs and started up them. Washu fell in behind her. The stairs were long individually and had a banister that was made to slide down. Ryoko got to the top and looked to the right. She could see the living room below through the railing. The top of the stairs had emptied out into a small living room with a video viewer and equipment, a chair and a long sofa against the wall. She ducked around to the left and found a hallway. Washu joined her. Pointing to the right, Washu spoke. "There are two bedrooms there. One is yours and the other is for your guests. If you walk up that way, you'll find something special." Ryoko started to ask about the room and why Washu had called it hers but her curiosity got the better of her. She walked up the hallway and the wooden floors turned to steps. The steps turned into stone at the top. She kept walking and a trellis appeared and signaled the end of the hallway. Ivy grew on the trellis. Ryoko gasped. The beauty of it...! To her left and ten feet in front of her was a fountain. The area to her right was filled with seedlings and garden hose and gloves. In front of her was more steps after the fountain area. Ryoko walked down the steps and through another large trellis. Miniature orange trees grew and fruits she didn't even know of. The perfume of the many flowers filled the air. Seats were carved into the high stones of the barrier around the garden and filled with cushions. Cherry trees were in blossom. "This used to be your favorite place. Ever since you could walk, I'd find you up to your elbows and knees in the dirt. You used to run away from school and daycare to be here. I always knew where to find you." Washu ended. "What do you mean?" Ryoko asked warily. "I mean, Ryoko, that you were kidnapped by Kagato when you were fifteen. What about the memories before that? What about the memories of this place, about our happy times together?" Washu demanded. "I don't remember them." Ryoko yelled. "I don't remember any of it, just him." "Calm down, Ryoko. It's not going to help regain your memories, if that's what you want, by getting upset." Washu spoke. "Those memories are happy memories mostly. If you want to get them back, I'll help you." "But that isn't why I brought you here. You don't seem to see me as your mother anymore. You see me as the mad scientist Washu!" Washu gestured to the house. "I wanted you to see my private area because it may give you a link to me that you didn't have before." Ryoko didn't speak. This was a little too much, Washu actually having a life outside her lab. Well, inside it. Washu walked back to the stairs and went down them. Ryoko could hear the TV start up downstairs. She smelled the flowers one more time and peeked over the railing to look downstairs. She was watching Ryoko on TV. "Washu, how could you tape me?" Ryoko yelled. "Research. You're not going to get Tenchi using your methods so I thought I'd study what you were doing wrong." Washu said. Ryoko dematerialized and appeared downstairs. "I'm not doing anything wrong! Tenchi loves me, he just doesn't know it yet!" One click of the remote and scene after scene of Tenchi running in fear played on the TV. Washu contemplated these scenes. "Oh, yes. I can see how your technique is working. Remind me to try it on the next villain who comes to kill us all." Ryoko hmphed and grumbled as she floated over to sit on the couch. Washu suddenly said, "Do you really think you haven't done anything good in your life?" "What?!" Ryoko said. "I never said that in my life. I don't want to do good things, that's for whiny people." "Like Tenchi I suppose." Washu twirled a lock of hair. Ryoko shut her mouth. "Oh, Ryoko. I know you don't want to be reminded of your past, but this once I have to." A video floated over and inserted itself in the slot. The picture on the TV flashed red once and then solidified into a scene. Ryoko was seen helping a student older than she was with a subject. "That's me?" Ryoko asked. Washu nodded. "Mm-hmm. That student came into my office and asked for a tutor. When you showed up, she thought it was a joke and tried to leave. You bullied her into asking you a mathematical question and you answered in your head what would have taken her an hour on paper." Washu fell silent. "Math always was your favorite subject." She whispered to herself. Ryoko cleared her throat. "So I have done good things." She mulled this over. "Of course you have done good things! You are not the monster persona that Kagato forced on you. You are my