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The Challenge 8
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These characters do not belong to me and there is no profit being made. The Announcement Washu blearily opened her eyes and trundled out of bed. She started breakfast rhythmically like she did every day. This was one morning where it would be time conscientious to skip it, but if she did Ryoko would try to cook and that would take even more time to clean up. On the other hand, Washu thought, why am I doing this manually? Grinning, she snapped her fingers. Breakfast appeared on the table and Washu smiled satisfactorily. "Ryoko, dear? Wake yourself and thy husband to come down and feast upon this meal which I have prepared through much labor." She said mentally. *** Upstairs, Ryoko groaned and stuffed her face into a pillow. "Tenchi, Mom's being dramatic again." Tenchi, woken up at her movement, groaned also. "Better get downstairs before she wants us to dress in togas again for breakfast." *** Sasami awoke, stretched her arms out, and yawned picturesquely. She bounced out of bed and went to fix breakfast. The day was upon them and she meant to enjoy it! Despite whatever came to pass. She went down to the kitchen and Mihoshi was there ready to help her as was Ryo-ohki. Though, the cabbit was more concerned with stealing carrots that morning. *** As Washu and her extended family were eating, the phone rang. Washu called cheerfully, "Who is it?" "It's Funaho, Washu." The queen said. "Is Sasami available?" "Nope! She's twinkled out of my house to fix breakfast for the rest of the family." Washu's mood continued. "I wanted to tell her the press conference is today. Whenever she can show up." Funaho smiled at Washu. The phone hung up as Funaho exited the call. Washu's good mood evaporated. Her head sank to the table with a loud clunk! She clutched her head and moaned, "Oh, why can't this circus stop for one minute?!" "What's so bad about the conference?" Ryoko said, eating her blueberry pancakes. "She'll stand up there, say she's the goddess, and leave." "And what would happen if they asked that she prove it? What's going to happen when they realize they can ask little Sasami everything that's going wrong in their lives to fix it?" Washu said lowly. Ryoko waved a hand. "Sasami can handle it." "I hope you're right." Washu told her. "Or Tsunami might have to intervene." *** "Oh, Washu!" Sasami said as the scientist came out of her lab. "Did you want some breakfast?" "No, Sasami, I already ate. I've got a message for you from Funaho. The conference is today." Washu said with a grimace. "That's great." Sasami smiled. "I'll go right after breakfast." "The other announcement is about our other sister." Washu continued with heavy heart. "Torimi's getting married." Sasami's face fell. "But she's a goddess. She can't get married." Washu snorted. "Believe me, I know. I don't know whether to hope that she marries him before she turns back to Tokimi or after." "Preferably before." Ayeka said definitely. "Ah, but if she turns to a goddess before will she be more or less likely to kill him?" Washu asked. Ayeka shrugged. "That's the piece of information I'd like best." Sasami got up from her finished breakfast. "Ayeka, could you clean the dishes? I want to get this over with." Ayeka hid a smirk. "Yes, sister dear." She said with false cheer. Get it over with, Sasami? She thought idly. *** Sasami walked slowly toward the lab with Washu. Her thoughts ranged from, this will be easy, to this will be hard. Her parents didn't know she was assimilated now. The people of Jurai could take this in a good way or a bad way. Would the priests and priestesses support her? What if the people asked for proof? "I don't know how this is going to go." Washu spoke. "Neither do I." Sasami admitted. "Do you want company?" Washu offered. Sasami shook her head. "I know that you do not want to be exposed and if you are there when no one else is, it could arouse suspicion if someone finds the right documents." Washu snorted. "Those things? They've probably turned to dust by now." Sasami ended up before the portal. "Good luck." Washu said smiling. "I'd wish you Tsunami's grace, but it would be redundant." Sasami laughed and stepped through. *** She appeared in the same place as usual. Guards nodded to her from the opposite side of the portal and she smiled at them. Sasami walked around the palace, looking at all the familiar places