These characters don't belong to me, and I'm not making any money off of writing this story. The Choices By Kenzie Kennedy Ryoko was sitting on her bed, paging through flower books. Washu wasn't up yet which was strange enough. Ryoko, the dreaded space pirate, sitting a purple/blue comforter wearing a pink nightgown with a little bit of lace around the edges was downright weird. Her eyes flew from the purple lilies to the white as glistening snow daisies. Ryoko flipped the page and idly thought what she had to do with the flowers exactly. Washu had given her the idea that she would need a lot of them, but the only thing she had shown were a bit of flowers that the bride held. Ryoko's hand held up her head while she gazed off beyond the book. Married. To Tenchi. She sighed happily. Her dreams were coming true. The door handle turned quietly. Ryoko's sharp hearing heard it and she turned her head to see her mother's eyes peeking around the door. "Good morning, Mom." Ryoko said wryly. Washu, unfazed, walked into the room. "What are you looking at?" she asked. "Flowers. You said I needed some." Ryoko flipped back a page. "Aren't these gorgeous?" she gushed. "Yes, they are. You don't need 'some' you need lots." Washu gently reminded her. "For what?" Ryoko said, flipping back to her place. "The men have to wear flowers, you have to have a bouquet and flowers in your hair, your bridesmaids have to have flower bouquets as well, there are flowers where the guests are sitting, table arrangements-" Washu was stopped by Ryoko slamming the book. "Then we'd better get started. Who's making the bouquet?" Ryoko challenged her mother. "You pick the flowers. I'll find someone to make the bouquets." Washu told her with a grin. "Are you coming down for breakfast?" Ryoko nodded and shooed her mother out the door. *** Fully dressed, Ryoko came downstairs and ate her breakfast. She lugged three books with her and Washu made the appropriate noises over the flowers that she thought would be wonderful for the wedding. "Okay," Washu finally pushed her plate away. "You'll want to have everything match. So find a flower that all the women can agree on. Find something inconspicuous for the men to wear. That'll be Azusa, Yosho, Nobuyuki, Balar, and Tenchi. I'm assuming that Tenchi's best man is going to be Balar." "What's a best man?" Ryoko asked. "The best man is the one who makes sure Tenchi gets to the wedding on time and not drunk." Washu told her with a straight face. At Ryoko's glare, she shrugged. "Tenchi wouldn't be drinking before your wedding day. Now that that's settled, the best man is kind of the opposite number of the maid of honor." Washu ended. "Oh." Ryoko said. Consulting her books, she chose one and flipped through it. "Then I want this flower." Washu glanced at the flower and then did a double-take. What strange twist of fate had caused her daughter to pick the very flower that she had chosen for her wedding? Washu's eyes teared up and she nodded quickly. "It'll be lovely." She choked. "Washu? What's wrong?" Ryoko asked. "Nothing." Washu dabbed at her eyes with her sleeve. "I chose that flower for my wedding." Ryoko looked at the flower looking innocently at her from the page. "I can choose another one." Ryoko offered. Washu shook her head. "No, no. It just proves that you've got good taste." Washu looked at the picture again. "So that's what you want? Fireflowers?" Ryoko nodded. "Well," Washu paused, "it does suit your personality." Ryoko narrowed her eyes and scowled mockingly at her mother. *** After breakfast, Washu and Ayeka went outside to teach and learn sword- fighting. Tenchi and Balar went to the fields and then to Yosho for training. Sasami cleaned up the kitchen and while she was hesitating which chore to do first, Ryoko showed up and offered to help. While they were cleaning, Ryoko showed Sasami the fireflowers that she was going to have as a bouquet and Sasami would have a little sprig on her shoulder. *** At lessons that afternoon, the lesson was the half one that had gotten cut off because of inattention. Washu came in with snacks and they sat around and talked about the flowers and what did Ryoko and Ayeka think they'd like to wear for dresses? The topic quickly changed to what were the men going to wear? Ayeka considered Balar for a moment. "Not black." She said authoritatively. "Not anything bright either. Maybe a muted blue?" Ryoko looked at Tenchi and agreed. Something blue was what the men would wear. Washu sighed. "I'll try to find men's wear along with the gowns. It shouldn't be too hard." "When will the gowns be done?" Ayeka asked. "Tomorrow. I