The characters do not belong to me, they belong to AIC and Pioneer, and I'm not making any money off of this. The Quiet Interval By Kenzie Kennedy Washu marched out of her lab and spotted Tenchi coming down the stairs for breakfast. Striding up to him, she stuck a finger in his face and said, "Your planet is really messed up. Do you realize how many civilizations have been wiped out simply because you spread a common germ?!" "Uh, Washu," Tenchi began to sweat. "This planet really needs a keeper." Washu muttered and went back inside her lab. Oh, this is going to be one of those days. I just know it. Tenchi sighed. *** Breakfast was quiet. Ayeka and Ryoko actually got along better now that they realized Ryoko had won. Tenchi didn't get it but then he didn't know that he had inadvertently chosen. Ryoko was happy that Lady Areta's garden was done. It had taken her all of a week to put it together and she was relieved to be out of the lady's sight. Very well-meaning and clever, the Lady Areta was also very stuck up. Besides, she was eager to get started on her own garden again. The weeds must be something horrible. *** After breakfast, Tenchi went out to the fields, Sasami and Ayeka started to clean up the breakfast dishes, Mihoshi crept toward the TV, and Ryoko carried some of the breakfast into Washu's lab. "Washu?" she called. "Over here. I'm in the library." Came a disembodied voice. Ryoko made her way to the library. She found Washu on her cushion reading a book. "I brought you breakfast." "Oh. Thanks, Ryoko." Washu accepted the tray and balanced it on her knees. "This planet has so many problems. Volcanoes, earthquakes, no weather control at all! I wonder if I gave the resident scientists a little push..." Washu mumbled. Ryoko crept silently out of the room toward her beloved garden. *** Entering the house and running up to her garden, she sighed as she saw it. It truly was beautiful. Ryoko's outer shell of being a mean old space pirate always fell away when she was here. Instead she became the innocent, well not that innocent, fifteen-year-old she had been. *** Washu put her book down for a second to enjoy the feeling of her daughter's happiness. She could always tell when Ryoko entered her garden. The feeling of extreme joy. She chuckled. Oh, my little Ryoko. Do you truly think that's the only time you let down your guard? It's been happening more and more lately. More calling me Mom, more tenderness with Ryo-ohki and Sasami, more careful around both Tenchi and Ayeka... You truly are becoming the daughter I once had. *** Ryoko pulled on her gloves and took inventory of her garden. The weeds hadn't grown as much as she thought they would. Maybe that new weed killer she had tried actually worked. She got down to business, pulling the weeds out so her flowers could grow to their fullest. *** "Little Washu?" Tenchi called into the lab. Washu slammed her book. Drat, she thought. I don't want him to see me in here. "Coming!" she called. She ran toward her main lab. "Yes, Tenchi?" she panted. "You didn't have to run, Little Washu. I just wanted to know if you knew where Ryoko was." Tenchi asked. "She's in her garden, where else?" Washu shrugged. *** Washu walked into the house followed by Tenchi. "Ryoko, dear! You have a visitor!" she called. Ryoko ran to the balcony, dirty gloves still on her hands. "Hi, Tenchi!" "Hello, Ryoko." He looked around but Washu had already gone. "I wanted to know if you wanted to walk up to the cave with me." "Sure! Just let me take these off." Ryoko ran back to her garden. Ooohh! Tenchi's asking me to take a walk with him! She hugged herself. *** "So, what's in the basket, Tenchi?" Ryoko asked. "Just a couple of sandwiches in case we get hungry." Tenchi smiled at her. She is such a lovely girl. I always thought I'd like to know her better but... He shuddered remembering the days when she'd leap on him and whine at him for not paying attention to her. Tenchi smiled. How glad he was that Ryoko got her memories back. He frowned. "Ryoko, why haven't you told the others that you have your memories back?" Tenchi asked. Ryoko stopped then started walking again. "I don't know. It just doesn't seem right. I mean, I'm a goddess's child, a space pirate, I don't know if they can handle much more." Tenchi