until she ran into Misaki. "Oh, you're here! Why didn't you send a message?" her mother asked. "Funaho said to come when I was ready, Mother." Sasami said. Misaki snapped her fingers. "That's right. She did say that. Are you ready?" Sasami nodded. "I wouldn't be here if I wasn't." She paused. "Mother?" "Yes, Sasami?" she answered as they walked. "Do I look different?" Sasami asked hesitantly. Misaki stopped. She turned to look at her daughter. Examining her, she answered, "No." Sasami grinned. Her clothes became the goddess's formal wear and her voice changed. "What about now?" Tsunami asked. Misaki's face changed to one of uncertainty. "Sasami?" she asked with a quaver in her voice. The clothes disappeared immediately to be replaced by Sasami's normal wear. "Yes, Mother?" she answered in her voice. "When...?" Misaki asked. "After lunch." Sasami answered. She surprised her mother by grabbing her into a hug. "It's so wonderful!" Misaki held her tightly, then examined her at arm's length. "As long as you're happy." She said. Letting her daughter go, she walked with Sasami to the conference room. "This will be so much fun!" she said brightly. *** Sasami walked into the conference room and flashes of light started to go off. "Please," she spoke, "I promise I'll pose for pictures later if you like." Sasami approached the head of the table and sat down with her mother at her right. "I would like to say first that the rumors were without my approval." The first statement echoed around the room. "The rumors are that I am posing as Tsunami." She looked around the room. "I am not posing as Tsunami, I am Tsunami." The gasp around the room was thunderous. Sasami smiled. "Yes, that is correct. I said that I am Tsunami. As we all know, our goddess of Jurai takes an interest in our society. So if I am not, I would think the lady would appear and discredit me." Sasami waited for a few seconds. "Obviously, the kernel of the rumor is true, then. When the space pirate Ryoko attacked Jurai, I, Sasami, was in the arboretum. I fell off one of the walkways and landed beside a very old tree. That tree healed me and made me strong enough to assimilate with the goddess. I will now take questions." "Are you still Sasami?" asked the first reporter. "Yes." Sasami answered. "Both Tsunami and Sasami are in this body." "Why would Tsunami want to be in a mortal body?" another asked. "Because this isn't a mortal body anymore." Sasami grinned. "As Sasami/Tsunami, I am immortal. We aren't separated anymore. Tsunami wanted a mortal's outlook on things." "How is your family taking this?" Sasami looked at Misaki. "Like any other family. Worried about it, but it is in the end my decision." "How do you feel?" asked a female reporter. Sasami shrugged. "Fine. I don't feel any different if that's what you mean." Sasami giggled. "After I assimilated, I flew up and hit my head on the ceiling. Tsunami asked what that feeling was in the top of my head." The reporters laughed. "You can fly?" one reporter asked. Sasami tilted her head to one side. "Of course, I can." She floated out of her seat, her kimono sleeves trailing to her sides. "Another question?" The next reporter coughed. "Can we ask Tsunami questions?" "Since we're both the same, she's been answering the questions with me all along. But go ahead." Sasami encouraged. "Do you grant miracles now?" he asked curiously. Sasami shook her head. "Nothing has changed except that Tsunami and I have merged. Tsunami doesn't do miracles that much as we all know. Takes an interest in our culture yes, but not a violently active one." "Why not?" shouted someone from the back. Sasami considered the question. "Why would a goddess not take a very active role in a planet?" She closed her eyes. When she opened them, every eye in the room was on her. In Tsunami's voice she spoke. "Imagine that you have unlimited knowledge. Knowing what you know, how badly could you offset a culture? You could introduce lasers to cavemen and destroy the culture before it started. There are things you do not know, my children. And it is not my place to tell you." Tsunami's clothes shrank back to Sasami's and her voice returned to normal. "It's like having two settings," she quipped, "a goddess and a mortal. So you see, that's why. Tsunami doesn't want to introduce us to too much, too fast. It would be like expecting a five year old to run a spaceship." The reporters were silent for once. Misaki leaned over. "Maybe you'd better pose