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Sasami's Problem
A Tenchi fanfic by June "KaraOhki" Geraci (karaohki@snet.net)
January 14, 2001
Tenchi doesn't belong to me, but to Hiroki Hayashi, Masaki Kajishima, AIC
and Pioneer. This fic was written to make you smile, not for commercial
purposes.
--------------------
The first time it happened, Sasami was curious. The mail arrived, and in
among the bills and the advertisements and the love letters the other girls
in the house mailed to Tenchi every day was a small box. It was addressed
to RyoOhki. She put the rest of the mail on the hall table and went in
search of the cabbit.
"RyoOhki! You got mail!" The cabbit came running across the room to her.
It stopped at her feet, and got up on her hind legs, resting her forepaws on
Sasami's kimono.
"Miya!"
Sasami knelt down and ripped the paper off of the package. She opened the
small box and pulled out whatever was inside, which was well-wrapped in
tissue paper. "What on earth?" she asked as she revealed a small brooch.
It was a pair of carrots, totally covered in small orange rhinestones.
The cabbit looked at the brooch and miyaed happily. Then she took it in her
mouth and dropped it back in Sasami's hand.
"But it's yours, RyoOhki. You can wear it when you're in human form."
The cabbit flew out of the room and came back seconds later looking less
like a cabbit and more like a little girl. She smiled happily as Sasami
pinned the carrot brooch to her kimono.
"You look very nice."
*****
Although Sasami asked a few discreet questions of the other residents of the
Masaki household, she was unable to determine who had purchased a gift for
RyoOhki. She then forgot about it.
About a week later it happened again. A package arrived addressed to
RyoOhki. This time it was bigger.
The cabbit looked over Sasami's shoulder as she unpacked a tea set. The
teapot was of fine china, pure white except for the carrots that decorated
its edges all the way around. The handle was a carrot, and there was one
small carrot on each teacup.
"How cute! Let's make tea!"
RyoOhki purred happily.
Sasami sipped her tea while watching everyone else in the room. No one
seemed to notice that she was using a new tea set.
*****
Two days later several boxes arrived. Sasami unpacked a clock that
immediately went into use in the kitchen. It had large numerals, and hands
that were one long carrot, and one short one. There was also a quilt
covered with appliqued carrots, and a couple of throw pillows that were
large stuffed carrots.
"Do you want me to set up a bed for you, RyoOhki?"
"Miya!"
Sasami asked permission of Washu to set up a small bedroom downstairs in the
laboratory. She carried a small futon to the room, and made it up with the
carrot quilt and pillows. The cabbit jumped onto the bed and curled into a
ball, purring happily.
"Do you like having your own room?"
"Miya!"
[I wish she could say more than that,] thought Sasami as she walked up the
stairs with the cabbit hopping beside her. [I also wish I knew what was
going on.]
*****
Days passed, and as they did the packages came more and more frequently.
RyoOhki's new room became inhabited by plush rabbits holding plush carrots,
boxes of carrot-flavored Pocky, and even a carrot jewelry box with a hinged
lid.
Sasami began to regret that she hadn't told anyone else in the house what
was going on. When the velvet collar with the 14-karat gold carrot
suspended from it arrived, she began to worry. She took the cabbit in her
arms and went to see Tenchi.
"And you see, she concluded. I just thought it was somebody here who was
sending her presents, but I don't think any of you can afford to get so many
fancy things for a little cabbit."
Tenchi scratched his head. "Do you feel okay, Sasami? Or are you playing a
trick on me?"
Sasami got indignant. She grabbed Tenchi's hand and dragged him downstairs,
watching in satisfaction as his jaw dropped.
The room looked like a shrine to carrots. There were carrot throw rugs, and
framed pictures of carrots, and boxes of carrot-shaped candies. There was
even a night light plugged into the wall that shone a bright orange glow
onto the room.
"You weren't kidding!" Tenchi stared at Sasami and took the cabbit out of
her arms. "Where are these things coming from?"
"Miya!"
"Well, I guess that was a stupid question."
*****
Sasami couldn't sleep that night. If nobody at the house was giving RyoOhki
those gifts, that meant somebody else was. Who was that somebody else?
Could it be that other cabbit, KenOhki? Was he trying to take her friend
away?
Sleep was impossible, so Sasami put on her bathrobe and crept downstairs.
There was a chocolate cake in the pantry that was calling her name. As she
walked downstairs, Sasami noticed that there was a light coming from the
direction of the den, and went to investigate.
RyoOhki was in little girl form, and was seated at the computer. Her
fingers tapped away at the keys, and the screen's images kept changing.
[RyoOhki can use the computer?] Sasami asked herself. [Well why not. She's
pretty smart.] She approached slowly, trying not to make noise. Then she
stopped and stared.
Nobody was buying RyoOhki gifts. She was getting them for herself.
"RyoOhki, how long have you been shopping on Ebay?"
"Miya!" RyoOhki gave Sasami her best "innocent" look.
"I'm not falling for it. You've been bidding on all this stuff?"
"Miya!"
That made sense. Sasami scrolled down the page, and realized that it was
"page one of six". She had no idea that many carrot-related items even
existed, let alone that they'd be available on Ebay. Then another thought
struck her.
"RyoOhki, how are you paying for these?"
The cabbit hesitated, and then pressed a few keys. Displayed on the screen
was a charge form, showing a Visa account assigned to one "RyoOhki Masaki".
Sasami thought of all the items currently downstairs in RyoOhki's room, and
wondered how many more were on the way.
"Oh my goodness."
--------------
Comments are welcome! send to the ffml or to me (karaohki@snet.net) or both
Read my other stories at www.karaohki.com
**********************************************
Sparrow singing--
its tiny mouth
open
-----Buson