Standard Disclaimers apply. Author's note at the end.

Wisdom of Snow

Part 2, Chapter 4

Author: Garasu

Both Keitaro and Motoko were quiet on the long journey home the next morning, each drawn into their own thoughts. The young man had thought they were getting better at avoiding long uncomfortable silences since the train ride from Kyoto what seemed like ages ago. Sadly, it seemed that all it took was a bit of an adventure returning a sacred vase to a safe resting place to blow that thought out of the water. At several points since they had boarded the mechatama he had tried to start up a conversation with the young woman in the seat next to him, but each time he failed miserably. Every time the young archaeologist looked at her the familiar heart flutter would come back and he would have to ruthlessly calm himself. It wasn't as if he didn't WANT to like her. Hell, Yuki had intimated quite plainly that Motoko might harbor some deeper feelings for him so there didn't seem like there would be problem with her returning the feelings. Yet, there was still something holding him back that he couldn't quite put his finger on, to say nothing of the thought that he wasn't quite sure that he and Naru were done yet.

Before any more thoughts going down that road could be probed deeper, a voice came over the speaker and both he and Motoko looked up in surprise.

"Hiyas Keitaro!" A cheerful voice greeted him, one that he instantly recognized.

"Su?" he asked, somewhat incredulously.

"Yup!" The energetic response came back almost immediately. "I've been following the location beacon on mechatama, so as soon as you and Motoko got on, I knew you were heading back. Glad you were able to find him Motoko!"

The raven-haired swordswoman smiled thinly when Su addressed her.

"He was a little tough to find, but thanks to your device we did so without too much trouble."

Keitaro merely hung his head and muttered something about never being able to go anywhere anymore without someone invading his privacy. Mumblings that were, typically, ignored by his companion and the blonde genius on the other side of the radio.

"You should be back in a few minutes, no worries! My peeps back in Mol-Mol made sure you got the special diplomatic treatment!"

To put immediate truth to her words, the small craft they were in began dipping down at her statement. A distinctive reduction in the whine of the engines could be heard from outside as well. Much as the same when he first boarded the strange turtle like craft, he could see the tensing of the swordswoman next to him. She seemed to frown and tense every time the craft made an adjustment. Was she uncomfortable flying, Keitaro wondered?

"Are you ok, Motoko?" He asked, letting his thoughts guide words. If nothing else, it was finally a convenient subject to break the silence of their journey so far.

"Infernal flying terrapin," Motoko muttered, after a small hesitation spent staring at the young archeologist.

"Terrapin? You don't like turtles?"

That came as a surprise to the young man. It hadn't seemed like there was anything she was afraid of in all the time he had known her.

Motoko shook her head, her silken hair rustling with the strength of her negative reply.

If she was going to elaborate on that, however, she ran out of time. The mechatama suddenly came to halt and hovered for a moment in mid-air as it arrived at the Hinata inn. Seconds later, the craft began to make a slow vertical decent, this movement brought about another tense spasm from the swordswoman, one that Keitaro found it hard not to reach over and place his hand comfortingly on his friend's hand clutching the arm rest. He wondered how she had managed to make the initial journey alone, if her fear had been this bad. This thought made him marvel anew at his companion's bravery and ability to do things even she was evidently scared of. Just as he made up his mind to try and comfort his Motoko, their craft touched down and the engines began shutting off. Once shut down procedures were complete, Keitaro heard a loud thunk from above, and he looked up just as the hatch at the top of the craft began to open with a soft hissing noise.

Whatever he was going to do, or if there was anything the young archeologist wanted to say was now lost as the swordswoman unbuckled her safety belt and shot out of the mechatama at seemingly record speed. Keitaro chuckled to himself and followed the billowing red hakama out of the hatch and into the cool spring air of Hinata city. The young man spent a few minutes looking around, happy to be home before he noticed something slightly amiss. Judging by her reaction, Motoko had noticed it too and he could feel the tension ratchet up without even looking at her.

"Welcome back, Mr. Urashima."

Keitaro did not recognize the man whom just addressed him, nor the other man to his right. They were dressed nicely enough though, with the kind of tailored suits that were popular with the generally well- off salarymen that occasionally came to visit the hot springs town. Both men had expensive looking sunglasses too, hiding their eyes from view. The young man couldn't quite place it, but he felt something was not quite right with these two, and that they weren't visitors who had gotten lost, or were seeing the historic sights. Considering one had addressed him by name, then it certainly wasn't a coincidence that they were here.

"I'm sorry, can I help you?" Ketiaro asked politely, as Motoko unobtrusively settled herself into a guarded position. Clearly, she felt something was wrong as well.

"I suppose you can," the same guy who had greeted him, said with a polite enough smile. He seemed of typical height, with a dark brown mop of hair that looked to be deliberately styled to look unstyled. His companion had lighter brown hair, and the beginnings of a 5 o'clock shadow on his chin. The suits they were swearing hid most of their other features, so Keitaro couldn't quite decide why something seemed off, but his instincts were screaming at him that these two were trouble.

"My employer has been waiting for your return and would like a chance to meet you if you would be so kind."

The young archeologist had to admit that the speaker's manners were polite to a fault as he seemed to be using the more polite speech that was appropriate for strangers, though it still didn't stop him from getting the unmistakable chill of underlying threat. Just at the corner of his vision, Keitaro spotted Motoko's hand resting unobtrusively near her ever present sword handle.

"And who would be your employer?" Keitaro asked, but for some reason he had an inkling of where they were going to go with this conversation, and sorely hoped that he could avoid anything bad from taking place at this moment. He still wasn't quite sure which of the residents were around beyond Su.

"Mr. Toritsuku," the man said, confirming Keitaro's suspicions. It was just too convenient that these guys would be here to greet them after all.

"I see," Keitaro hedged. "And if I don't come?"

The man whom had been doing all the speaking so far simply smiled in response. Not exactly what Keitaro had been expecting.

"That is, of course, your choice," the man responded a moment later, extending a hand in a sweeping gesture across his stomach. "But I wouldn't recommend it."

Once again, Keitaro could detect just the barest hint of threat behind the polite speech exterior. He could feel that refusing the invitation at this time could mean more serious trouble than he was willing to abide at a later time. Deciding that, it wasn't too difficult of decision, really. At some point he would have to make clear that the vase that Toritsuku wanted was placed out of his grasp, it was just about as good a time as any. Besides, from what he knew of Toritsuku by way of Seta was that the man never did any of his shadier business out in the open where it could be connected back to him. As long as these two goons were here publicly, Keitaro could at least be assured some measure of safety.

"Alright, I'll agree." Keitaro saw the smile of the man across from him widen just a bit to one of genuine pleasure, if muted.

"Wise choice, if you'll just follow us, we can escort you in our car. This shouldn't take too long." With that the two men turned to begin walking back down the steps of the Hinata. Keitaro then turned to his companion whom had still yet to make a sound to let ask her to let anyone still at home to be on guard. He trusted the situation only as far as he could throw it and absolutely wanted any of the younger residents unhurt.

"I'm coming with you, I don't trust them," the young swordswoman blurted suddenly, steel in her olivine eyes. "I don't trust them one bit."

"Motoko…" Keitaro began, but was cut off but a sharp look from his friend. He knew better than to go against that look, though he didn't know how his escorts were going to take the news.

