Chapter 71: 'A Recipe for romance.'

Sometime later, Sasami leaned back tiredly on the kitchen counter and sighed. Exhausted, she surveyed the gleaming white surfaces around her with a sense of satisfaction. After two hours, she'd not only scrubbed the well-intentioned mess Ryoko had made off the center of her universe but had managed throwing something together which might pass for a meal.

"Lets see," she murmured off her checklist. "Cabbage rolls, stuffed with pork, had to heat 'em way too fast!" Sasami sighed, "Flavors gonna suffer but it couldn't be helped." She then nodded and with nothing else for it bent, checking the oven. "Apple crisps and sweet rice." She mused, wishing the apples weren't so green or the rice so, so, yellow! "Not like i had a choice!" Sasami mildly lamented. "That stuff was the only rice we've got right now!" She made a mental Note, to get down to the local store in town ASAP.

"Lake bass sushi," She then considered, moving on to the next item. "Broiled in wine, nothing too fancy. Served with American tarter sauce!" Sasami mused, feeling a measure of her equilibrium restored. "That'll throw 'em a curve ball!" She smiled to herself. "Always keep 'em guessing! And, to top it all off, Barbecued squid-kabobs!" Which were a variation of her squid puffs.

"Not a bad little," Sasami paused looking at the clock. "Oops!" She started, groaned. "Late! Lunch." Noticing the time was well past one thirty. She barely had time to fold her table napkins properly!

"I hope swans are ok." She sighed worriedly, hadn't having time to fold her origami in a variety of different shapes for each setting. "We got a guest for crying out loud!" She steamed. "Don't want him thinking we're barbarians!" Hefting her serving tray Sasami made way quickly to the dinning room and began arranging her carefully prepared settings. Noticing as she did Mihoshi and Mayuka were in their usual place. Smack dab in front of the TV.

"Why are you two so calm?" An animated girl with wild jet black swept back hair was saying to two sailor suited classmates. "Didn't you hear what she said?"

"Huh?" The two she was speaking to said in perfect unison, one light complexed, long flowing strait hair sporting a decidedly vacant expression, the other, darker skinned with a short wild brown mane.

"At least say something!" The girl who had first spoken demanded of them. In response the perplexed duo slowly pointed at her, in unison.

"Blockhead?" They asked her in utter bewilderment.

"Blockheads!" The girl steamed angrily, "With an s!" She added, gritting her teeth in frustration.

"Ahh!" The two gasped in sudden clarity, smacking fist to palm before the next instant, suddenly charging and screaming at the top of their lungs! "Who the hell are you calling blockheads?" Amid the rising giggles coming form the couch Sasami shook her head.

"Must be nice." She grumbled, silently wishing her partner in crime would make a miraculous appearance.

"Meyow?" Ryo-ohki asked suddenly.

"AHHH!" Sasami jumped, nearly dropping the tray in her surprise. whirling her glare faded into a look of wonder. Ryo-chan stood framed by the kitchen door. Dressed in a bright red, low, cut v-neck short sleeves with cream-colored kacky knee shorts. What Sasami found so instantly arresting however was that Ryo-ohki was wearing make up. And it had been expertly applied!

"I think I smell a rat!" She breathed taking it all in.

"MEYOW!?" Ryo-chan Gasped angrily.