[Author's Drivel to Follow]

"Great Minds, Part the Second:"

	In Washuu's lab, the Greatest Scientist in the Universe sat at one of
her hovering chairs, ghostly computer hovering before her. Across from
her, staring enviously at the multidimensional computer terminal, was a
small mouse with a large head. 
	"Now, I have to be sure you are fully qualified for this position. Can
you do 12 dimensional integral calculus in your head?"
	"Of course," Brain said, looking up from the computer at the red headed
genius.
	"Tensor dynamics in complex manifolds?"
	"With ease," Brain replied, excitement building on his features.
	"Particular phenomenology with quantum electrodynamic ramifications?"
	"Certainly."
	"Quantum cosmology, global relativity and fuzzy logic behavioral
programming?"
	"Check, check, check."
	"Wash beakers and clean bunsen burners?"
	"Check-" Brain's features lost their happy tone.
	"Do you have any experience with bumbling interlopers who mess up your
carefully monitored experiments?" Washuu asked, shooting a deadly look
in the direction of Mihoshi.
	"Excruciating amounts," Brain said in a pained voice, glaring at Pinky
in turn. The two megalomaniacs continued to stare at Pinky and Mihoshi,
who both grew sweat drops when they realized they were being glared at.
This was Pinky's first sweat drop, so he began chasing himself in order
to get a better look at what was clinging to his head.
	"Narf!" he exclaimed.
	"You see?" Brain told Washuu, who simply nodded. After Mihoshi joined
in on the self-chase, she grew her own sweat drop.
	"I guess I can't say no if you're that qualified. You have the
position," Washuu informed him with surprising amounts of enthusiasm.
She couldn't wait to have another mind nearby to share her ideas with.
	"YES!" Brain exclaimed. "Pinky, we'll be staying. Inform Acme Labs of
our resignation."
	"Narf!" Pinky said in a professional tone. Then broke out into giggles
as he and Mihoshi headed for the lab's exit.
"Now Brain, tell me a bit more about yourself, I'm interested in hearing
a little about you."
"Actually, I am a genetically engineered lab mouse out to takeover the
world," he said evenly.
	Washuu paused for a moment while Brain waited for the inevitable
laughter.
	"For a second there I thought it would be something really weird," she
said in a relieved tone of voice.
	"What did you say your name was, Mr. Mouse?" the two scientists heard
from across the lab. "Pinky? Oh, well Pinky, what do you suppose that
button does?"
	"Narf, only one way to find out."
	"Pinky!" 	"Mihoshi!" bellowed the girl and mouse.


	Ryoko settled into the couch, eagerly awaiting her afternoon soaps. A
warm bottle of sake sat beside her, resting against a fresh box of poki.
Sipping on her sake, Ryoko absentmindedly flicked through the channels,
killing the last couple of minutes before the shows started. She
flinched when a loud bang rang out from Washuu's lab. Grabbing another
stick of poki, she turned to the door and waited.
	"Five, four, three, two, one..." she counted quietly. At one, Mihoshi
barreled out the door followed by an irate Washuu. Ryoko swore she saw
foam on her mother's lips.
	A moment later, after the space pirate had returned her attention to
her soaps, she heard a cough and choking sound coming from Washuu's
door. A tall, blackened mouse was being clubbed over the head by a
shorter, bigger headed one.
	"How many times to I have to tell you not to play with the buttons
marked with a skull and crossbones!"
	"Ow, ow wow!" the skinny one exclaimed.
	Ryoko's tail twitched. Deeply rooted feline instincts boiled up inside
her as she watched the two prey animals fight. Then she took a bite of
her poki and returned to the soaps.
	"And here I thought it was going to be something really weird," she
said over the sounds of continued violence.