"Your…friend…is more than welcome to join," the polite man threw over his shoulder and a dismissive hand in the air, having apparently not gone out of hearing range yet. His tone was relaxed and even somewhat amused especially when he said the word friend.

Keitaro sighed, wondering why things had to get so complicated. He looked at the young woman beside him and asked if she could at least make sure that anyone home (he assumed that at least Su was) knew that they were going to go out?

Motoko nodded briefly and ran back into the Hinata house at a quick pace. She would likely find any of the present residents quickly enough. True to his thoughts, she was back only minutes after having left, not even remotely out of breath from her exertion.

"Find anyone?" He asked quietly as the two formed up side by side and began tracing the same path as their visitors minutes before.

"Kitsune," the swordswoman responded slowly. "We will be fine, they will be safe."

"Gods I hope so, this smells."

"On that, we agree."

The ride in the comfortable sedan took quite while by car, at least two hours by Keitarou's estimation, though he wasn't wearing a watch. By train it would have likely taken a bit longer with at least one line switch, and both Keitaro and Motoko spent the entire journey in uncomfortable silence. Both felt that they couldn't openly discuss anything with their escorts in the front seats, though halfway through the journey, Keitaro felt his hand reach out and rest comfortably on top of Motoko's. She jumped at first, but only just a little before brushing her thumb hesitantly against his resting hand. The gesture was awkward, considering the young woman's inexperience with physical affection but nonetheless conveyed that she was at least here for him.

The luxurious estate that they eventually rolled up to was on the outskirts of Tokyo proper, near Setagaya. It seemed as if all the homes they passed in this neighborhood were the domains of rich and powerful people as most of the houses here were significantly bigger than most families' entire properties. There were many homes built in the western style, something of a fad that had passed in the boom years of the 1980's and early 90's. Unlike other neighborhoods, however, that were ravaged when the eventually stagnation came, these homes were no less brilliantly cared for, indicating that the owners were rich enough to not be greatly affected by the economic downturn.

When the sedan they were in came to a rolling stop, Keitaro was still too busy marveling at the amount of money he imaged that even the smallest place near this home cost. He was brought back to reality when their escorts exited the vehicles and opened the door for each him and Motoko. The young man took shaky steps upon the smooth concrete drive as he exited and stole a glance at his companion as she rounded the car. In a moment of strange levity, the young man noted with amusement that Motoko had settled into a look and demeanor of a professional bodyguard. Her facial expression remained neutral as she met Keitaro's eyes and then glanced off to his right and left, evaluating any threats they might encounter.

"This way, please," the man whom had done all the talking so far indicated that they should follow him up the stairs and through the main entrance way. The other escort went off towards a separate direction, apparently done with his work and moved on to the next task. The young pair were led down a series of hallways that nearly had Keitaro positively confused as to which way was which, and then up a final set of stairs to the most opulent office the young archeologist had ever seen. The room was easily as large as one of the floors at the Hinata, with vaulted ceilings and rich, expensive looking furniture. A quick glance at the walls and even his untrained eyes could spot several artifacts that looked absolutely priceless, and if Keitaro could hazard a guess, were the real deal as well.

As large as the office was, it took several tens of seconds to cross the room to the other side where a late middle-aged gentleman that looked not at all out of place amongst the sheer opulence of the room was waiting for them patiently.

"Ah, Mr. Urashima, we finally have the opportunity to meet."

Keitaro didn't really know what to expect when he had finally met the man that Seta had told him was behind everything that led to his most recent adventure, but the elegantly smooth voice that had just hint of friendliness behind it wasn't quite it. Wasn't this guy supposed to be smarmily evil or something?

Motoko took up his side in an instant, eyes darting around the room as unobtrusively as possible. Toritsuku's gaze turned to her as soon as he had finished his greeting with Keitaro, and his smile widened just a trifle.

"And young miss, I am sorry but I have not had the pleasure of knowing your name yet. I am sorry that my information was not good enough to greet you properly." Their host executed a perfectly polite bow, the expectation of introductions obvious.

"Aoyama, Motoko. It is my pleasure to meet you."

Motoko, no slouch when it came to formality, mirrored the bow from Toritsuku, no inflection of any kind in her voice.

Keitaro, who had been watching his friend with surprise at her perfectly executed manners nearly missed the slight widening of their hosts eyes, indicating surprise at Motoko's name, and the surreptitious glance at Shisui threaded through the himo of her hakama.

"Aoyama? Indeed. I have heard much of your family over the years and I am surprised to know that someone as young as yourself lived outside of the ancestral home." Absolutely nothing in his tone indicated the depth of his surprise, and the young woman with whom he was exchanging pleasantries with quirked an eyebrow at the strange comment.

"We do find it necessary to learn of the world outside our walls from time to time, Mr. Toritsuku." She said back, no emotion than utter formality in her tone.

"Of course, of course, my dear. I am merely expressing wonderment at finally meeting a member of your storied family. Please have a seat, would you? May I have anything brought, tea perhaps?"

"I think we are good, thank you," Keitaro said as he sat, trying his hardest to keep up with the two masters of formality he suddenly found himself in the company of. His formality was definitely on the rusty side. "If you can excuse my rudeness, but I have to be curious if there's anything we can do for you, Mr. Toritsuku? Both Motoko and I have just returned from a long journey and were surprised to have been met at the Hinata by your employees. What would a first-year student and a high school kendoka have that could possibly rate a personal meeting with one as important as yourself?"

Though Keitaro knew quite well what the man was after, he still had at least enough sense to not come right out and say it. He may not have the ingrained manners of Motoko but he certainly felt that he was handling himself at least somewhat well, though he strangely felt that his mentor would have probably taken a different tack.

"Ah, yes, right down to business, a man after my own heart." If Toritsuku knew that the young man was playing ignorant, he didn't seem to let on and kept the air of friendliness about him. "It seems that I came about some information that your mentor, the great Seta Noriyasu has come into possession of an artifact of mine. It has been in my possession for quite some time, you see, and I hold it in quite high regard. I would desperately hate to continue seeing it go missing. Considering the dreadful news of his injury while on location, and that you have just returned from the site yourself I am curious if you might happen to know where it is and procure it for me?"

The young archeologist sucked in a breath and in the corner of his eye he saw Motoko frown. Both seemed to catch on that Toritsuku was essentially asking Keitaro to steal from his mentor. This conversation was definitely starting to go down a bad road and it had only just begun. Trying desperately to hide the sudden shaking that his hand decided to start, he bowed low in apology.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Toristuku, but that is unfortunately out of my grasp. It is currently under the protection of the royal family of Mol-Mol, if I'm not mistaken, and not Mr. Noriyasu. My understanding is that this artifact was once a symbol of the familie's royal lineage?"

Keitaro knew very well what the vase meant to the royal family, and he liked to think he turned the question back on his host, implying that he should have not had such an important artifact in the first place. Though the truth was that he also quite aware that they were playing a dangerous game. If there was one thing that at least he could count on right now was that Mr. Toritsuku had never done anything personally. As long as his goons weren't around, the young man could count on both he and Motoko being relatively safe. He hoped anyway.