laughed. "Well, maybe bring up one of your past memories to share." "All right, Tenchi. But no one knows that I lost the first fifteen years. Why spring it on them?" "To help them understand why you've changed." Tenchi slipped. "I've changed?" Ryoko asked coyly. "How, Tenchi?" "Uh-um... Hey, look! We're here already!" Tenchi ran on ahead. Ryoko grinned and flew after him. The two sat down in front of the cave and just looked at it. "Does it still bother you?" Tenchi asked. Ryoko nodded slowly. "I'm still afraid of the dark. Why do you think I spend so much time on the roof, looking at the stars?" "So the stars are your nightlight?" Tenchi said. Ryoko turned her head sharply. "It's not nice to make fun of others. I can remember when you needed a nightlight too, Tenchi Masaki." Tenchi held up his hands. "I didn't mean it that way, Ryoko. I thought it was kind of poetic and sweet." "Oh," Ryoko said, sheepishly. Tenchi got up and walked toward the picnic basket. Ryoko looked curiously at him. Tenchi took something out of the basket and held it behind his back as he walked back to Ryoko. "Close your eyes," he asked. Ryoko closed her eyes. Tenchi cupped her hands around something. "Open them," he said. Ryoko opened her eyes to find ... a jar. She looked at it puzzled. Tenchi chuckled. "You don't remember?" he asked. She shook her head. Tenchi took the jar from her, unscrewed the cap, and took out a little wand. He blew through the wand and pretty bubbles appeared. Ryoko's face lit up. "Here," he offered it back to her and soon they were both running around with jars in their hands and many-colored bubbles floating on the breeze. *** With all the games Tenchi had brought from old yo-yos to bubbles to a rubber ball, they played for a long time not noticing how dark it was getting. When the bubbles lost their glow, Tenchi finally noticed it was about an hour past dusk and was growing very dark outside. "Wow, Ryoko, we've been playing all afternoon." Ryoko looked at him. She shivered under the night's cloak of darkness. Tremors ran deep through her body. "Ryoko?" Tenchi asked. She started to shake and her eyes started to dart around wildly. Tenchi walked over to her quickly. "Ryoko? Are you okay?" She shook her head slowly, shaking with fear of the night. Tenchi gathered her to his chest. "Shhh, it'll be okay, Ryoko. Let's go home and watch some TV." Ryoko walked very close to Tenchi down the steps. "Tenchi, why'd you play with me today?" Ryoko asked, shivering from fear of the night not the cold. Tenchi smiled. "Ayeka told me that you watched me when I was little and you always wanted to play with me one day. I decided today was the day." *** Washu felt her daughter's fear through their link. Silly Ryoko, she thought with a chuckle. She hopped off her cushion and went to the closet door. "Hey, Sasami!" she called. "Yes, Washu?" she yelled from the kitchen. "Are you done with cleaning up yet?" Washu walked into the kitchen so they didn't have to yell. "Yes. Do you know why Tenchi and Ryoko didn't show up for dinner?" she asked worriedly. "They were out playing. They'll be fine with the dinner you set aside for them." Washu winked. "Why don't we round up the others and go outside?" *** About halfway down the stairs, Tenchi and Ryoko were suddenly surprised. A shower of red sparks floated down from the sky where they had just exploded. "Oh, no," Ryoko whispered. "What now?" Tenchi chuckled. "They're only fireworks. Want to sit down and watch for a minute? Catch our breath?" Ryoko nodded. *** "Oh, do another one, Washu!" Sasami jumped up and down and clapped her hands. Washu bowed and another firework came into being out of nothing. This one was a rainbow design. A circle of sparks, red on the outside, all the way into purple at the very heart. *** Ryoko said, "Oh, so beautiful." Tenchi looked at her with quiet love in his eyes. Ryoko turned. That look on his face... So tender... Tenchi tilted his head and put his hand on Ryoko's neck. His hand brushed upward through her cyan hair. Ryoko scooted a little closer. Hey, Ryoko dear! Ryoko growled and moved back. Not now, Mom! Washu saw a little of what Ryoko was feeling and immediately backed off. Heh, heh, sorry... "Sorry, Mom spoke to me." Ryoko told Tenchi. He grinned and pulled