daughter and a good person." Washu slapped herself on the forehead. "But you don't want to talk about that. So let's talk about Tenchi instead." Washu fixed her gaze on Ryoko. "You're not doing it right." "Who says? He'll come around." Ryoko folded her arms over her chest and glared at Washu. "I say." Washu held up a hand. "Let me show you something else and I'll prove my point." The TV came on as she spoke. Every moment that Ryoko had been quiet, off by herself, or helping someone, Tenchi had looked at her with warmth. Ryoko sitting quietly on the couch, watching a few minutes of a love story when she thought no one was looking. Ryoko having no choice but to try to help Sasami in the kitchen and despite her problems with the vegetables sticking it out and trying her best. Ryoko up on the roof, gazing into the sunset. The roof again with the stars shining in the sky and the moon casting a glow on her cyan hair. In every one of these, Tenchi would just look at her and smile softly. Ryoko felt the tears come up in her eyes. If he looked at her like that when she was quiet, why didn't he love her? "He doesn't look that way at anyone else. I've checked, believe me." Washu said with absolute certainty. Casting a glance at her daughter, then looking back at the TV, she asked, "Don't you want him to look at you that way all the time?" Ryoko hesitated. What would Washu propose? Ryoko sighed. She could always say no. "What do you think I should do?" Washu looked down. "You're not going to like it." She looked at her daughter's face. "It'll be very hard." Ryoko nodded. Washu took that as acceptance and began talking, "Okay, I've studied you and I've studied him. We're not going to make you into a different person, we're going to alter your behavior a bit." "How?" Ryoko asked suspiciously. "I'm going to tell you and give you examples of what you might do and then you'll decide whether or not to do them." Washu said. At Ryoko's raised eyebrow, she sighed. "It'll be a trial for me, but I won't force you." "All right, what's the first thing?" Ryoko said grudgingly. Washu beamed. "Okay, the first thing is this." Washu took a deep breath. "Stop smothering him all the time!" She gasped. "Now that that's off my chest let me give you examples." The TV flashed evidence of her always being around him, even when he was trying to be private. "He'll like it much better if you give him time to think about you." "But he'll think about Ayeka!" Ryoko protested. Washu held up a finger. "Yes, but he'll be thinking which one of you is right for him. Ayeka has a few bad points that she's not going to get over in this lifetime. One is her princessly attitude. She's been raised a princess so it's not that bad. Two is her quiet behavior, which she'll get over but not for a few centuries, I think." "You on the other hand," Washu continued, "have got to learn a few things, but they're basically simple and you're a bright girl being MY daughter after all." Washu gloated for a few seconds. "All right, what are they?" Ryoko said abruptly. Washu snapped out of her preening and concentrated on Ryoko for a minute. "Stop smothering him and play a little hard to get. If you stop trying to be around him all the time, he'll come after you." Ryoko crossed her arms, unbelieving. "It's true," Washu insisted. "I'll prove it to you. For the next three days you come to my lab. Don't come out except with me or for meals. If at the end of the three days he hasn't asked you out on a date, you can continue on and won't say another word, Little Ryoko." Washu winked at her. "What've you got to lose?" Ryoko stared at Washu and then uncrossed her arms and sighed. It couldn't hurt to try her way, Ryoko mused. But being around Washu the three days could drive me up the wall! "Isn't Tenchi worth it?" Washu asked quietly. *** Washu heard the door open and turned in its direction. "Who is it?" she caroled. Washu knew who it was. The link was strong in their minds, though Ryoko didn't use it. "It's me." Ryoko admitted. "Breakfast is ready." The two ladies went to breakfast and then everyone was amazed to see Ryoko calmly enter Washu's lab with her. They looked at each other to see if one of them knew what was going on, then gave a collective shrug. Washu went to her pillow and sat down. Her laptop popped up under her waiting fingers and she started to type. Ryoko stood there, five feet from the doorway. She glanced left, then right, then at Washu. "Now what am I supposed to do?" Ryoko said angrily. Washu spun