The elder gentleman took Keitaro's news solemnly, and the affected friendliness in his expression disappeared virtually in an instant with the last hidden barb shot his way.

"That is quite distressing to hear," the businessman said after some time of silence. He stared coldly at the young archeologist before him, every trace of his smile now gone. His eyes fell to Motoko for a second before he seemed to make up his mind about something, indicating with his hand towards a corner of the room that neither Keitaro nor Motoko had paid much attention to before.

A door set in that corner opened then, indicating that there must have been somebody watching from the other side somehow. Though instead of a butler or aid as Keitaro had expected a tall, wiry man stepped in the office. He was casually dressed, with dark slacks and a white collared shirt left unbuttoned at the neck, revealing a crew shirt underneath. At first glance, the man appeared to be in his early to mid- thirties with a somewhat pointed nose, small expressionless black eyes and shoulder length black hair tied in a ponytail. While he couldn't be absolutely sure either, the profile seemed very familiar to the young man. He didn't get a good look at the person who began chasing him in Mol-Mol but the profiles seemed to match, which worried him. Keitaro heard Motoko suck in a breath but couldn't see what she could for a moment until the man turned slightly and began walking toward them with a confident gait. He was carrying a very expensive looking black scabbard that held a sword.

"This is one of my associates, Mr. Urashima, and I would like to give you a chance to reconsider returning the vase to me. Mr. Karasu is very capable and would be an asset to you need help to retrieve my artifact. I have also seen a bit of your abilities and would consider paying you handsomely for this favor."

Keitaro considered himself quite dense, but even HE could not miss the undertone of threat behind the offer for this associate to assist him. It was very much a do it or this man could do some very nasty things to you, but where was he also getting this 'abilities' stuff from. Could he possibly know about Yuki and her protection? If was the man who also injured Seta and chased after him, then things were about to get really difficult and he suddenly began to wish he hadn't come here or that Motoko was with him. He'd certainly be unharmed thanks to Yuki but the swordswoman next to him was a different matter entirely.

Yet still, the young man's outlook on life still considered the notion that this rich and powerful man would actually harm a first year university student in pursuit of an object patently absurd. After all, all Keitaro or Motoko would have to do would be tell the police and surely his career would be ruined, wouldn't it? Though he was at best 80 percent sure of this line of reasoning, the fact that he was here with Motoko meant that he needed to end this quickly and get out of here with her.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Toritsuku, but my answer must remain no. As I said, the vase now rests with the Mol-Mol royal family, where it belongs." Keitaro spared a look to his side at his companion in the hope that she saw his look indicating they should be looking to leave as soon as possible, but she was singularly focused on the newcomer.

"Tche, another idiot." Karasu spat, finally stopping several meters off to the side of Mr. Toritsuku. Beside him, Motoko growled a warning and her hand hovered closer to her own sword. The tall man spied her move and smirked confidently a bit, enjoying the fact that he was able to get under the swordswoman's skin so quickly.

Keitaro, for his part, began to desperately plan their escape. He knew that Motoko was on edge, and while he had not seen this side of her for quite some time as it was typically directed towards him, he recognized an explosive situation when it presented itself.

"If it's not too much trouble, I think we should take our leave Mr. Toritsuku. I'm sorry we couldn't be of more help to you. Please don't worry about sending for your aids we'll see ourselves home." The young archeologist was actually proud of himself for remaining so calm as he tried to excuse himself and Motoko as soon as possible. His voice only shook just a little bit with the worry that was beginning to rise. He was definitely less certain now that they would come out of this unscathed if they stayed much longer.

"Typical idiot. Running away," Karasu teased, barely paying attention to Keitaro himself, but eyeing the young woman beside him almost predatorily. "Go ahead and run with that shinmei wench next to you. They were never much good for a fight anyway."

"Take…that…back…"

"Shit!" Keitaro swore, practically tasting the raw seething anger emanating from the swordswoman beside him. Her hand drifted closer to her sword and he could hear her thumb release the kochira from its scabbard.

Karasu looked over towards his employer for a brief moment and whatever he received made his smile widen a bit.

"Take back, what? The truth? The Aoyama's are a relic, growing fat off of their past exploits. It's a good thing that damn Tsuruko stepped down as the wench wouldn't know how to lead a true clan, though I doubt the brat of a sister could do any better."

"Motoko!" Keitaro yelled as the young woman launched herself at Karasu with a growl. She quickly drew her sword in a motion of a cutting evil strike, one of her most practiced techniques, while Keitaro vainly tried to stop her. She was too fast, launching off of her rear foot so quickly you could barely see the motion. Yet before she could approach much closer to finish the carry through, Karasu stepped inside her attack quickly and drew his own sword in a battou style. Efficiently pinning Motoko's sword just forward of her body and well shy of the follow through stroke required to extend her ki past the sword point.

To her credit, there was very little reaction on Motoko's part at her technique being blocked. The raven haired Shinmei ryu master dropped her elbow and stepped under the block as she angled her sword to push his off to her right intending on getting behind him with a regular cutting motion rather than one of her special techniques. Her strike was once again brutally blocked, this time with an elbow as Karasu spun with the younger woman's movement and kept inside the full draw length of her sword. It was clear, as Motoko stepped back painfully that Karasu was an efficient swordsman and fought many battles with actual opponents rather than for points with armor.

"Inexperienced," Karasu tsked at his opponent, a sneering grin on his face. He was trying to goad her into mistakes, something that was unfortunately too easy with the relative inexperience the raven-haired swordswoman had. Motoko grunted again, not trusting her voice to say much in her current state of rage, the pain from her ribs giving her a focus instead. The next strike, as she launched off her back foot again came seemingly faster than before. Keitaro could barely register the movement of her sword and was perturbed when he did, to notice it was to the neck – intended to seriously injure if not kill.

Karasu batted away even this quick attack with a strength bellied by his thin frame and kicked the swordswoman viciously in the knee. Motoko went down the ground with a cry, though somehow kept her sword in hand. Once again to her credit and the testament to her training she was able to roll out of the way of the next strike intending to actually cut her and rise to her feet with a grimace. She was clearly favoring her opposite leg now, lightly testing the weight as surreptitiously as she could to see how much weight it could bear.

"Motoko, please," Keitaro cried trying to calm his friend down before something too drastic happened. "We shouldn't be doing this here, not now."

"Quiet, Urashima!" Motoko spat back, making the young man cringe with the strength behind it. "I will not stand by and listen to this creature disparage my family and my sister as he has!"

"Oho! So you're the younger brat of that damned Tsuruko!" Karasu crowed, revealing that apparently while he knew of Tsuruko, he did not know of the Aoyamas well enough to recognize the familiar resemblance. "Wench should have known her place, marrying off to that damned traitor."

Motoko growled once again before launching into another attack, this time with one of her familie's signature attacks, this time the most powerful one she knew. But as before, the more experienced warrior quickly stepped into her attack, not giving the Shinmei ryu swordswoman time for a proper follow through to complete the ki infused strike. This time, Keitaro swore he heard a crack as fist connected with elbow hard forcing Motoko's sword out of her hand and spinning away. Karasu followed this strike with a powerful spinning kick to the young woman's ribs making the girl spit blood as she spun away in a heap.