her towards his mouth. A long kiss ensued. When the two broke apart, both sets of eyes were gazing at each other. Something caught Tenchi's eye. He pointed to the sky and said, "Look." A huge red heart floated in the sky. *** The two got home with the stars lighting their path. Ryoko made a note to... speak with her mother about that heart in the sky. Sasami immediately put their dinner in the oven to warm it up and served it to them. Tenchi went up to his room shortly after and Ryoko floated up to her rafter with a pillow from the couch. Washu looked up at her daughter briefly before going into her lab. Blocking the link to allow herself to think about why her daughter didn't sleep in the house, she walked silently to her room. As she walked, her uniform switched into her nightclothes. *** Yawning, Ryoko stretched and phased through the rafter to land on the floor. Walking into the kitchen, she was surprised not to see Sasami there. Checking the clock, she found it was six o'clock. The vegetables were already chopped and everything was ready. Just no Sasami. Walking out the back door, she found Sasami looking up at the sky. Ryoko looked up as well wondering what Sasami was looking at. Birds were in the sky, flying and cheeping at each other. Sasami sniffed. "I wish I could fly." She said softly. Ryoko got a naughty grin on her face. Phasing behind Sasami, she lifted the little girl up into the air. "Ahhhh!!" Sasami yelped. "Calm down," Ryoko said mildly. "I'm not going to drop you." "Ryoko!" Sasami said cheerfully. "What are you doing up so early?" "Granting little girl wishes." Ryoko said mischievously. "Look down." Sasami obediently looked down. She gasped. "We're up so high!" Ryoko laughed. "How about after breakfast I take you up again?" Ryoko asked. "Breakfast! I forgot!" Sasami looked wildly at Ryoko. Ryoko phased directly from the air into the kitchen. Sasami hurriedly started to fix breakfast. *** Ryoko and Sasami stood outside on the lawn. "Ready?" Ryoko asked. Sasami nodded. "Sasami? What are you two doing?" Mihoshi asked. "Ryoko and I are going to fly!" Sasami cheerfully told her. "Oh, wow! Can I fly too?" Mihoshi asked. "Who's flying?" Ayeka said coming out of the house. "Me and Ryoko," Sasami told her sister. "Oh, no you're not. It's not safe." Ayeka bluntly told her sister. "Come on, Ayeka. She'll be safe with me." Ryoko wheedled. "Absolutely not. What if you forget and drop her? How would I explain it to mother?" Ayeka asked. "We went flying this morning and she didn't drop me." Sasami said. Ayeka looked at Ryoko, a look of anger on her face. "How could you endanger my sister like that?" Ayeka screamed at her. "All right, sis. Why don't you try flying and then if it's safe, I can go." Sasami worked out. Ayeka turned red. "Uhh.." she said. Ryoko got an evil look in her eye. "Come on, princess. Unless you're scared." Ayeka walked over to Ryoko stiffly and said, "All right." Ryoko grabbed her right hand with her left and leapt into the air. Ayeka screamed. Ryoko flew lazily up to about fifty feet off the ground. "Look down, but don't let go." She advised. Ayeka looked down and immediately her right hand flew to her mouth. She fell. Ryoko zoomed under her and caught her. "I told you not to do that." She scolded. "Now keep your eyes open and don't let go. Your sister didn't let go." Ayeka nodded and Ryoko flew around the yard very slowly. "Hey, are you enjoying this?" she said when Ayeka relaxed. "Yes, yes, I am." Ayeka said surprised. "Sasami can fly, but only if you're careful." "Want to go down now?" Ryoko asked. Ayeka nodded. Sasami flew for a little while and then Mihoshi had her turn. Ryoko was tired after that and she went in to relax on the couch and watch TV with Mihoshi. Ryo-ohki leapt up into her lap and Ryoko fell asleep stroking the cabbit. *** Ayeka wandered about the house aimlessly. Her fears and worries surrounded her but there wasn't anyone to talk to. Ryoko and Tenchi were becoming involved, was there anyone for her? She couldn't talk to Sasami about it, she wouldn't understand being so young. Yosho was out of the question. Even if he was her brother, she didn't feel comfortable asking a male about this. Mihoshi... Even Ayeka had to giggle at that thought. The topic would drift off so many