for pictures now." She suggested. "We may yet get out of one of these in under five hours." Sasami grinned. "Pictures, anyone?" she called out. A few brave hands flew in the air. *** Nobuyuki yawned as he drove to the site. Banti sat beside him in the passenger's seat. "So architecture isn't all drawing houses?" she asked. Nobuyuki shook his head. "No, it isn't. Sometimes we go and look at other houses for inspiration. Others we go and check how the house is being built. Conferences, too." "Oh," Banti said, sliding back into her seat. *** The two reached the site rather quickly. It was just on the outskirts of town that a new housing complex was being built. The construction workers all looked Banti up and down. Nobuyuki had to remind himself that Banti wasn't his and never could be. "Hey, sugar, want to go for a coffee?" one asked. "No, you don't want coffee, you want dinner and a movie." Another offered. "Right now what she wants is to examine the building with me." Nobuyuki said through clenched teeth. "Come on, I know you guys. She's an intern from the college." As one said, "Hey, honey, you sure you don't want to be an intern on construction?" Nobuyuki gave up. He led Banti inside and pointed out the various structures. "You've got to be able to see the material you're asking so much of." He used as a lesson. Banti nodded, paying strict attention. He had just pointed out that the sites were hazardous and you had to watch your step when he slipped. Banti caught his arms and looked up into his eyes. He looked into hers. She tilted her head up and parted her mouth slightly. Nobuyuki moved perhaps a fraction of an inch downward. With that as encouragement, Banti kissed him. When they parted, Nobuyuki's eyes were wide. No one had kissed him since ... his wife. Banti gave him a half-hearted smile. Thinking to herself, he doesn't seem to pleased over that, she asked, "What's that you slipped in?" He gave a small description of what it was and didn't look at her. Banti bit her lip. She shouldn't have done that. "Are we finished here?" she asked sadly. He nodded and they started back to the car. *** Ryoko and Tenchi were arguing with each other. The future emperor and empress were arguing with each other. Now the question is: What were they arguing over? The answer: A green rug or a blue rug. "Blue will match everything in the house." Ryoko argued. "Green will complement the kitchen." Tenchi argued. And this is what happens when royalty doesn't have enough to do. *** Washu worked at her computer furiously. Everything was happening at once! She sighed and rested her hands for a moment. Torimi's getting married. What happens when she finds out she's not human, she's a goddess and an evil one at that. Nobuyuki and Banti's relationship. They obviously couldn't get over the age difference thing. Ryoko, Tenchi, Ayeka, and Balar splitting up the government. She had finally had to route all the calls to the family phone for the day. The four of them were taking it in shifts to answer all the outraged nobles and delegates and people in charge of things who were concerned about their grants, etc. Sasami's telling everyone that she's a goddess right now. Washu snorted. The problem wasn't with the reporters. Reporters have seen so many strange things happen that nothing phases them anymore. The real trouble would be tonight when it was aired on the news. Mihoshi and Lirras were the only two who didn't have a problem. And yourself, of course. Washu reminded herself. You just have an overwhelming concern for everyone else's problems. She grinned. Nosy goddess. *** Sasami walked out through the portal into Washu's lab. At least that's over, she thought. Misaki had gone off to tell Azusa and Funaho the news about her assimilation and the conference. Sasami had been perfectly willing to tell her father and other mother, but Misaki had insisted. Winking, the empress had told her there were some things that a wife was better off telling a husband. "So. How'd it go?" Washu asked. Sasami smirked at her. "I think you would know if anything went wrong." Washu shrugged. "Sure I would, but it's always interesting to hear it from a person's point of view instead of just watching it on a screen." "It went okay. Mother's fine with it, but I knew she would be. Father will probably storm around on Jurai for the next few days, but that's to be expected. The public of Jurai..." Sasami trailed off. "It'll be on the evening news." "It'll be