"Motoko!" Keitaro yelled, quickly shuffling between his now injured friend and the swordsman stalking towards her. Karasu made to strike with his fist but Keitaro blocked, never happier for his lessons with Seta as the strike connected with his forearm at a shallow enough angle to bleed away most of the power. Even then, the strength was overwhelming enough to shift him back into a poor stance. A quick follow up gave the young man nearly no chance to block and he was quickly pushed back with the brutal kick. What should have broken his ribs however merely shoved the young archeologist back, apparently no worse for wear. This grabbed his opponent's attention before he could swiftly move on to the still motionless Motoko.

"Hmm?" Karasu narrowed his gaze at the young man. "Interesting."

It was the only other words he said before a lightning quick strike with his sword aimed for Keitaro's arm, intending to slice it off at the elbow. Keitaro desperately blocked it, however, and much like being on the receiving end of one of Motoko's slashes only the physical force of the strike connected sending him flying back into the wall behind him.

"Very interesting, you've got a spirit protecting you?" Karasu did not wait for much of a reply though, knowing exactly what he saw. "I didn't think spirit binders existed much anymore? Who did you learn that from?"

Keitaro was silent, not wishing to speak of his friend Yuki before this man. He merely stood out of the man-sized hole in the wall and rubbed his chin a bit with a determined look on his face and settled into a fighting stance.

"No matter," the swordsman said, reaching into the left pocket of his slacks, pulling out a piece of paper with some handwriting that Keitaro could not make out at his distance. "Such things are easily countered."

With that said, Karasu uttered a single word under his breath and the paper he was holding burst into unnatural blue colored flames. Keitaro suddenly felt a bit nauseous and he swore he could hear Yuki in the back of his head calling his name desperately. Motoko must have recognized the word, as she began moving with more urgency, trying to pick herself off the ground and move to get herself between the swordsman and Keitaro.

"Keitaro! No, get away!" She mumbled trying to pick herself up and failing, falling back to the floor in a heap reaching for the young archaeologist. Whatever she was trying to say after that point however was lost as Karasu launched himself at the Todai student once again, covering the distance rapidly with a fist aimed at Keitaro's side, rather than with his sword. Familiar with bare handed defense, thanks to his mentor, Keitaro blocked the strike; though he was still not used to fighting opponents not Seta so the block put him in an awkward position and unprepared for the follow up strike from a now sheathed sword.

The pain was unbelievable and something that Keitaro had never experienced in all his life. This time, instead of only receiving the force of the attack, the weighty scabbard sunk into his rib cage. He could practically feel the strain in his ribs as they resisted the sudden compressional force, cracking as they did. The physics of the follow through finally caught up to the young man and he was tossed aside, struggling to breathe and more than hint of blood trickling from his mouth. He did not attempt to get up immediately, too dazed with pain to do more than try and figure out what went wrong and why everything wasn't working as it always did in these situations.

"Keitaro!" Motoko desperately yelled from her position on the floor, trying to reach for the young university student.

Keitaro tried to reassure her but only could spit out a raspy wet breath, flecked with blood. He could not, from his position, see the approach of Karasu from his side with a menacing expression on his face but the Shinmei swordswoman could. With a last desperate will of strength she got to her feet in a flash and unleashed a ki infused strike towards the man.

For his part, Karasu was surprised that the girl had anything left and the attack caught him completely off guard. His shirt was sliced neatly as the ki attack made contact and the warrior flew off his feet and backward towards the desk of his employer. While he was strong enough to resist any further damage, the surprise slice took his eyes off both of his opponents long enough for Motoko to grab Keitaro to his feet, wincing as she heard his gasp of pain at the move and the sudden additional weight added to her injured leg. They quickly made a rapid retreat towards the door and exit before anyone else could catch them.

Karasu cursed as he quickly returned to his feet, ready to run after the retreating pair, but stopped when he heard a command from his right.

"No, wait."

The warrior looked at his employer expectantly at the command.

"This does not seem to be working. I have a different plan in mind." With that, Toritsuku picked up his phone and called the security team that guarded the premises. The pair were to be let go and in addition, he had another task for them to perform.

"There you go, easy does it," Keitaro tried to be gentle as he helped Motoko ease down onto the couch in the common room. The pair had been supporting each other ever since they had left the opulent home of Toritsuku. They had definitely gotten strange looks from the other passengers on the train that took them to a closer area to Hinata city where they could then fetch a cab, too concerned with drawing more attention to themselves than the monetary cost. It was a wonder they had not attracted any police attention, especially as they were making their way through the ritzy neighborhood to get to the initial train station, and the fact that didn't made the young archeologist glad. It would have been tough to try and explain that an upstanding member of society had done this to them and that they were not in fact hoodlums in the wrong neighborhood.

"Stupid!"

Keitaro flinched at the venom coming from his raven-haired friend, and had a hard time hiding it. Apparently, he could still be affected by her temper, though it helped that he was at least ninety-five percent sure that she was talking about herself.

"You did the best you could," the young man consoled, flopping next to the injured woman once he made sure she was comfortable. "That guy was tough."

"As if that should matter, I should have never been able to be drawn in like that in the first place," Motoko spat, growing more and more disgusted with her actions. "It is as if I was a simple first year student again."

Keitaro sighed, it apparently seemed that he was not going to be able to convince her out of her self-reflection easily. He had been trying since they had left the house. Of course, in public the Shinmei swordswoman just grew more and more sullen rather than saying anything. Now that they were out of earshot of strangers, she had been really cutting loose.

"Perhaps," Keitaro carefully agreed. "But he also shouldn't have said such mean things about your sister."

Motoko gave him a sharp glance before given him a bemused smile, at last coming down enough to see that he was trying his best to make her feel better.

"No, he should not have," she agreed. Marveling anew at all the things she had not seen earlier in the young man as she was too blinded by her hang up on him being male. She was about to say something else to that effect when they were interrupted by Kitsune who had apparently heard them come in.

"I thought I heard someone down here, how'd it….whoa! You two look like hell! What happened?"

"We were goaded into a fight with someone we should not have been goaded into fighting with," Motoko deadpanned. Too tired and in pain to try and make up any excuse as to why they looked so banged up.

"Um, should we be calling the police or something?" Kitsune asked uneasily, wondering why the two younger people seemed so calm about the fact that had apparently gotten beaten up pretty badly. Though strangely, in the weird universe that generally sent their manager skyward on a daily basis with not even a hint of official inquiry, this didn't seem that out of the ordinary.

Keitaro, for his part, looked a bit uneasy at that part.

"Nobody would believe it. This guy has a lot of influence both in society and at the university. Seta has tried a few times to talk about it, but he gets ignored every time. No one wants to believe, so they don't."

"Heavy," Kitsune breathed, rocking back on her heels to think. "So, what are you going to do about this?"

"What can we do?" Motoko asked, a frustrated tension in her voice that was evident in her body language as well. "Keitaro told him that he wasn't going to do a job for this man, and that is that. We try and avoid any further encounters."

"Exactly," Keitaro agreed. "For the same reasons no one can report Mr. Toritsuku, he can't report us either. It's been neutral like this for a long time according to Seta and as long as we don't do anything more to rock the boat, we should be fine. Though I have to admit, I got a bad feeling when he was talking about this vase. I don't know what it means to him, but apparently its important."

