"Miss Ryoko, hurry up," Ayeka cried out, banging on the door. Ryoko had retreated to the toilet and locked the door some time ago, and Ayeka was quite desperate.
"I'm busy," Ryoko shouted. Ayeka crossed her arms and glared at the door menacingly but it didn't seem to help matters.
"She's probably hung over," Ayeka signed. "I should have known it. She normally is."
The Princess sat down on the floor and waited. It was best not to anger Ryoko when she was like this. It was best not to anger her in general, but Ayeka didn't generally live by that advice. By taking on a hung over Ryoko was entirely different from taking on a normal Ryoko.
Eventually the door swung open and Ryoko emerged, looking quite ill. Ayeka waited impatiently for her to get out of the way then stormed past her, slamming the door loudly. Ryoko winced and drifted down to breakfast.
~*~*~*~
"Gee Ryoko," Sasami said, setting a bowl down on the table. "You don't look to good."
"Tel me about it," Ryoko said with a groan, letting her head fall onto the table. Sasami looked at her, obviously concerned. Ryoko looked up at her and smiled.
"I'll be ok once I get some of your wonderful cooking in my Sasami. What are we having?"
Sasami smiled at the compliment and placed that last bowl on the table. They were all full of good food. Eggs and toast and jam and other things. Ryoko grabbed at some immediately, doloping scrambled egg onto her plate then covering it in jam. Sasami looked at her strangely.
"Are you sure you want to eat that?" the small princess asked, eying the strange concoction. Ryoko was already tucking in though, soon emptying the plate.
"That was great!" she exclaimed. "See, I'm feeling better already. You want me to get the other?"
"If you feel up to it…" Sasami said. Ryoko nodded and disappeared with a grin. A second later Tenchi's yell echoed through the house.
~*~*~*~
A few hours later Ryoko had flopped again. She lay sprawled out on the couch, staring at the TV. She wasn't feeling to good again. It was starting to seriously annoy her.
It had been going on for a few days now. Throwing up and just generally feeing down. And the strange food cravings. She'd noted that. She'd even taken to creeping into the kitchen before anyone else to fill up on what she wanted to eat before someone came down and told her to behave herself.
Maybe she should ask Washu. The other woman would be able to tell her what was going on. After all, she had created her so she should be able to fix her.
But that would mean venturing into the lab.
It just wasn't a good thing. People didn't go into the lab voluntarily. Not sane people anyway. But was she entirely sane. And anyway, if Washu got to bad she could always use the M-word. That generally got her out of anything her "mother" had planned.
Yes, she should definitely go see Washu.
~*~*~*~
"What's wrong with me," Ryoko asked. Washu glanced up from the screens she'd been reading. Ryoko had appeared in the lab half an hour ago complaining of pains in her stomach and vomiting. Washu was quite sure it would be nothing but at the same time she was nervous. Ryoko didn't come to he about just anything. It had to be pretty painful for her to go into the lab.
"Gimme a sec," she complained.
Ryoko pouted and crossed her legs. Washu studies the screens for a moment then did a double take. This couldn't be right. As impossible as it seemed, she must have made a mistake.
"I need to run this test again," she said, grabbing a small handheld device. Ryoko sighed and lay back.
"I thought you were meant to be the greatest scientific genius in the universe," she moaned. Washu smiled and ran the test again. That would clear it up…
Only it didn't. The readout still said the same as before.
"Well…" she said brightly. "I know what's causing your problems…"
~*~*~*~
"YOU'RE WHAT?" Tenchi bellowed, his eyes growing wide.
"I'm pregnant," Ryoko repeated, only a little slower this time. Tenchi shook his head in denial and she sighed. She'd kind of expected something like this. Of course, she had played tricks on him to win his love before, but this time she was serious. She really was pregnant.
"I'm serious Tenchi," she told him softly. "And now you'll have to marry me."
Her eyes lit up at the idea. Her, Tenchi and a baby. A perfect little family. She could have everything she wanted. Tenchi wouldn't be able to turn her down now.
"No I won't," he cried, "You're not having my baby."
"Just ask Washu," she said triumphantly. Tenchi shook his head then turned and ran inside. It was ok, he'd come around.
~*~*~*~
Tenchi sighed and lent back against the door. It was madness, absolute madness. How could she be having his child. It was only one night. One night that was a mistake. They'd all agreed not to speak of it again. Now she was just trying to fool him into turning down Ayeka.
She always tried things like this and he was sick of it. He was sick to death of all the hate and fighting. He was sick of everything. He just wanted it all to stop and to have a normal life.
He felt a tear run down his cheek and absently reached up to wipe it away. He was going to make a choice and he was going to make it now. No fears, not worries, no regrets. He wanted a normal life and he wanted it now.
~*~*~*~
Ryoko was confident. She would win now. She had the ultimate weapon against Ayeka. His child. His baby. Tenchi was a good honourable man, it was what she loved about him. He would never abandon her with a baby. It was totally out of character for him.
So she would win. Ayeka would go crying of back to Jurie and all their lives would change for the better.
Ok, she'd never planned on having a baby just yet. She could still love it though. Babies were naturally lovable, weren't they? And Tenchi's baby…she couldn't help but love it.
She and Tenchi would raise it to have the perfect childhood. The perfect life. They'd love it all the time and unconditionally. They would raise it here on Earth but take it out to view the stars.
And everything would be perfect.
Just perfect.
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