out in rumors before then." Washu pointed out. "What are you going to do about those?" Sasami grinned. "What would the goddess of Chaos expect? I'm going to sit here and cook for my family." Washu shook her head. "You're a goddess of good, not chaos. But then again, Chaos would certainly reign if everyone missed one of your meals." Washu considered. "I approve on both counts." "Any requests?" Sasami asked. *** The family ate dinner a half hour early so they could watch the news together. The reporter stated exactly the facts. Washu gave a low whistle. "They actually got the facts straight for once. I'm impressed." Sasami smirked. "It's just a character trait of my people." Washu gave her a sharp look, one eyebrow raised. Sasami sighed. "Okay, it was probably because they didn't want the wrath of a goddess on them. Honestly, what have I done to make them think that?" "SASAMI!!!!" a male voice bellowed. She sighed and turned. "Good evening, Father. You're a little late for dinner, though I could warm up the leftovers." "Sasami!" he said shocked. Funaho raised an eyebrow. "Sorry, Father, Mother. Tsunami isn't used to having a father yet." Sasami said. "That's what I want to talk to you about. How could you assimilate with a goddess without telling us?" He asked outraged. Sasami looked at him. "Father, with all due respect, it is my decision." Misaki nodded her support. "I am the one who will be called upon to be Tsunami. I am the one who will outlive everyone here. And I am the one who made the decision. Tsunami would not have forced me into this." "But we should have been there for you, dear." Funaho said. Sasami smiled. "You were. At lunch that day. If I had told you, Father would have made me upset again. I had already tried that night and botched it. I rested and after lunch Tsunami and I merged completely." "You're still my daughter and as such-" Azusa roared. "No, Father." Sasami said in a quiet voice that overpowered his roar. "I am your daughter, but I am also a legal adult both on Earth and Jurai. If I want to learn to drive on this planet, I can. If I want to assimilate with the goddess of Jurai, I will do it." Sasami closed her eyes and when she opened them she was the goddess Tsunami. "I know that you are frightened, Azusa. I will not harm your child for she is my child also. I will strive to deal with the problems of this assimilation. As for now, I have to talk to my people." Sasami became herself again and turned to Ryoko. "Ryoko, can I borrow your garden for a minute? It's right in the middle of the square and would be great." Ryoko nodded. Sasami turned back to her parents. "This is something I have to do. It feels right." Azusa turned his head away. "I suppose if you have to." Sasami's heart sank. Azusa moved stiffly forward and hugged his youngest. "Just don't get hurt." He whispered. Sasami hugged him back. "I won't." She dematerialized after they stepped away. A small shower of sparks touched down from the space where she had been. Azusa stared for a moment. Ayeka coughed. "Father, Mothers, would you like to sit down?" They nodded. *** Sasami materialized in the garden. Smiling at the people there, she closed her eyes and allowed Tsunami to come forth in her glory. A crowd began to gather, eyes goggling at the sight of their goddess walking among them. "Most of you have heard rumors or seen the broadcast," Tsunami began. "I'm here to tell you that it is true. Sasami and I have assimilated." Someone threw a stone. It struck Tsunami's forehead and she reeled back for a moment. "That was not nice." She admonished. "This is how you treat your goddess?" Someone threw another stone from another direction. "This is how we treat royalty who get too big for their pants!" someone yelled. Amid a hailstorm of stones, vegetables, and other rubbish, Sasami, not Tsunami fled. *** I can't believe it, Sasami thought as she laid down for the night. The people threw things at their goddess. No, she corrected herself, they threw things at what they perceived to be an imposter. Attempting to calm down, she laid her head down and tried to sleep. Dennis: I've got something else planned for Miss Washu.... *heh, Heh* The reason I asked if anyone would like another 15 chapters is because I'm going
to have to write one. Nothing got accomplished in this story that I thought I'd
manage to get to. So I'm going to wrap up every loose end I have in the next one. |
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