Everyone suddenly started when the Hinata phone began to ring in the contemplative silence after Keitaro's statement. Kitsune shared a brief look with Keitaro about which of the two people who could still walk well was going to answer it.

"I'll get it," Keitaro waved the resident lush away. "It's probably just Haruka calling up to check on us anyway."

He padded softly over to the phone and picked it up, trying not to rustle his injuries too much.

"Hello, Hinata residences, Urashima Keitaro speaking how may I help you?"

"Ahh, Mr. Urashima, just the person I was wishing to speak with."

Keitaro tensed at the cultured voice on the other end of the line. A movement that Motoko did not fail to notice and she began to sit up with a concerned frown on her face.

"How may I be of service, Mr. Toritsuku," the archeologist in training tried to keep his voice level, wondering why on earth this man could possibly be calling. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Motoko painfully try to get up but waved her off. Kitsune meanwhile caught the tension in the room ratcheting up and frowned his direction as well.

"I called because I'd like to apologize for my associate and his treatment of you. I should say he was rather exuberant in his response. It would be a shame if he were to be allowed to revisit that exuberance. Neither you or I want to see that happen."

"I agree, Mr. Toritsuku, it was a shame. However, I would like to point out that should he want to do so, I would not hold back one instant if any of my charges were in danger of being hurt." Keitaro could barely restrain the anger in his voice as he tried to keep calm and not give into the satisfaction of answering polite threats with incoherent rage. The nerve of this man calling and threatening his friends and charges so nonchalantly!

"Excellent!" Toritsuku responded with a chuckle, apparently not bothered in the least by Keitaro's return threat. "I can see why he would take you on as a mentee. I see much of him in you, Mr. Urashima."

"Thank you," the younger man responded as politely as he could, beginning to get impatient with direction this call was going. Was there a point at all to this besides polite posturing?

"The second reason I called was I had hoped you might reconsider my offer to retrieve the item we spoke about for me? I know that we could possibly come to a mutually beneficial arrangement."

Keitaro gritted his teeth when the main point of the conversation came to light. Allowing just a little bit of impatience to enter his voice.

"I'm sorry Mr. Toritsuku, but I must again emphasize that it is not mine to retrieve."

"That is a shame, truly. I had hoped we could come to an arrangement on our own terms. I admire your principles in sticking to your decision, you will be a good student at Tokyo University. However, if we can't come to an agreement ourselves, I must insist that you do so on my terms now."

Keitaro froze, a bad feeling overcoming his polite mask for a moment.

"Huh?" he summarized stupidly, too surprised at the sudden switch from veiled threats to open threats to maintain his charade of politeness.

"I need you to speak with someone for a moment, please."

There was a momentary shuffle and click of the phone as if the line was switching to someone else. There was more shuffling and then a voice on the other end that made the blood run cold in his veins.

"Keitaro, hello?"

"Naru," Keitaro breathed, making both Kitsune and Motoko start. Kitsune couldn't quite keep the 'what the hell' low enough to not be heard by the young man.

"What's going on? Where are you? Some jerks came to my house and said they were working with you and need me to come along. I agreed because they mentioned you but we're in a car going someplace I'm unfamiliar with. Will you be there? Hey! I was talk…."

The line clicked back suddenly and Keitaro assumed he was back with the now doubly dangerous Toritsuku.

"Mr. Toritsuku, if you harm…" he began in tightly controlled voice, trying to keep it low enough that the two other residents didn't overhear and get a sense of what they were talking about.

"Relax Mr. Urashima," the older man interrupted smoothly. "She will be safe and I will absolutely treat her as my guest while she's here, I just had need of an insurance policy. I will take care of everything for you with regards to transportation. You just simply have to retrieve what is mine and Ms. Narusagawa will be treated quite well.

"You wouldn't dare!" Keitaro angrily whispered. "You can't do anything to her, you can't involve the public, what about your position?"

"I have long since tired of the game Mr. Noriyasu and I have played off and on, Mr. Urashima. I have taken care of my affairs and assured my comfort regardless. It is finally time I simply get what I want. I assume you know how to return to my property. We will be waiting for your arrival and make preparations for your departure to the kingdom of Mol-Mol. I look forward to working with you, Mr. Urashima."

The line went dead, and Keitaro simply held it there for a moment too shocked to do anything else.

"Well?" Kitsune asked as soon as she saw him hang up the receiver. "What happened? Did I hear you mention Naru? What's going on?"

Keitaro held up a finger for patience and Kitsune knew enough to go silent and not press any further. He sighed and pressed his fingers to the bridge of his nose in an impatient gesture.

"Looks like we guessed wrong. Apparently, he 'invited' Naru to his estate to function as insurance policy to get me to go back to Mol-Mol."

"What?!" Kitsune exploded in anger, her eyes opening wide. "That's insane! We need to get the police in on this right now. How is he going to be able to cover any of this up?"

"Apparently he doesn't care anymore," Keitaro sighed sadly, and walked over to sit next to Motoko who despite the presence of another resident hesitantly placed her hand on his shoulder.

"We need to get Naru back," she said quietly. "There is no way the police could get involved in time."

"This is crazy!" Keitaro exploded, finally letting his anger and concern vent.

"I need to heal, and we need to go," Motoko replied, letting her hand drift down to his as unobtrusively as possible. She didn't know if this would make him feel any better, but it had served to center her when they were riding in the car earlier and the physical contact was certainly helping her keep calm now as well.

Keitaro started at the sudden and uncharacteristic display of comfort from the normally stoic girl but soon enough placed a thumb over her hand, letting her know that he appreciated the gesture. It was a strange feeling to suddenly touch the beautiful swordswoman and not face the business end of her sword. It suddenly brought a lot of thoughts he had had recently back to the surface. He shook his head to dispel the derailing images. It was more important to focus on getting Naru back, as she had said. But there was certainly no way she was coming along in the condition she was in.

"I'll get her back by myself," he said resolutely. Making both girls look at him as if he had grown a second head. Motoko looked like she was about to turn back to her pervert beating ways for a moment and Kitsune just stood in shocked silence and stared at him. He held up a hand to quickly stave off whatever heated reply that was going to come from the Shinmei swordswoman next to him.

"You are in no condition to do anything. He has that Karasu guy, remember?" Keitaro responded with his own glare when Motoko closed her mouth with an audible snap before she could say whatever it was that she was about to say and sullenly stared at him for a moment.

"But he will kill you!" She heated replied back after her silence, not caring at all now if Kitsune thought this behavior was weird or not. "Remember that spell he read? That was specifically designed to block your connection with Yuki. You won't be invulnerable if you go back!"

"What now?" Kitsune started, wondering where the heck this conversation was going. What in the world were they talking about with Yuki? Spells? But Keitaro and Motoko gave no indication they heard her exclamation, they were beginning to get locked into an angry staring contest. One the older resident was smart enough to stay out of.

"I feel fine now, there's no guarantee that the effects will last. Besides, I have to do something and you're way too injured to do anything but rest and heal!"

"I do not like it.," Motoko muttered angrily, her eyes flashing dangerously. "I am not about to let you go back into danger without someone to help. I will be fine; I can walk after taking some herbs from my apothecary. The Shinmei have dealt with worse before."