have to check with just a few more people and then later next week, we'll go shopping for jewelry. Funaho and Misaki would probably like to come with us. We'll go shopping on Ryoko's bachelorette party." Washu decided. "Explain this 'bachelorette party' again?" Ayeka asked. "It's supposed to provide relief for the bride and the groom. Well... Give them something to think about besides the wedding." Washu concluded. "It traditionally is the night before the wedding, but I think we ought to have it the night before then. Two nights away from the wedding night. Does that sound good? We'll round up the girls in this household, snag the queens from the palace, and go shopping for jewelry and other stuff." Ryoko considered it and then nodded. After all, it was Washu who was going to need the break, not her. Ayeka nodded also. Washu got up, wincing at a charley horse in her leg, and limped back to her computers. Ryoko and Tenchi found their way up to her garden, while Ayeka and Balar reclined in the library. *** Washu set her laptop working on finding the dresses for them all according to their sizes and physical structure. She sighed. This project of hers was really becoming a chore. The number one scientific genius in the universe was having her head picked and she didn't like it. She sat back down in the new part of the lab, snapped the helmet on, and read a book. *** Ayeka was curled up on the couch when Balar stepped over. He stared at her until she looked up. "Ayeka..." he stammered. "Yes, Balar?" she said in her soft-spoken way. "May I try what Tenchi and Ryoko have been doing while we have been studying?" he asked shyly. Ayeka stared at him a little afraid. Balar caught her expression and quickly said, "We don't have to. It just," he shrugged, "looked like fun." Ayeka looked at the space beside her on the couch. She said slowly, "What if I sit like this," Ayeka moved her legs onto the wide couch, "and you get a pillow and rest it against here." She gestured to her midsection. Balar looked at her strained face and nodded slowly. He stole a pillow from the other end of the couch and placed it where his head would lie. Gently lying down, as if Ayeka was made of glass, he settled himself. "Are you okay?" he asked. "Are you comfortable?" "Mmm," Ayeka hmmmed and went back to her book. *** Tenchi and Ryoko were in a similar position in the garden. On the patch of grass below the cherry trees, Tenchi was on his back with Ryoko's head cushioned on his stomach. Tenchi cleared his throat. "Ryoko, are you really okay with this?" "Tenchi, how many times are you going to ask me if I want to marry you in eleven days?" Ryoko said angrily. "As many times as it takes for me to know that you're sure about this." Tenchi responded calmly. Ryoko dematerialized from where she was and appeared straddling Tenchi, pinning him to the floor. "Would you stop asking me? I want to marry you. It doesn't matter if it's tomorrow, two weeks, or two centuries. I want to lie beside you at night. I want to hear you breathing in my ear, telling me that you love me. I want to know that you're safe because I'll be with you." Tenchi looked up at her emotion-filled eyes and reached up his hands and pulled her down in a kiss. "I love you," he said with his whole heart in it. "And I always will." *** Dinner was excellent and the two couples spent more time together that evening. Balar started to work on his crocheting in the living room while Ayeka knitted beside him. Due to the amount of yarn and needles and elbows flying everywhere they couldn't sit too close to each other, but they managed. "What are you doing, Balar?" Mihoshi asked curiously. Balar showed her how to chain stitch and pretty soon Mihoshi was learning it as well. She was doing it very well, when Ayeka suggested that she might like something a little finer to work with. Mihoshi looked at Ayeka not knowing what she meant. Ayeka chuckled. "Mihoshi, there is a finer thread that you can use to make shawls with. It's difficult for me to do, but you've picked crocheting up and it's not much different than that." "Oh. Do you think I could learn? I love shawls!" Mihoshi said eagerly. "Why don't you ask Washu if she has a book?" Ayeka said, not looking up from her knitting. Mihoshi leaped up from the couch and trotted off to the lab door. "Oh, Miss Washu! Can I come in?" she caroled. "Only if you promise not to touch anything," a voice floated through the door. The door opened and Mihoshi stepped in. Washu sat on her cushion at her laptop. "So what did you want, Mihoshi?" she asked quickly. "Well, I wondered what Balar was doing and he said he