around. "You can do several things, Ryoko dear. It depends on what you wish to do in this lab." "Meaning?" Ryoko looked expectant. Washu sighed. "Well, there's a library you could go look at. There's the garden to enjoy. There's a door to my private bath that you can take if you'd like a bath. You could look around and see if anything strikes your fancy." Washu shrugged. "If you want I can show you around." "I'll go look around." Ryoko floated off. Washu called after her, "Don't get into anything!" Five hours later... "Bor-ing!" Ryoko said. This was the second time she had floated around the lab. Nothing but machines and animals in glass tubes and cages. "Miss Washu! Lunchtime!" Ayeka called from the door. "Ah, I'm starving!" Washu said. Ryoko appeared beside her and they went to lunch. *** When they came back, Ryoko looked at Washu before she walked to her pillow. "Where's the bath?" she asked. "Go down that way. You'll see a black statue of a rider. Pull on his arm and the door will open." Washu said hurriedly. "Why all the secrecy?" Ryoko asked. Washu grinned. "Sometimes I like to be mysterious." She went back to her laptop. *** After soaking in the bath for an hour, Ryoko got out and bugged Washu again. She was very patient with Ryoko and gave her instructions to the library. Ryoko looked at the comics in there and cast a glance at the rows of romantic novels, then sat down in a plush chair. An hour of that, Ryoko was bored again. Hmm, she thought, I wonder if I could find my way back to that house. Washu's probably hidden it. She stood up. I'll go look for it anyway. Not much else to do. Appearing at the door, Ryoko puzzled over this. It shouldn't be this easy. Ryoko pushed open the door and the house was there. Shrugging, she went upstairs. She paused outside the room that Washu had called hers. Shaking her head, she continued on to the garden. It was just as beautiful as she remembered it. Ryoko went directly to the cherry trees just in blossom. "Oh, they smell so sweet..." she said out loud. She walked around the garden. There was a three foot high ridge of stone that was festooned with violets that was a half circle that was the back of the garden. Looking from the back to the front of the garden it was beautiful to look at. Leaning up against the middle of the half circle, she looked at the small garden with a cross path in the middle of it. The steps went up, overhead was a huge trellis growing with ivy, just like the small one over the entrance. The wall continued up to join to the house in straight lines. A small hutch held gloves and potting soil and trays and such near the entrance. The fountain held huge goldfish peeking out from under lily pads with huge pink blossoms on them. Ryoko sighed. This was a calm place. Sliding her feet out and leaning against the wall more, she closed her eyes... Bump! Ryoko looked down. A clump of grass was growing there. Ryoko frowned. It shouldn't be growing there. Taking a closer look around, the beds were in bad need of weeding, The trees were fine, but needed a little bit of pruning. Going up to get gloves, Ryoko happened to look in the pond. I thought the water looked a little murky, she grimaced. She pulled on her gloves and got a small trowel. That bunch of grass was history! *** Washu leaned against the inside of the house, just on the other side of the trellis. A quiet smile was on her face. I looked all over the lab just to make sure she wasn't there and waiting for me to come after her so she could surprise me. I knew she'd be here, but I didn't want to build up false hope. Ryoko was on her knees, a pile of weeds beside her in a basket that was almost overflowing. A pile of branches was in the center of the miniature orchard. The cross path was on purpose. One section held trees alone, one held things that would grow for many years, the other two were a mixture of things that would only grow for one season. Ryoko got up off her knees and grabbed the basket. She tipped the basket into the waste disposal unit. She silently surveyed her work, then tore off her disposable gloves, and tossed them down the unit also. She gave a satisfied sigh. Concentrating, she ticked off the things on her fingers. "I've done half of the weeding, pruned the trees, and got rid of all the brown leaves. Tomorrow I'll have to come back and clean the fountain, maybe put a swing up between the cherry trees..." "I'll go find the hose. The last one deteriorated." Washu spoke up. Ryoko whirled around, a snarl on her