All of T.M. universe is the property of Pioneer, and the creation of genius extrordinaire, Hiroki Hayashi. I am just a fan wishing to see his charaters in even more situations. That said, please enjoy. Lonely Girl's Folley 1:30 read the clock on the wall behind the students. “Misaokun! School is not out yet, if I catch you looking back there at that clock one more time You will be assigned someone else’s spot for cleaning the room for a week, and as you are far enough behind on your studies...” Misao just stopped listening as her mouth automatically uttered the word it had been programmed to default to, “Hai...Hai...Hai.” Sometimes it was Hai Sensei, or Hai Okaasan, the name it was attached to was really insignificant, as it was simply her way of getting through reprimand, bad news, or any of the many other things she would rather not hear. Misao had never been a cheerful girl. Polite, yes. Cooperative, in the extreme, but only in the spirit of fear. Fear of rejection, fear of being singled out. All she wanted was a friend, a friend she did not have to toss her security blanket in order to keep. Sasami was that person. Sasami was cheerful enough for everyone in Tokyo, and everyone loved her for it. Misao often thought (and not wholly inaccurately) that Sasami’s friendship somehow justified her existence. The other children knew that Misao was part of the Sasami package, and that they would not aquire her presence without allowing ‘that gloomy rich girl’ to participate in whatever activity. And Sasami did not mind Misao’s tagging along in the slightest. Marvel that she is, she was actually very happy to be able to bring some joy into the life of the saddest young girl she had ever met. The classroom had all but emptied itself as Misao sat in her desk, brooding out of the window, she was really in no hurry to get home as she was sure no one would be there. She’d get there, turn on the radio, as it depressed her deeper still to watch the lives of television characters transpire as she idled, cook something simple, (some udon sounded pretty good) maybe do some homework, although usually she would just pay someone, and more than likely sneak into some of her mom’s sake. (A diversion that of late, was becoming too much like a habit) “Misao, are you OK?” her thought was interrupted by the voice of her only friend. “Ha, Hai” She said, catching herself giving her standard response, wishing she had something better to say to the angel standing before her, pink eyes burning blushes of joy into the lonely girl’s expression starved face. “What are you doing today after school?” Sasami asked. “Well ...” Misao tried to look as happy as she could, failing miserably, as she pulled herself out of the desk, grabbing her bag on the way up. “... I’ll probably just go home and study, I think my dad’s going to be at the airport tomorrow, mom and I were going to go see him” Sasami knew the studying part was a lie, and figured, since there was no school tomorrow, the girl could probably use some company. She was becoming increasingly concerned about her friend. She was always listening to that American styled music, , Sasami hated foreign language. Anyway, it was so depressing, she didn’t want to hear about Misao overdosing on sleeping pills or that she was found lying in her own blood with a razor blade. Her concern was hard to hide. Misao looked up at her puzzled, “Are you all right Sasami?” “Huh, oh! Yeah,” Sasami came back to herself “I was just thinking if I could come over for a while, if you don’t mind. My mom and her friends are going out tonight, and that means Ryoko’ll be bothering Tenchi all night, and me too if I’m there” Misao felt cheer “Sure, that’s fine, maybe you could even meet my dad tomorrow. I’m sure it’ll be OK with my mother. She thinks I’m too shut off anyway” “OK, We’ll stop by my house on the way so I can get some clothes” “OK.” Misao, now obviously very happy (meaning she smiled in addition to blushing) looked upon the girl who was her deliverance from the lonesome hell which was her life as she caught late afternoon sunlight falling through the large window she faced. Blue green tones developed on her skin as the light deflected from the linoleum on the floor and the wax coated green graphite of the desks. Add to that fluorescent lights from the thirty year old fixtures in the ceiling coming off of the white sheetrock and it was, well, at least nostalgic. even though the girls had only been attending the building for two years prior to this one. The pungently over fragrant cleaning solutions being employed by various students and janitorial workers as they passed the halls took the young girls minds to the first awkward (not as much so for Sasami) years they spent at the secondary school. Now, in their last year there, their minds had finally started to appreciate the subtle nuances of the edifice and its inhabitants. Even things as small as the previously unbearable smell encountered passing the boys lockerroom was now an at once familiar reminder as to where one was in the complex, time of day, and whether or not a sports event was being held that day or not. They would so miss the place. Misao knew that Sasami would definitely go on to high school and probably even collage. But she was not so sure about herself. Of course her parents had the money and would probably make her go anyway. But she was tired of the loneliness, not only at school but worse still, at home. She would spend a few sweet moments out of every month with her highly educated, upwardly mobile family unit; but the daily story was that Misao was home with nothing but a stereo to keep her company. She began going through herself The more she thought about her predicament, the more she came to realize that Sasami was made