Cowboy Bebop Fan Fiction / Tenchi Muyo Fan Fiction ❯ Hey, Goddess? It's Me, Edward! ❯ Carrots & Cabbits ( Chapter 3 )

Chapter 3: Cabbits & Carrots

Ed had never seen anything like the inside of Ken-ohki. She especially liked the floating crystals that kept sneaking up behind her and making funny faces. Ein didn't seem to care for them as much, as they kept snapping at where his tail would've been.

The woman hadn't said anything to Ed the whole time, and when she did speak, it was either to one of the floating crystals or to Ryo.

Ryo was much friendlier, now that Ein wasn't barking at her like mad. As the woman had explained, she couldn't talk, but she was usually able to make Ed understand what she meant with body language. She was always gesturing with her small hands, or making catlike mews that were adorable, once Ed got used to them. Each mew seemed to have a certain meaning, and Ed was quickly starting to pick up on them. Ed even used them herself at times, just to make Ryo feel comfortable, or when she had a question for Ken-ohki.

Ed couldn't be sure how long they traveled. Ken-ohki didn't seem to understand human concepts of time, but was very knowledgeable on cycles (which didn't help at all). Ryo took frequent naps whenever she wanted to, so Ed went to bed when she did. The woman never seemed to sleep, and never left the pilot's seat, either. Ed suspected that she might be stuck there, but was too embarrassed to admit it.

After what seemed like a whole week, the woman suddenly announced, "All right, girls. This is where we get off."

Ed followed Ryo out of the ship, only to find herself in what appeared to be a dark hallway. The only source of light was the metallic glow from Ken-Ohki.

"Ryo, take Ed to your room," the woman instructed. "I've got some business to take care of with the boss."

Ryo mewed loudly (which Ed assumed meant "Okay!"), but stayed where she was.

Suddenly, the hallway was plunged into complete darkness, and Ein let out a worried whine.

Ed felt the little dog brushing against her feet and bent down to pick him up. "Don't be scared of the dark, Ein. You're a dog, not a chicken." She glanced around, hoping to catch a glimpse of Ryo's eyes.

Ein let out another whine as a red light blinded them for a few seconds. When Ed's eyes adjusted, she could see that it was coming from the jewel on Ryo's forehead. Ken-Ohki was back in her hair, snoring softly. He looked exhausted from their long trip.

Ryo motioned for Ed to follow and started down the hallway.

"You live in the dark?" Ed asked after a moment.

Ryo shook her head and pointed.

Ed then caught sight of a large, orange letter C at what appeared to be the end of the hallway. "That's your room?"

Ryo nodded and walked up to the C, placing her hand on it. The C turned brown and made a sound not unlike one of Ryo's mews.

Ed's stomach seemed to flips for exactly five seconds, and then she realized they were no longer in the hallway.

They stood in the center of a small room that was absolutely covered in carrots.

Ed saw right away that most of the carrots weren't real. There were carrot posters on the walls, carrot chairs, a carrot table, and even a giant, squishy carrot cushion that doubled as a bed.

Not that there weren't real carrots scattered all around the room, anyway.

"You must REALLY like carrots," Ed said after a moment.

Ryo picked up two carrots, offering the bigger one to Ed.

Ed munched on hers absently while she continued to look around the room. "Don't you have any toys?" she asked.

Ryo nodded and walked over to a tiny cupboard in the corner.

"That's IT?"

Ryo grinned and opened the cupboard.

Ed barely had time to dodge aside as a mountain of stuffed animals and dolls poured from the tiny cupboard, covering most of the room in an instant. She had the good sense to grab Ein before he, too, got swept away.

"How did you do that?" Ed asked in dazed voice.

Ryo launched into a long series of mews that Ed didn't quite understand. She caught the words "genius" and "space" and "invention," but the rest went over her head.

"So…you know a genius?"

Ryo beamed and nodded.

"Could I meet him…or her…or it?"

Ryo hesitated, then offered Ed one of her dolls.

"Are you trying to change the subject?" Ed demanded.

Ryo pretended not to hear her and leaned down to pet Ein.

* * * * *

"Hey, boss?" the woman called into the dark room. "You in here?"

"No," replied a voice.

The woman's eyes narrowed. "Ryoko."

"Yeah?" Ryoko asked, appearing in front of her.

"Where is she?"

"Busy. Doesn't want to be disturbed." Ryoko's lips twitched, a feral grin appearing on her face. "Bet I can keep YOU busy, Nagi…"

Nagi frowned. "Later. I need to see the boss. It's important."

"How important?"

"Can you remember the last time I passed up a chance to trash you?"

Ryoko smirked. "Not really."

"Well, that's how important it is. Now get out of my way."

"Make me," Ryoko teased, her grin growing wider.

"Fine." Nagi drew her sword. "Just remember that you asked for it."

"I'll be sure to remind you of that, if you ever come out of the coma." A bright red beam of light appeared in Ryoko's hand. "Oh, and one more thing."

"What?"

Ryoko suddenly split into two, each of her wielding a light saber. "Gotcha!" both women shouted, diving straight at Nagi.

"Enough, girls," a voice in both their heads said. "Ryoko, let Nagi pass. We have…things to discuss."

"You got lucky," Ryoko muttered, both of her fading from sight.

A small, circular platform appeared in front of Nagi, and she stepped onto it. The room spun wildly for a moment, then came into focus. The fact that she was now in another dimension was hardly interesting to Nagi anymore. She stepped down from the platform and approached the entity in front of her, which was sitting on a floating cushion of sorts.

"I found her," Nagi reported. "She was right were you said she'd be."

"Of course," the being replied, not turning around.

"She seems a little…odd."

"What were you expecting?"

"I don't really know," Nagi admitted. "But she can understand Ryo-Ohki and Ken-Ohki. She even talks like them at times."

"Ed is a very gifted child, Nagi. You should expect great things from her. What you've seen so far…is nothing."

"Don't you want to see her?"

The being laughed softly. "I've already seen her. But yes, I would like to meet her. Not yet, though. Tomorrow. After she's had a chance to speak to her father. You'll arrange it, won't you?"

"Yeah, boss, I can handle it."

"Wonderful. Excellent work as usual, Nagi. You are a treasure, no matter what Ryoko seems to think."

Nagi grunted. "I never put much stock in what Ryoko thinks."

"I suppose you wouldn't." The being paused. "Look in on the girls, would you? I don't want Ryo-Ohki to let anything slip. She means well, but you know…"

"Yeah. I know."