"No," Keitaro said with finality, a set expression on his face. It was the most serious expression Kitsune had ever seen him carry. She would have been impressed if the situation wasn't so worrying. "It's too dangerous and you're too hurt. Please, take time to heal Motoko. I'll be fine and I'll get Naru back I promise."

He then turned to Kitsune, who was still rather unnerved at the serious Keitaro in front of her. It wasn't something she was used to. When did that happen? And further, when did these two get so close?

"Kitsune, could you please help Motoko up to her room? She's not able to walk that well right now."

"Uh, sure darlin'" she answered shortly, her osakan drawl becoming stronger with the confusion she was facing at the moment. When she made to go over and help the swordswoman get up, Motoko batted her arm away and got up stiffly with more than a few winces and faced Keitaro with a hard glare. She looked like she was going to say something, as she started and stopped several times before before bravely going forward in a quiet but strong voice.

"If I cannot convince you to take me along, then at least take this," she unthreaded shisui from her hakama, sheath and all. "It will help if Karasu comes after you. Remember what we practiced."

Keitaro, who could see the concern she held underneath the glaring exterior as well as the self-loathing that she was too injured to help tried to reassure her one more time as he took the sword from her hands.

"It will be fine, Motoko, you'll see. I won't even need to use this," he tried to project a confidence that he was rapidly losing after coming down from his seriousness high.

Motoko looked briefly after the retreating Kitsune, who didn't seem like she was paying attention to the pair anymore and leaned close to Keitaro, as close as she dared.

"Please come back," she whispered, her voice carrying everything that she didn't quite realize consciously yet. Somehow, though Keitaro managed to pick up on it for once.

"I will. I always do, don't I?"

And with that he began walking out of the common room and back down the stairs, out of sight within minutes.

The way back to the opulent office was a nervous one for Keitaro. He still had no plan on how to get Naru back, all he knew was that he had to try. At least there was some measure of comfort that the trains were mostly empty as it was still a little too early for school to be out and much too early for workers to clog the cars of the Tokyo rail line. It was odd to think about, actually, but distracted in this mess as he was, Keitaro suddenly realized he hadn't really eaten anything since the day before. It had been such a mess with returning the sacred vase, finding Motoko and the Mol-Mol security team wandering the oasis looking for him, and the rush to get home that he had barely enough time to down a quick early breakfast before they returned from the pacific. The situation with Toritsuku had happened over the hours that he would normally eat lunch and then they had returned to Hinata and the whole Naru thing came to light. His stomach growled in acknowledgement, a horrible, grinding sound.

"I promise if I make through this, I'll have the largest dinner I could possibly eat," he promised himself.

After one train change and a few more tens of minutes walking, Keitaro found himself staring at the understated gates that marked the beginning of the Toritsuku estate. He still had no plan of attack but hoped that his luck would hold, and he could bluff his way into taking Naru with him without fighting anyone. As he approached the gates buzzed and began opening by themselves, obviously being watched by a security team elsewhere and one that had been told not to interfere with him.

A staff member met him at the door and politely told the young man to follow him. They followed the same path back to the office that he and Motoko had been to earlier. Once the door opened he found everything exactly as he had remembered it, even Toritsuku sitting at his desk. Though one side glance towards the right wall of the office revealed Karasu, this time leaning against the windowed wall nonchalantly and watching the events through narrowed dark eyes. Keitaro then spied Naru, sitting almost calmly on one of the opulent chairs facing Toritsuku's desk. He quickened his pace towards her, determined to get in and out as fast as possible and avoid any fighting with the bodyguard in the corner.

"Keitaro!" Naru exclaimed, though she didn't get up from her chair. She didn't appear to be harmed, as Toritsuku had promised, nor even tied up.

"Hey Naru, how are you?" Inwardly, the young archeologist cringed at the dialogue so far. It couldn't be more generic if he tried. Outwardly, he kept a concerned frown on his face, and one eye wearily on the rich businessman watching his every move.

"Wish I knew what was going on," the chestnut haired girl snorted, making Keitaro smile a bit. Even in this crazy situation she could go from scared to her usual angry self at the drop of a hat. If he was honest with himself and ignored the pain it caused, he loved that consistency about her.

"It seems you have accepted my request," Toritsuku spoke before Keitaro could, indicating for the young man to take a seat next to Naru. "I am glad that you have shown yourself to be a reasonable person."

"What request?" Naru asked curiously, having missed the conversation between Keitaro and the older man due to her being in the car on the way here.

Keitaro chose to answer, as it would make it easier to move on to what he had to say next. Something that would be unpleasant.

"I have been asked to retrieve something that Mr. Toritsuku thinks belongs to him," he began, noticing the frown forming on the otherwise expressionless businessman's face at his choice of language. "A vase that belongs to the royal family of Mol-Mol, and one that I had been tasked by Seta to return to its rightful place when he couldn't do it himself. Mr. Toritsuku had tried previously to convince me to retrieve it, and in saying no Motoko got hurt by the man over to the right. He feels that you would offer a better insurance policy in securing my cooperation."

To Naru's credit, her face went from extreme concern at the idea of Motoko being hurt to a disbelieving look when Keitaro finished his brief overview of the events that led up to her being brought to this estate. She actually snorted a bit, making her manager smile yet again at her familiar behavior.

"Well, that's stupid," she explained, a frown on her face that seemed to confuse Toritsuku for a moment, wondering why the girl was taking this so calmly. "Did he think you'd feel sorry that we broke up or something? There was a reason why I was living with my parents after all."

Toritsuku's frown deepened further at the news. He hated when he was caught surprised by information. He would have to have a word with his provider about that at a later date. Though it didn't matter in this instance, he knew that Keitaro was a man who did not abandon anyone, especially one that he knew and cared for.

"Mr. Urashima would never abandon anyone he cared for, and it is apparent he still cares a great deal for you, young lady," he told the volatile girl, putting his thoughts to words. "It is no matter that you two are not involved anymore. You are here and will continue to enjoy my hospitality while Mr. Urashima flies to Mol-Mol and retrieves my vase." His voice brooked no argument, he fully expected to get exactly what he wanted.

"I'm still going to have to decline," Keitaro informed the man, his face serious. "I will be leaving here with Naru and that is all."

"Tche, I took you for idiot but not for this much stupidity," Karasu chimed in from his shadowy corner, making Keitaro frown in his direction. "That Shinmei master couldn't do anything to stop me, how in the world would your weak self expect to get out of here in one piece?"

"We'll manage," was all that Keitaro said, turning back to the businessman instead and trying his best to ignore anything else that bodyguard said. "I will not be able to retrieve the vase for you, Mr. Toritsuku, it belongs to the Mol-Mol royal family and no one else. We're leaving now, Naru."

Keitaro reached for his former girlfriend, turning his back on the increasingly brooding expression on Toritsuku's face and when she reached for his hand as well and got up they both missed the older man's sneer and pointed look over to Karasu.

"If I cannot have you retrieve it for me, then I will have my associate retrieve the location and the vase himself. By any means necessary."

Keitaro started at the very real threat, it appeared that Toritsuku no longer wished to play at appearances and was going full evil villain. Karasu, for his part smiled ruthlessly and stalked toward the pair. Naru clutched her former boyfriend's hand tighter as the warrior approached, the bluster she had earlier beginning to recede with the imminent threat of physical violence by one who could apparently beat Motoko.