to order. She was not from here, she couldn’t be. As she too was content to sit and hypothesize with her friend, Misao, about impossibly ambitious fantasies until it put them both asleep. But in the back of her mind kept tumbling the thought that Sasami would more than likely achieve all of her dreams, ambitious as they might be, for she was special, a gift to the world, who feared no one and no thing, in addition to being her only friend. she was cut off. “I bet Ryoko’s going to get Tenchi in trouble, especially if my Mom’s halfway sober when she gets home tonight and Ryoko’s still there, bothering him. Even though its her fault, My mom’ll blame Tenchi, cause’ he’s a man. Its really not fair, but it sure is funny to see by brother always under the gun” They were out far enough to make out little more than the clock tower of the building which was their school. Misao chuckled out loud. She vicariousy loved Sasami’s brother through all of the stories the girl told her. It made her feel as if she, too was a member of a ‘real’ family, especially the way she was received whenever she visited. Sasami’s mom was always making her sing karaoke with her, willing or not. Tenchi always smiled at her, dumbly, and what was more, he would actually touch the girl. Nothing as familial as a hug or anything, but even his occasional messing of her hair was something that seemed so ... brotherly, as she would see him bless Sasami with the same rough headrubs, as if they were a pair of boys. Even their mother’s friends, Mihoshi and Kyone always treated her as if she was another little Sasami (although she was a lot more like the girl in the presence of her whole family, they made it so easy) Even Ryoko would ask her how she was doing sometimes. Misao sighed with a blushing smile which warmed her empty soul, knowing what she had in the girl. Her world was intravenously interwoven with Sasami’s. She knew that if she ever lost her friend she’d just. It was just too hard to fathom. “OK, You can come in if you want to, I’m just gonna get some clothes and mess with Tenchi.” Misao nodded and proceeded, always at least a half pace slower than Sasami. When they entered the house, Tenchi was peacefully watching TV on the couch with a cold orange pulp drink in hand, decked in yellow sweat shorts and a white T-shirt, feet propped on the table, (as they had a western style living room) laughing hysterically at every punchline spewed forth from the glowing tube, Yomiyuri Giants baseball cap turned backward on his head. Thought the rich girl as she relished in the boy’s simplicity. “Tenchi!” Sasami had managed to startle a quarter of the boys juice onto the floor with her unwarranted greeting. “Oh, hi Sasami” Tenchi let out during his dive into a feverish attempt to absorb as much of the juice as he could with his sweat shorts as Sasami calmly made her way to the kitchen and without looking launched a kitchen towel at the boy from behind her back. “Thank you Sasami” came from under the couch” “Doo Ita...” Came from an annoyed Sasami headed to her room. “Do you need some help?” asked Misao, in a concerned tone of voice (really, this was just her standard inflection) “No, I’ve got it, thanks” replied the mild-mannered Tenchi. He continued, raising his clueless head with its usual accompanying innocent grin, catching the girl off guard “Sooooo, how’s your life?” Asked Tenchi. Misao stuttered, “Uhh, well, uh OK I gue-” DING DONG, interrupted the doorbell. “I’ll get it,” the girl volunteered. Ryoko stood in the red, just-before-dawn sky filled doorway, in her school uniform, skirt hiked up male-salivation causingly high, sweater a bit tight. “Heeeey!” began to spiel the crazy woman, “Misaochan, it’s auntie Ryokoooou!” Misao thought as she forced an awkward grin. Ryoko entered without invitation (is she ever really invited?) “You wouldn’t be trying to steal my little Tenchi would you?” “Eh, heh, heh,” Misao grinned more awkwardly still. “Nooo, you’re much too cuuuute.” Ryoko crazed on, scaring everyone. Now wrapped tightly around a Tenchi who shared Misao’s wierded expression (Except HE was blushing) “Ready!” reported a brightly shining Sasami, bag tossed over her shoulder. “Ikimashoo ne” Replied a Misao eager to leave a room so pervaded by shameless female lust. The TV had already been turned off and Ryoko was looking at Tenchi in a way which scared the hell out of both of the younger girls. “I’m spending the night at Misao’s,” Sasami blurted, with attitude. At this, she could swear she saw Ryoko’s ears prick. Sasami was obviously angering at her brothers eminent possible deflowering and spoke up. “Ryoko, leave my brother alone, he obviously doesn’t want you to all over him like some damned Chikan woman. And mom says if she ever catches you two doing anything, she’ll kick both of your asses and that of any other parties involved” Ryoko stuck her tongue out at the little girl, as she was sitting on his lap, and her female fat fell where the boy had no control, “Tenchiiiiiiiii, do you want me to goooooo?” All he could do was chuckle goofily. Sasami’s head lowered as she shook it in hopelessness at the boys inarticulate response. “Helpless”, she whispered as she followed Misao out the door. As they cleared the brief walkway to the sidewalk Sasami could already hear the strange, highly sexual rhythms of American style music, coming from the high fidelity karaoke machine in thier living room. , she thought, as Misao looked at her with a look that said; “Ooooohhhhhhhhhhhh” This story is going somewhere, I promise, please be patient with it. More2come. Look for better written material in the future. Please feel free to contact me with anything at dvoid@Home.com or at nippophile@Home.com Also, if you like, Email me about my 3 part El Hazrd fic.