was crocheting and I wanted to learn so he taught me, but then Ayeka said that I might want to learn crocheting with a finer thread so that I could make shawls." Mihoshi ran out of breath. "So they sent you in here for a book and some thread? Is that right?" Washu kept typing. Mihoshi nodded. Washu hopped down off her cushion. Putting two hands into the air, she pulled and yarn appeared. She shoved it at Mihoshi who grabbed it. Washu narrowed her eyes. "Oh, so you're going to be difficult, huh?" she said to mid- air. Washu grabbed something and pulled. She put her foot in the air and braced it against something unseen. "You ... will ... come ... out!" she gritted her teeth. The book popped out of the hole and Washu fell back on the floor. Mihoshi ran forward and helped Washu up. "Here's your book, Mihoshi," Washu said weakly. Washu got up a few seconds later as Mihoshi went out the door, waving as she left. Washu looked longingly at her computer and sighed. She trudged off to the new part of the lab again. *** Ryoko sighed happily. The stars were beautiful, the night was cool, and Tenchi was by her side. What else could she want? She snorted. How about some privacy, Mom? Ryoko said, sensing her mother peeking in. A soft chuckle lit her mind and Ryoko felt the touch go away. Ryoko snuggled against Tenchi, burrowing her head into his shoulder. Tenchi looked down at the cyan haired lovely sitting next to him. "I can't figure out why you'd want to marry me." He said softly. "I thought I told you-" Ryoko started. "Uh-uh, you said to stop asking if you were okay with the wedding, not why you want to marry me in the first place." Tenchi teased. Ryoko sighed. Men! Why were they so difficult? "Because you're you." She said. Tenchi shook his head. "It can't be that alone." "Well, then why do you want to be with me?" Ryoko asked. "Ryoko, you're bright, funny, and I love you. Why would I want more?" Tenchi said softly. "Oh, so the fact that I have a gorgeous body has escaped you?" Ryoko's eyebrow went up. "N-no," Tenchi said stammering. Ryoko straightened up and tossed her hair. "I suppose that I'm just a mean ol' space pirate who's bright enough to knock over banks, laugh at the imbecilic notions of people trying to catch me, and anyone who fits those requirements you'll love?" "No, Ryoko. I love you for your personality-" Tenchi began. Ryoko choked on her laughter, but Tenchi thought she was sobbing. "So you think I'm ugly!" Ryoko said to him, hiding her face. Tenchi put his hands on her shoulders. "No, Ryoko. You're beautiful, lovely..." He turned her around and saw the laughter on her face. "Oh, you! Vixen!" he said to her with a smile. "What's a vixen?" Ryoko asked. "It's a female fox, a woman who likes to argue a lot." Tenchi supplied. "What's a fox?" Ryoko asked next. "It's an animal like a wolf only smaller and red." Tenchi told her. A thunderous expression crossed Ryoko's face. "Um, it also means a crafty person. A fox never runs out of tricks." Ryoko's face started to consider that meaning. Pirates and foxes seem to have something in common, she thought. "The slang term means an" Tenchi blushed, "an attractive woman." Ryoko's eyes sparkled. "So which one did you mean, Tenchi?" Tenchi stammered for a few moments, then realized she was teasing. "I meant that you can outwit me any day of the week, my darling vixen." He spoke softly in her ear. *** Washu crept into Ryoko's bedroom the next morning. She had promised her daughter that this would be a daily occurrence, but Washu had been letting her stomach push her around lately. Washu put her hands on her hips. Yup, she thought, getting a wee bit on the hips, Washu. Got to stop eating bacon for breakfast and grab some toast and jelly instead. She sat on the edge of Ryoko's bed and smoothed her daughter's hair. Oh, my lovely daughter. So few days away from being married. Only ten days and you'll be Tenchi's bride. My, my, how the time does fly. I'll have to call Nobuyuki at that conference he's been at and tell him the good news. Washu snorted lightly. I've been trying to keep him out of this. What he'll tell Tenchi to try on his wedding night could be a little out of line. But then, who's going to tell Tenchi anything about- Ryoko stirred and Washu abandoned that train of thought. She'd deal with it when it came up. "How's my little blueberry this morning?" Washu cooed. Ryoko looked at Washu like the goddess had gone around the bend. "Blueberry?" she said. Washu nodded. "When you were little, I called you my blueberry for your hair." Washu pointed. She grinned. "Want pancakes this morning?" Ryoko nodded. "What are we