times it would be funny to watch. Ryoko she couldn't talk to either. "Hey," someone said softly behind her. Ayeka turned around. Washu stood there with a lopsided smile on her face. "Need to talk?" Ayeka burst into tears. Washu hurried forward and patted her on the back. She walked the young woman to her lab, being careful not to let anyone see her. *** Once they were inside, Washu sat Ayeka down at a lawn table with a big yellow umbrella. Iced tea was already provided. "So what's the problem, Ayeka?" she asked. Ayeka sniffled and Washu passed her a box of Kleenex. Ayeka blew her nose and started. "Tenchi has chosen Ryoko over me. Does that mean I'm not pretty enough? I'm a princess, he should love me. But I can't be angry at him because I love him and Ryoko's not that bad once you get to know her. I fell in love with Yosho and then Tenchi. Am I now to wait until Tenchi has a grandson? Is there anyone for me?" she wailed. Washu looked at her. "You're very pretty, Ayeka." Ayeka gave her a mean look and Washu laughed. "I know, not what you wanted to hear. But without the gems, I can't tell if there is anyone specifically for you. I don't, however, think you should wait for Tenchi's grandson. That would be a little long for your father to wait for you to marry. He's being quite impatient." Ayeka sniffled a little more and nodded. Washu sighed. Intruding on Ryoko's sleep, she asked, "Ryoko, I need the gems for a moment." *** Out in the living room, Ryoko mumbled, "Yes, Washu." *** Washu smiled and the gems floated to her. Feeling the welcomeness of them, she posed her question to the universe. She smiled and sent the gems back to her daughter. "Yes, Ayeka, there is someone for you. But it'll be anywhere from a month to several years before you meet." Ayeka's face lit up with hope. "But how do I get father to wait?" Washu smiled. "For that, I think you need to ask your sister. Even Azusa won't disagree with Tsunami." "No, he won't." agreed Tsunami over the ice cube in the iced tea. Washu looked down. "Gah! I'm getting sick of you doing that sister." "I'll speak with Azusa the next time I see him." Tsunami said and disappeared. Washu fished the ice cube out of her drink and drained the glass. Ayeka chuckled. *** Ryoko woke up and walked into Washu's lab. For once, she intended to just sit in her garden. Halfway there, she was sidetracked by an idea. "Hey, Washu?" she called. Ayeka was startled to hear Ryoko's voice. Washu called, "Over here, Ryoko!" Ryoko appeared a few minutes later. "Hey, Washu, do you have a book on-" She caught sight of Ayeka. "Oh, hi, Ayeka." Another chair scooted into existence for Ryoko to sit in. "So, what did you want, Little Ryoko?" Washu batted her eyes at her daughter. "I wondered if you had a book on older spaceships." Ryoko glanced at Ayeka sipping her tea. "Yes, tons. What kind are you looking for? I might know it already." Washu asked. "I'm not looking for any specific kind. I just want one." Ryoko grimaced. "Why would you want an old spaceship when I can design one for you?" Washu asked. "You've got Ryo-ohki already." Ryoko squirmed in her chair. "That's not all." "Oh?" Ayeka said. Ryoko glanced at her again. The princess seemed mildly interested. Ryoko bit her lip. "I had another idea." She blurted out. Washu rolled her eyes. "You and your ideas. Do you remember the time you had an idea to construct a device that allowed you to speak over distance? I had to show you a telephone." Ayeka snickered. "For a garden." Ryoko stressed. "Oh, then that's different." Washu waved a hand. "Let me guess. You either want a place to play with it or subdimensions built over the existing one." Ryoko considered. "Subdimensions, then. With a keypad or a voice activator?" "Sure. How big should it be?" Washu asked. Ryoko laughed. "Depends on the spaceship I get. Where should I look?" Ryoko mused. "Ahem." Both women turned to the princess. Ayeka smiled. "I think the junkyards would be a good place to start. You don't want one that's shiny and new obviously and if you choose a particular model you might not be able to find it." Ryoko smiled. "That's a good idea." *** Washu, Ryoko, and Ayeka appeared in front of Drake's Junkyard. Washu had found it claiming to be the best in the business. Drake himself came out