	"EEK A RAT!" Ayeka yelled as she saw the brown creature on the kitchen
counter. 
	"Madame, I assure you I am no rat. In fact I am a genetic-"
	Ayeka smacked the creature with a frying pan, missing for a second the
animal's words. Must've been led in by crumbs that miserable Ryoko left
behind, Ayeka thought. 
	"Please, if you'd let me explain," came a muffled voice from under the
frying pan. Puzzled, Ayeka lifted the pan from the crumpled mouse. She
found a much less brown creature surrounded by a pile of soot.
	The little animal picked itself up, dusted itself off and bowed
politely. Ayeka found her royal training kicking in without a thought as
she returned the bow.
	"As I said before, I am not a rat. I am a mouse, named Brain who,
through genetic engineering, is destined to rule this world."
	"Oh. Why were you all covered in soot?" Ayeka asked, forgetting her
manners for a second.
	"My, compatriot, and the blonde caused a small explosion in
Washuu-sensei's room earlier. I was in the process of cleaning up," he
gestured to the sink, "when we first encountered each other."
	"I'm very sorry," Ayeka said, honestly regretting smacking the polite
little mouse. It was nice to have some civilized guests for a change. "I
am Ayeka, and I very glad to meet you. And this is my sister, Sassami,"
she added as the younger princess entered the room, Ryo-Ohki riding on
her head.
	The cabbit eyed the mouse for a moment, narrowing its gaze until all
else was excluded. Deep inside the cabbit's mind, cat instincts were
fighting rabbit instincts for behavioral supremacy. The cabbit leapt to
the table and assumed a hunting stance.
	Ayeka, Sassami and Brain watched the cabbit with alarm (actually, Brain
generated most of the alarm) as it stalked its prey. Backing up against
the toaster, Brain protested: "If its not too much trouble, could
someone restrain the cat?"
	Before anyone could react, Ryo-Ohki leapt at the toaster with a
surprising display of agility and speed. It shot directly at Brain,
soaring across the distance between the two until�
	It soared over Brain and tackled a carrot that had no time to react
before Ryo-Ohki clamped her jaws on the vegetable's vulnerable
underside. Brain let out a sigh before slumping down on the counter.
	Ayeka and Sassami both let out loud giggles (though anyone suggesting
that Ayeka giggled would be in for a shock). "Silly mousey, Ryo-Ohki
wouldn't eat you. You're too cute, you big headed mousey you."
	Brain narrowed his eyes. "So you followed me all the way to Japan, did
you."
	Sassami looked at Brain, confused at the current conversational trend.
As far as she knew, she had gotten here first. "What are you talking
about, Mr. Mouse?" she asked politely.
	"Oh, Mr. Mouse now, is it. Damn you, Elmira, you won't catch me again!"
he shouted before he scurried off to safety.
	"Now that was really weird," Sassami told her sister.

	Out in space, another super intelligent rodent was making a
supplication of his own. His hated foe was making inroads with an
otherworldly intelligence, and Snowball was not going to let Brain get
the better of him.
	"You see, the only way for you to save the princesses is to allow me to
help you in your quest," the gerbil told his shadowy partner.
	"Yeth, I see that now," the man said slowly, an aristocratic lisp
marking his words. "I must help you defeat the mastermind of thith
horrific act of bondage. No longer shall those poor princesses toil
under the despotic gaze of Tenchi Masaki and the earthling called
Brain." As he spoke a projector back lit him from above and projected
falling cherry blossoms around him.
	Snowball put a hand to his face. This might not be the best idea after
all, he thought remorsefully.

Author's drivel:
	What have I done? I've just made a one shot into a multipart. Honestly
though, I've been meaning to get back to what's-his-name (the
prearranged husband from the last OAV episode) because he was just so
damn funny(One of my favorite dub voices too). The Elmira bit came
because I happen to think Sassami is actually none other than the Prince
of Darkness him/her-self. Plus I couldn't resist finally getting a
"really weird" response from the cast members. OOC yes, but hopefully
funny. Revised part one should be up on my web page sometime soon
(www.brandes.edu/~jmele) and part three should come out. Eventually.
Thanks for the first round of C&C, and I hope you enjoy the read.

By Jerico Mele, a wholly owned subsidy of Big Fire Enterprises, Ltd. For
more like this, and some stuff completely different, please my webpage
or email me at jmele@brandeis.edu