When he noticed that Karasu's direction would take him closer to Naru than himself, he angrily unsheathed Shisui and stepped between the man and is ex. Karasu immediately noticed the sword and chuckled darkly.

"Did that Aoyama wench give her sword to you? Expecting a no-name to do her dirty work for you? Ha! That's rich! My how the mighty have fallen."

Keitaro clenched his fists around the sword and only scowled, determined to not let the dangerous man near Naru nor rise to his bait. While he wasn't the greatest swordsman, having only roughly two weeks of intense practice with a master, he still felt he put forward a reasonable stance.

"Leave her alone," he mumbled as menacingly as he could.

"You should learn to stay out of my way," Karasu spat, rushing forward for a midline strike with his sword. Though it was quick, Keitaro managed to block it only to be thrown back by the sheer strength of the attack. His feet dug into the ground, trying to prevent too much space giving away. Karasu followed his first thrust immediately to the point where the inexperienced swordsman barely kept up. The sword of his opponent slipped through and made contact, though only the force, as usual, carried through sending the young man back into the wall. It seemed that Yuki's protections were back.

"Thought I took care of that," Karasu muttered, slipping a familiar sheet of paper out of his pocket and uttered the words written. Once again, the paper burned an unnatural shade of blue and Keitaro felt the familiar queasiness overcome him for a moment.

This time Karasu did not strike with his sword but instead let loose a strong punch straight to Keitaro's unprotected stomach as he approached, a punch that he probably could have avoided if was not so busy being disoriented by the loss of whatever it was that Yuki did to protect him.

Keitaro doubled over in pain and nearly dropped his sword, spitting blood from his mouth and fighting hard to not throw up. Fortunately, since he hadn't eaten anything for a while he was able to gain control of his revolting stomach. Karasu, for his part, did not let up following his gut punch immediately with a hard right-hook across Keitaro's jaw, sending him flying off the wall and skittering across the floor towards Naru again.

"Keitaro!" The pretty Tokyo University student ran over to his side, concerned at the trickle of blood now freely flowing from the young man's mouth. This was something that she had never seen before and concerned her greatly. Keitaro had always been able to shrug off whatever attack was thrown at him and never bled. "What's going on?" She cried desperately, trying to get an answer from him and simultaneously shield him from the once again approaching bodyguard.

"You should stay out of our fight, little girl," Karasu spat aiming a kick for Naru's head. He was surprised when she ducked under it and sent a punch flying his direction as she rose from her kneeling position.

"Jerk!"

"Oof," Karasu took the brunt of Naru's famous punch and was sent skittering back from his standing position surprised at its strength. Though he was not seriously hurt by the damage, it did succeed in making him laugh a bit madly.

"Now that's a punch! That Aoyama wench should have thrown something like that. As soon as I finish with this brat who thinks he can swordfight, I'll come for you next! But for now, get out of my way!"

The swordsman was beginning to become a little unhinged as he rushed Naru, intending to make her back off with his sword. But once he got close enough he found his weapon blocked by a familiar white handled sword.

"I told you to leave her alone!" Keitaro cried, putting all his strength into blocking the sword from approaching Naru. He gritted bloodied teeth and dug deeper to find some hidden reserve of enough strength to fight his way out of this increasingly desperate situation.

"There is some fire!" Karasu laughed, apparently not worried at the uncharacteristic anger in the younger man's voice. He had already long ago determined that he was the stronger of the two by leaps and bounds and only sincerely wanted to hurt him hard enough to cough up any information for his employer now. The more experienced warrior slipped under Keitaro's block and twisted, sending a vicious kick to his ribs.

There was an audible snap as Keitaro felt one of his lower ribs crack under the pressure and once again he went skittering away leaving Naru to call after him again in an ever louder concerned voice. Once again, he stood up from the ground, smarting with the pain that was now making it difficult to breathe. His defiance was enough to distract Karasu once again from Naru and he stalked after his opponent with a mad smile.

"Don't know when to quit," Karasu muttered. "Typical idiot."

Keitaro blocked the next strike, aimed for his chest, but could not follow the reversal and took an elbow to his sternum for the trouble.

This time, the young man couldn't help himself and he grunted in pain and causing a small gurgle of fresh blood to trickle from his mouth. Despite this, he wiped his chin with the back of his hand and set himself into another guard stance, Shisui pointed directly at Karasu's heart.

This time, the warrior attacked with sword, genuinely delighting in the one-sided battle that was taking place. His overhead strike was blocked as Keitaro stepped under it, showing that he had at least learned some defense from constantly getting whacked by Motoko. His counter was easily swatted aside, setting the young man up for another kick, this time a high, strong, side kick that folded Keitaro over his middle when it connected and sent him into the wall 10 meters back, a little plaster coming off with contact. He slumped down in the small cracks that his body created, unable to stand for a moment. The pain was getting too intense, it was like nothing he had ever felt before!

"Keitaro, please!" Naru ran over to him and tried to help him get up as he fought for any strength to hold up his failing body. "This isn't worth it! Just do what the guy wants now."

"Yes, do what the boss wants," Karasu spat approaching the pair again. "But not before I pummel every word out of you for daring to defy me. You'll heal, eventually, and hopefully learn that what my employer wants, he gets. Should have learned like that bitch Aoyama and stayed away."

"What…did…you…say?" Keitaro ground out, anger beginning to fuel his body. No one talked about Motoko that way, or called her such a crude name. Naru, trying to keep him standing and hopefully rest from his injuries jerked her head in his direction, having never heard that particular tone from the young man before. Ever.

"I said, learn what that bitch Aoyama did and stay away," Karasu repeated disgustedly. "Like all Aoyamas, worthless in any fight, all posture and 'honor.'"

Keitaro took a step forward, his teeth grinding so loudly that he was in danger of cracking them. He looked like a mess, his glasses were cracked, blood was caked on his skin in several places and his clothing was torn from the thrashing he had just received. Naru stepped back with a fearful expression on her face. Something was cracking, and is she squinted hard enough, she swore she saw small circles of light beginning to appear wherever a cut or bruise was apparent on the young man's skin.

Keitaro stepped forward again, the light circles becoming more visible as an almost palpable mass of anger began to emanate from his thing body. The cuts were healing, the bruises slowly disappearing as he continued to step forward, his head down to the point where you could not see his eyes.

"Never…"

Karasu for the first time was unsure. He instincts were telling him he was in danger, but his physical senses knew that the young man should have been beyond immediate help.

"Speak…"

Keitaro took yet another step forward, his fist tightening around Shisui to the point where it almost made a squelching noise.

Karasu took an involuntary step back, beginning to recognize the signs of reversing damage now that he was close enough to see the small circles over the boy's body.

"About…her…that…way"

"Impossible!" Karasu muttered, knowing that the disappearing injuries were a sign the boy's healing protections were coming back. "I blocked your connection! How are you doing this?!"

Keitaro continued forward, slowly approaching his formidable opponent, anger rolling off of him in waves. For every step he took forward, Karasu took an involuntary step back, too in tune with his instincts to ignore them. Finally, when he was about 3 meters from Karasu, Keitaro stopped and looked up, his face twisted in a scowl of anger that made him look dangerous.