to meet them. "What would you be looking for today, ladies?" he boomed. "We'd like to look around." Washu said and they were shown the junkyard. *** Hours later, it was down to two. Drake was consulted for prices. "Well, that one there," pointing to the Cylter 2000, "is about 5,000 dectals. The other one," pointing to the Natherin, "is 7,000 dectals." "How is that the more beat up one is higher?" Ayeka demanded. Drake winked at her. "That one is more because the Space Pirate Ryoko herself was the last one to make it beat-up." He would have continued but Ryoko approached it and grinned. "I thought I recognized this hunk of junk!" she exclaimed. Drake choked. "Th-the Space Pirate Ryoko!" Ryoko sighed. "I'd rather have the Cylter, but this one has sentimental value." She approached the man to hand him her card and he backed off. "Oh, for..." Washu rummaged around in the pocket of space and pulled out her card. He gladly took it and ran away to charge it to her card. "Ryoko, you're more trouble..." "Hey, that wasn't my fault!" Ryoko protested. Ayeka giggled. "Maybe after I see what you're going to do with it, I'll visit the Juraian junkyard and pick one up for you." *** Back at the house, Ryoko was still grumbling. "Won't take my card because I'm a space pirate, but he'll take one from one of the first goddesses in the universe..." "That's because I'm not as well known, dear." Washu chirped. "Now, shoo while I set up the subdimension on the house." *** Ryoko walked out of the lab with Ayeka. The two looked at each other and then looked away. "So... What do you want to do?" Ryoko asked. "Oh, don't start that again!" Ayeka said exasperated. "Why don't we go for a walk?" *** Outside the two went and they walked around talking about the flying in the morning. Ayeka stirred her courage and said, "You haven't been the same lately, pirate." "Oh and what do you mean by that, princess?" Ryoko asked. "Well, you're being nicer to Sasami, you're not teasing me as much-not that I'm complaining-, you're not drinking sake like you used to." Ayeka smiled. "Need I go on?" "All right, all right." Ryoko mumbled. "You asked for this remember." Ryoko took a deep breath. "When Kagato kidnapped me, I was fifteen years old. I became such a bad person being made to do such horrible things that I blocked off the first fifteen years of my life. Recently, I got those memories back and I realized that I'm not such a bad person." Ryoko continued. "So, I remember what it's like to be a child, that's why Sasami and I are closer. I'm not teasing you as much because I remember how to get along or at least try to with people around my age. I don't need the sake to drown out the voices of the dead anymore." Ryoko smiled. "With the memories came their quiet. So, have any other questions?" "No." Ayeka said quietly. "Well, one." After a few moments of silence, Ryoko asked, "Well, what is it?" Ayeka spoke slowly, "What does it feel like to have Tenchi's love?" Ryoko was startled. "Uhh, I don't have his love." Ayeka looked at Ryoko and smiled. "Yes, you do. He's finally fallen in love with one of us. And I want to know how it feels so that I'll know." Ryoko kept quiet for a few minutes. "It feels like... nothing I've ever known. Washu loves me, but it's not the same. It's like wanting to be with them all the time and it drives you crazy because other people have to have their turn as well. It's looking at them and knowing that you'd protect them no matter what. It's laughing at the simplest things." Ryoko tried to explain it. "I'm not doing so well at this." Ayeka said, "Yes, you are. That's what love feels like." Ayeka turned and looked back at the house. "Do you think Washu has finished yet?" "Don't know. I'll ask." Ryoko told Ayeka. Ryoko asked Washu, "Are you ready?" "Been ready, dear daughter. I put the table and chairs near the entrance if you want to look at the catalogs that are there. You should be able to get whatever you want instantly from them." Washu told her daughter and then turned back to her project. "Washu says that she's been ready." Ryoko turned to walk back toward the house. "Want to come and look at seeds and plants with me?" Ayeka raised an eyebrow. "Does that mean I get to help with this one too?" Ryoko nodded. "Then let's get started."