face. Washu continued. "It's dinner time, Little Ryoko." Ryoko and Washu started to walk out of the house. "Don't you have a transporter here?" Ryoko asked. "No. No one comes here that doesn't know it's here." Washu said shortly. "This is my private place." She looked up at Ryoko. "Ours?" She made it a question. Ryoko didn't answer. *** During dinner, Sasami asked where Ryoko had been all day. "In Washu's lab," Ryoko answered shortly. "Well, what were you doing in there?" Sasami asked. Ayeka looked politely interested. "Not much. Washu wanted to run some tests." That got everyone's attention on something else. No one liked being the subject of Washu's experiments. "Did you want to watch TV with us after dinner?" Tenchi asked. Ryoko opened her mouth to answer an empathic "Yes!" *Ryoko....* She sighed. "No, Tenchi. Washu's got more tests to run." *** After dinner, Ryoko started to shout at Washu. "He asked me to watch TV! He's never done that before!" "We're aiming for a date, Ryoko. Watching TV with three other people around isn't a date." Washu explained. "Besides, I have plans for tonight." "What plans?" Ryoko asked suspiciously, wondering if her mentioning Washu running tests had backfired on her. "We're going out." Washu said. Ryoko's mouth fell open. "No, not drinking again. Shopping." A portal opened in front of them and Washu stepped through. *come on Ryoko* Ryoko stepped through boldly. They were in a huge mall with fifty-seven stories. Washu pulled Ryoko in one direction. "Where are we going?" Ryoko insisted. Washu didn't answer. They ended up in front of a gardening store. "Go wild Ryoko." Washu advised. "The carts are over there to the right." She pointed. "But-" Ryoko objected. The idea of her, the infamous space pirate going shopping for seeds and a hose! "Don't worry about money. I've got it covered." Washu winked. "Yeah, well, I could just steal whatever I want." Ryoko offered. "Nope! While we're here, I'm paying for whatever we buy. Now I believe I hear a hose calling you, young lady." Washu looked down her nose at her daughter. Ryoko went after the hose rather than argue with Washu. Besides, why fight with someone who's going to pay for whatever you want? *** The casher looked at the three carts, then back at Ryoko. The manager noticed this and was trying to come up with a polite way to ask if she was able to pay for all this when Washu showed up. Waving aside his feeble protests of how much merchandise there was and how much it was going to cost, she pulled a card out of her sleeve and handed it to him. His eyes bulged and he handed the card to the clerk. The manager then went to call two men to bag their purchases. "That won't be necessary." Washu assured them. "Just pile it up on an available space of clear floor." Eyebrows were raised over that statement, but no one disagreed with her. Washu pointed a finger at the merchandise after it was paid for and it went into thin air. *Storage facility. Let them figure it out.* *What did you show that guy?* Ryoko asked. *Oh, just a credit card.* Washu said airily. Ryoko raised an eyebrow. Washu grinned and pulled the card out again and handed it to Ryoko. A Delinthium credit card! Only a million people in the entire universe had one of these! "Now don't get it into your head to max that thing out. There's a few things on there already." Washu cautioned. "But there's enough to buy a dozen malls like this out completely." Washu continued. "Let's get down to some serious shopping shall we?" Ryoko and Washu had been through a dozen more stores including clothes, pets, toys, etc. Their purchases had been conservative, though they had had to pay for playing with the squirt guns in the toy store. They had gone into the storage facility as well. "Time to go home?" Washu asked. Ryoko nodded. *** The next morning, Ryoko was up before Washu and in the garden immediately. The weeding had been done by mid-morning and the fountain had been filled. Ryoko had no idea how to construct the swing though. Lunch time came and went and Ryoko didn't notice. She was working out how to put the swing up. At about two in the afternoon, her stomach grumbled. "Looks like I'm just in time!" Washu carolled. She held a tray of food in her hands. She walked over to Ryoko and put it down. "You always forgot to eat while you were in here." "Mmph!" Ryoko stuffed her face hurriedly. Washu shook her head. "Anything you need me for, Little Ryoko?" Ryoko shook her head. Washu turned to leave. Ryoko swallowed fast and