doing today?" "Well, you chose fireflowers yesterday so that's taken care of. The main flower is all that has to be chosen. I'll call the florist today and get them to start the wedding stuff. Today is gown day." Washu told her cheerfully. "Okay," Ryoko nodded. "I wish I had saved mine for you to look at, but it was disintegrated a long time ago." Washu told her. "A small error of exactly how big the closet had to be expanded and my error with the flametorch." Washu bounded out of the room to fix breakfast while Ryoko got dressed. *** Stuffed to the gills with blueberry pancakes, the both of them sighed contentedly. "So exactly where do you think all the girls can congregate?" Washu asked. "Well, Chiro said that she can't be in the wedding but she'll be glad to come. She's got tests all this week." Ryoko told her mother. Washu nodded. "So in the living room?" she suggested. *** Mihoshi, Ayeka, Ryoko, Ryo-ohki, and Sasami were sat down on the couch with Washu standing in front of a blank screen. "Please look ahead." A picture popped up of a smiling girl in a flower girl outfit. "Now, Sasami, Ryo-ohki, this is what I thought you'd like." The dress was like a tank top with broad straps flowing out into a wide skirt. There was at least four inches of lace around the bottom and a bow tied around back. "Oh," Sasami said, staring at the dress. "Mi-yah!" the cabbit said, goggling with her ears pointing out on either side of her head. "Now, the front is non-decorated. I thought that we could embroider some Jurai symbols there to give it contrast." Washu pointed. Ayeka nodded. "Okay, Sasami, do you like that enough to wear it?" Washu asked. Sasami nodded. "Ryo-ohki?" She nodded. "Onto the bridesmaids dresses!" The screen flickered and then focused on another dress. "This one has the lace molding right up to the neck, down to the start of the bosom where the material continues in satin. The lace spills down the arms to create the sleeves. The lace flies over the bosom and lands down at the hem of the dress. Very lovely. The back is laced as well, with satin taking over halfway down. This one is what came up for Ayeka." Washu's gaze flickered to Ayeka who was in awe over the dress. "This is a bridal dress and not a bridesmaids dress. When I saw what the computer was turning up for bridesmaids dresses, I shut it off. Those things are ugly." The screen snapped up another picture. "Mihoshi, this is what the computer turned up for you." The dress was a small lace jacket across the shoulders. Embroidered satin was the midsection and the skirt is embroidered, too. "Oh, I love it, Washu." Mihoshi nodded. "Now, Ryoko, your dress gave my computer fits." Washu fixed her daughter with a glare. "But it finally found this." The gown on the screen now was beautiful. Netting sleeves held by rosettes around the mid-forearm, leaving the arms free to work. The entire dress except for the bodice was netting material. "Now," Washu said, pointing to the bodice, "the computer said that you wouldn't like this. I called the dressmaker and she said that she could insert a bodice like the one that is on Ayeka's dress. Embroidered and with the bodice pointed to your hips, not this sash thing." Ryoko nodded, her eyes shining. "It's beautiful." Ryoko said. Her feelings reverberated through the link and Washu smiled at her. "Now, you have to choose headpieces." The screen flipped over to reveal several. "Sasami, Ryo-ohki, I thought this one would be cute on you." The head piece was a small tiara made of silver flowers. "Ayeka, this one is one I thought for you." The picture revealed a headband of leaves with peals in the center of them. "Mihoshi, this one seemed suited to you." The picture was of a headband garnished with rose quartz, crystal, and porcelain." "Ryoko, brides usually wear veils over their faces. I thought you wouldn't like something over your face so I chose not to look for them. But this one screamed out your name when I saw it." The picture changed to reveal a sparkling silver crown with a huge mother-of-pearl in the center with two floral cabochons on the sides. "Now where you see those two little round pearls, I think you should pop those out and put two of your gems inside." Ryoko's eyes were fascinated by the small crown. "It's-" she started, but stopped just to gaze at it. "It's no more than you deserve." Washu told her smiling. "So is everyone satisfied with my choices?" They all nodded and went on their separate ways. Ayeka went to help her sister with chores, Washu went to her lab to call the florist and the dressmaker, Ryoko went to find Tenchi who was working in the fields.