Chapter 30: Kitchen Confrontation

Amid rising steam and sounds of chopping, Sasami danced.

Weaving her culinary spell, transforming ordinary fair into extraordinary cuisine, with, as she always put it, the power of love.

Employing three separate areas of the Masaki kitchen for the act of creation, She also decided, using the breakfast nook to assemble the finished already sizable meal her best option.

"Stuffed cabbage rolls and 'lake Bass Sushi." Sasami reviewed quietly to herself. " Caught right at the back door." She added to herself.

"Deep-fried octopus puffs, 'served with chili sauce'," She continued. "And Sweet n' sour giant lobster tail."

Big suckers too! She considered with some satisfaction. An easy extravagance since Washu had installed that deep-sea fauna tank in her lab.

"Stir-fried, 'if admittedly day-glow' rice and vegetables with homegrown mushrooms." She continued her private monologue. "Topped off with, somewhat 'florescent' rice pudding served with vanilla and cinnamon for desert." Sasami nodded to herself, fairly satisfied.

"Twenty minutes have elapsed!" She muttered, in a sing song voice. "And the cooks are sweating!"

In spite of her half hearted griping, inwardly she was pleased and well ahead of schedule. It was around that time, she chanced glancing downward at the highly polished surface of the range top, catching the reflection of a brooding if beautiful face, staring back.

"Well," Sasami sighed, quietly loud. "Here comes another butt chewing."

Reaching up She selected a large saucepan from the chef's rack, one with a highly reflective stainless steel finish. Moving it down to a lower hook, she turned the mirror like surface outward.

"What the hell do you think you are doing?" Tsunami's slightly distorted reflection asked her directly.

"Cooking lunch for our guest and family." Sasami replied innocently, smiling at the reaction. It was rare indeed to see Tsunami's eternally serene expression 'cloud over'.

"Don't play games with me little girl!" the goddess said, sounding miffed. "You know damn good and well what I'm talking about!"

"Hey!" Sasami shrugged, brushing the remark aside. "All's fair in the battle of love!" Expertly whirling a chef's knife deftly over her fingers.

"Including guerrilla warfare it would seem!" Tsunami grumped, actually managing to look cross. As the young woman released the knife at a prejudged moment, causing it to shoot up end over end, descending to stick 'point on' into the counters cutting board.

"I'd rather think of it as a preemptive strike!" Sasami smiled tightly.

"Good." A voice said quietly behind them. "You're both here." Tsunami's eyes widened, as for Sasami ... She merely turned, very slowly towards the speaker.

"Hello sis." She said surveying Ayeka coolly. "Come to help me cook?" Bristling at the intentional barb, the first princess walked slowly into the room.

"No." She replied curtly, stopping a few feet away. Mentally buttressing herself. After the incident with Mihoshi at the rest stop, Ayeka was determined to keep a firmer grip upon her emotions.

"I've come, first to apologize for my course behavior towards you this morning." She added carefully.

"Ok." Sasami said simply, nodding. "Apology accepted." Noticing Ayeka further bristled at her abruptness.

"Secondly" Ayeka began softly.

"And here it comes!" Tsunami quipped.

"You, shut up!" Ayeka addressed the reflection. Under the circumstances, feeling anything but 'divine awe' at that moment.

"Oh, ho!" Tsunami snorted, rolling eyes for good measure. "YOU can just bite ME!" Before promptly vanishing, bringing Ayeka up short, eying the now vacant pan for a long moment longer.

It was clear from the tainted syntax alone, Tsunami's and Sasami's personalities were becoming closer, more 'in sync' all the time.

"I want you to stop your inappropriate behavior toward Tenchi, Sasami!" Ayeka continued tightly managing to deliver the statement quietly, belaying the amount of passion raging against her ability to contain it.

"INAPPROPRIATE?" Sasami gasped astonished. Drawing in a breath, long enough for the full implication of Ayeka's word to register completely. Slamming the pot lid she was holding down with an enough force to bend it. "Unbelievable!" She swore, suddenly furious. "How fucking dare you?!" The first princesses' eyes widened, momentarily from the shock.

"Watch your language and tone with me little girl!" Ayeka warned haughtily refusing to be defected. "I saw what you did last night!" She added angrily. "You little tramp!"

Sasami stopped, blinked, then crossed her arms, leaning back slightly to regard Ayeka.

"How dare I?" Ayeka then challenged angrily. "How dare YOU! Sneak into his room and take such advantage?"

"So, now you're stooping to slithering around at night?" Sasami countered coolly looking her older sister up then down. "Fitting behavior for some cold blooded snake!"

"At least I'm not traipsing around in attire a WHORE would blush to consider wearing!" Ayeka spat, almost snarling, gesturing then at the half shirt, Sasami wore under her apron.

"What's the matter now, Aka-chan?" Sasami smiled. "Jealous?"

"Of what, precisely little one?" Ayeka asked, surveying her sister coldly. "You're prepubescent ass? Or perhaps you're nonexistent chest?" Ayeka snorted, drawing herself up regally.

"Face it, little girl you're out of your league!"

Unprepared, Sasami felt something cold touch her heart, remembering the dream and how Ayeka had told her something similar there. The pain it evoked was also unexpected, almost unbearable. She felt a tear roll unbidden down her cheek.

Upon seeing it, Ayeka almost gasped, feeling simply awful. Yet, in her mind she had to be firm! This was inevitable. Her younger sister simply had to learn her place! Nevertheless, it was a bitter victory indeed for her. However, it did not last long, as Sasami's gazed suddenly hardened.

"That's it." Sasami chuckled dryly. Again locking eyes with her sister. "Keep right on thinking like that! We both know how I'm going to look in, Oh? Let's say ... four years? IF THAT?" Sasami took a turn at surveying along Ayeka's length.

"At the rate you're going!" She contemptuously indicated her own chest. "I'll have more than enough fire power to take you on!"