said, "Washu?" Washu turned around and tilted her head at Ryoko. "Yes?" "Um," Ryoko looked sideways at the ground. "Let me guess. A swing between the cherry trees?" Washu said wryly. "You've wanted one there ever since you were little, but I told you the branches weren't strong enough. I'll go see what I can find." Washu left. Ryoko stood there. I hate having her talk about when I was little. I can't remember and she can! *** Washu came back soon and had a wooden swing in her hands with nylon cord rope trailing behind it. "Now, the rope won't break, so don't worry about that. If you're going to cut it, you'll need these." Washu handed her a pair of cutters. "To make it stay to the tree, put some of this on the knots after you're through." She handed over some glue. "That stuff's stickier than any substance known to the universe. So if you get some on yourself, make sure not to handle anything." Washu walked away then turned and waved at Ryoko. Ryoko was already at work on the swing. *** At dinnertime, Tenchi asked Ryoko, "You've not been around for the last couple days. Is something wrong?" "No, Tenchi. Why would anything be wrong?" Ryoko glanced at him and went back to eating. Tenchi shrugged and went back to eating. Good girl, Washu thought. Lead him on. Ignore him. After dinner, Ryoko and Washu went back into the lab. "Did you see that? He was concerned about me!" Ryoko cheered. "Mm-hmm. Just don't blow it. You've got one more day." Washu cautioned. Ryoko ran off toward the garden. Washu shook her head. Just like old times. *** "Ryoko? If I could drag you away for a minute?" Washu called into the garden. Ryoko's head came up from behind the fountain. "What is it?" she grumbled. "I'm working here." "I'd like you to come see something of mine that can pay off the bills we incurred yesterday." Washu nudged. Ryoko got to her feet and stumbled along after her. *** "This is my hangar." Washu put her hand on the pad next to the door. They walked inside and Ryoko stared. It was a beautiful silver starship. "It's got four engines, stardrive, etc." Washu rambled on. Ryoko walked all the way around it and stroked the covering. "It's only got one problem." Washu concluded. Ryoko looked at her and Washu continued, "No test run yet. I don't like to do test flights anymore because it's more useful to me to see what other people think." She suddenly looked at Ryoko. "Want to test fly it?" Ryoko nodded. *** After the initial test run, Ryoko climbed out of the cockpit. "It's not as fast as Ryo-ohki, but it's good for everyone else." "That's just as well. I've never built anything as fast as Ryo-ohki. I thought of selling this idea for-" Washu rattled off a price that would pay that card four times over. "What do you think?" Washu asked. "It's fine." Ryoko gasped. "Isn't it a bit high?" "I got offered twice that for Ryo-ohki and that was five thousand years ago." Washu gently reminded her. *** The next morning was the third day. Washu had enjoyed the time with her daughter and was saddened that it would end with tonight. But she had events planned for today. Ryoko walked in and began to fly off for the garden. "Little Ryoko?" Washu called. "Yes?" Ryoko stopped. "Could I have a few hours of your time today?" Washu asked politely. "Since I'm responsible for you possibly having Tenchi on a date?" Ryoko looked longingly in the direction of the garden, but went with Washu. She stood in front of a portal. "If I die, this will remain in this spot. Look into it and I will appear telling you what to do with my experiments and animals. There will also be messages for everyone that I will hand them through this mirror. It is updated daily, Ryoko." "Now, on to the fun stuff!" Washu started off again. Ryoko followed her. *** "Wow!" Ryoko looked off of the Eiffel Tower. Washu had taken them to America, France, Germany, most of the major countries. "Have you been here before?" Washu asked. Ryoko shook her head. "You?" "No. I wanted to go with someone not visit by myself." Washu shook off the melancholy. "But I wanted to have you back by lunch so you could work on your garden." When they arrived, Ryoko started for the door. "No, Ryoko." Ryoko turned around. "Why not? I'm hungry!" "Tenchi is not to see you for the entire day. You went to breakfast, but not lunch and not dinner." Washu said. "Then what are we going to eat?" Ryoko pestered. Washu smiled. "I'll cook, of course. If you don't like the lunch, then we'll order in from somewhere." *** After lunch, Washu asked her how it was. Ryoko belched and said, "Great." And staggered up the stairs to work in the garden. Washu stayed downstairs and cleaned up, then went upstairs to watch Ryoko from the dark of the trellis. Ryoko had just finished everything and was looking at a dark place on the stone wall. I wonder if I can get that off? She mused. Ryoko reached out her hand to see what it was.... "Ryoko!" Washu called a warning, just making it to the trellis to watch. Ryoko screamed in agony as her hand touched the dark spot. Washu sprang forward and dragged her away from it. Ryoko's hand was burnt, but healing rapidly. Ryoko was unconscious. Washu moved her to the medical part of her lab and set about finding a way to wake her out of it. *** Washu sighed. She should have known better. She should have warned Ryoko about that patch, but Ryoko had said she didn't want to be reminded of her memories and that was a bad one. Kagato had burst into the house and taken Ryoko from the garden. That black spot was all that remained of that event. It had the power to drag Ryoko's mind through the memories of her youth right up to that point where Kagato had taken her from the house. *** Ryoko swam in among her memories. Happy ones of laughter, waving a hand at some fireworks above the Academy, Washu bathing her and Ryoko asking for "more bubbles in the bath", playing with other children, school, learning to use her powers... Then Kagato taking her away. Washu's alarms had gone off and she had rushed home. Kagato had limited the range of their telepathy-I used telepathy more then, Ryoko thought-but only to the house. Washu raced upstairs to find her daughter unconscious and in Kagato's hands. Ryoko had gotten off one blast, the dark spot in the garden, but that hadn't stopped him. Ryoko started to call out, "Mom! Mom, where are you?" *** Washu was sitting to her computer, trying to find something that would bring her out of this coma-like existence when she heard Ryoko. Abandoning her work, she ran to her daughter. "Mom's here, darling. I'm right here. Shhhh now." Washu stroked her daughters cyan hair. "I should have told you! I should have known better than to show you that garden. I knew you'd spend your time there. I should have made you afraid to stay in the lab like I had planned. But I wanted some time with my daughter so I got you into this bet." Washu said sadly. "I'm sorry..." "D-don't..." Ryoko whispered. "M-my fault." "No, it's not your fault! I should have been there instead of teaching!" Washu yelled. "Here now..." Ryoko whispered, then went back into unconsciousness. Washu watched her for a moment, then went back to the computer. Letting out a sigh, she looked at her daughter. *** Now that Ryoko was out of danger, Washu was in her private bath soaking. It was the end of the day and Ryoko would leave now. Tenchi would hopefully ask her out on a date and Washu would go back to being the uncaring scientist who incidentally had a daughter. Washu sighed and sunk below the water, blowing bubbles to the top. "Can I join you?" Ryoko voice called. Washu sprang to the surface. "Sure!" she called back. Ryoko stepped into the water of the small pool. Getting warm in the water, she asked, "What? No bubbles again?" Washu looked at her startled. Reaching into a storage facility, she pulled out a bottle of bubbles and handed it to Ryoko. Ryoko took it with a grin and put some in the water. "Yup, that's right. I remember everything now." Ryoko said. "The garden, Kagato, you rushing to save me, all my childhood memories..." She tapped her brain. "Everything's sorted out up here." She gave her mother a sly grin. "Tyloren's face was funny, wasn't it?" Washu laughed. "She couldn't believe a ten-year-old knew more than she did!" Ryoko laughed. *** It was breakfast. Tenchi cornered Ryoko as she started toward Washu's lab and asked her if she'd like to go to Tokyo today. He rubbed his head and said that she hadn't been outside the lab for three days and they could go, just the two of them... Washu listened with glee. Go Ryoko! Her face fell as she heard, "Could we do it tomorrow, Tenchi? I've got a bit more work to do inside the lab today." Tenchi smiled and said sure. Ryoko walked into the lab and saw Washu watching the space where she had been. "What is it with you? Tenchi just asked you out on a date! Tenchi! What you've been wanting is yours!" Washu pulled at her hair. Ryoko walked over and pulled Washu's hands away from her hair. "Got to keep you guessing..." Ryoko walked towards the garden. "Mom."