"Have you once considered that the bond I share is familial and permanent? Nothing can fail in her protecting me for very long."

"Impossible!" Karasu gapped. "No demon or spirit would ever consider that! It can't be true, they would lose too much!"

"And yet, here I am." Keitaro opened his arms, fully healed now, as if none of his injuries ever were, though his clothes and hair were still a mess.

"It isn't possible!" Karasu lashed out in anger, overriding his instincts to flee the anger rolling off the young man. "I'll kill you!"

With that, he launched into a vicious downward strike, aimed directly for Keitaro's head. Naru screamed the young man's name as she recognized that the warrior now was not holding back and would certainly kill her former boyfriend, immortal or not.

Keitaro smartly stepped to the side, letting the angle of his blade lead Karasu's sword off to the side and as he circled around putting all the strength of his midsection core into his counter he instinctively gathered his ki, combined with the mana around him, towards the sword point. Having been the recipient of this technique for so long it was surprising how natural it was for him to recreate it.

"Rock splitting sword!" he cried, just like his mentor, the raven-haired swordswoman of the Shinmei ryu. The strength of his ki, with every bit of mana he could gather feeding it, connected to Karasu and sent the warrior sailing back towards the wall behind him at an incredible rate. As the follow through of Shisui finished, the hit warrior connected with the wall with an audible smash, sending bits of dust and plaster flying into the air.

Toritsuku, who had been monitoring the fight with interest before, frowned and narrowed his eyes at the motionless Keitaro. Before anyone could notice, he quietly back stepped towards the wall behind his desk and disappeared through a hidden door built for just such a purpose. This fight was lost for now, but he would not give up, not quite yet.

Naru rushed over to Keitaro who hadn't moved for a several tens of seconds now, breathing heavy and frozen with his sword in a finishing position at his side. When she reached him, she hesitantly reached out, startled when he turned towards her suddenly and smiled tiredly.

"Safe?" He asked between heavy breaths, not daring to try and say more. When he saw the girl's nod his smile widened into a weird one.

"Good," he replied, then his eyes promptly rolled up into his head and he collapsed, sending Naru panicked yells,

"Jerk!"

If Motoko was in any shape to do so, she would have struck something in her frustration. She had already taken everything that she had in her small apothecary, anything that would help speed her recovery. While there was no instant cure, she could already move stiffly about and curse all the while her inability to heal even faster and the useless waiting game the young woman was forced to play.

"Idiot!"

The young swordswoman cursed again, feeling her emotional barriers break down at the feeling of weakness coursing through her. If asked now, though, she wouldn't have been able to tell her interrogator whether the curses were directed at herself or Keitaro. Of course, she was still feeling monumentally ashamed at her performance against Karasu. The way she had let herself be run around and led on by that insufferable man burned her. But she also recognized that there was nothing she could do about it now. Keitaro was off trying to get Naru back by himself, against an opponent that was extremely skillful and, as a shiver of fear crept over her with the thought, who could apparently cancel her dorm managers protective invincibility.

The Shinmei swordswoman sighed dejectedly, finally succumbing to the fatigue that had been creeping up on her since she began draining her personal apothecary. If she were to be absolutely honest with herself, and what better time was there to do so, the depth of her feelings she began to find she had for Keitaro had begun to worry her. Of course she wanted to be a better friend to him, if only to make up for the years of abuse she piled onto him when he was just a ronin. Of course she wanted to fulfil the promise she made to Yuki, to be kinder to him and fulfil her promise to herself to treat him better. Though the original meaning behind the promise to the snow spirit was to prevent the burnout that ended up happening anyway, her promise to herself was more about honor.

Motoko felt her eyes droop a bit, the fatigue now robbing her mind of its sharp wit. What exactly were her feelings for Keitaro then? Did she want to continue being friends, was she truly satisfied with that? What little brain cells that were left firing as the drugs, herbs, and poultices performed their magic on her battered body told her that that wasn't what she wanted. Not anymore, not after everything that she had gone through and realized over the last several weeks. Almost absently, the young woman pulled out her futon, not even bothering to change into the yukata she normally slept in as her brain wandered down the last thought some more.

So what did she want? Motoko had to admit, it was rather nice being around him from time to time. If Keitaro could forget about how he should behave, or how whatever he was doing looked to others and just acted himself then he could be rather focused and, dare she say it, handsome. The young woman realized that that had actually been happening more and more lately, as he had met and become friends with Yuki and with the more time he spent with his mentor. But could she deal with the other times, then? Somehow knowing what she knew now, Motoko found it hard to not criticize herself and get caught up in the idea that if only Keitaro was the one who changed. Shouldn't she also be willing to come down from her high horse to forgive the times when he did actually mess up? Was she capable of doing such a thing?

Just as her eyes began to close, she suddenly recalled the feeling of his hand on hers, or the comfort she was able to draw from her hand being on his shoulder. It was such a….such a….nice feeling. Something she would have never thought possible before. She could feel her body temperature heat up a bit, but whether it was from her thoughts straying to physical touch from a certain person or from the herbs finally getting to the root of her injuries she could not say.

Before she truly fell asleep, she made sure to make a mental note to listen for the front door. She hoped…prayed that Keitaro would be walking through it shortly unharmed. She needed her rest now, so that she could be properly awake when that happened, a short nap to let the healing complete would ensure that she could properly focus on these new found thoughts with due consideration. With that last promise, to revisit her feelings when she was less tired, her mind went black finally succumbing to the sheer exhaustion the last few days had wrought.

"...taro. Keitaro!"

Keitaro slowly opened his eyes to the sound of his name being called. His eyes immediately blinked as the richly carpeted floor filled his vision. Apparently he had fallen over face first. He blinked again, trying to get some part of his brain working. He groaned then, and the shaking and name calling ended. Once the fog had lifted, his senses fully came back to him and the memories of the fight that just ended assaulted his brain.

"Naru?" He asked, somewhat shakily. He moved his head slightly so that he could breathe a little bit better and he could now see the brunette leaning over, a concerned expression on her pretty face. "It's over, right?"

Naru's eyes widened at his question, glad that he was finally responding to her urgent shaking. She simply nodded her head in answer and pointed over to a part of the room that Keitaro could not see from his current position.

The young man slowly pushed himself off the ground despite the wonderfully painful protest his muscles were making at his movement. Once he sat up and gave his throbbing arms a chance to rest, he followed Naru's finger over to a corner of the room and nearly lost all reasoned thought.

Karasu, a ruthless fighter whom had beaten even the likes of Motoko, was sitting unconscious in a man sized crater in the wall, his sword embedded next to him nearly hilt deep. It was probably safe to say he wasn't going anywhere anytime soon.

Keitaro first looked incredulously at Naru, who returned his stare nervously.

"I did that?" He asked, still not quite believing what his memories were now replaying. He had used rock splitting sword at near point blank range. A technique he had picked up somehow, because Motoko had certainly not taught it to him in their short teaching sessions. Perhaps he had unconsciously memorized the form after being on the receiving end of it so many times?

"Mmm," Naru nodded, confirming his memory. "It was amazing, how did you learn Motoko's sword technique?

"I don't really know," the young Tokyo University student shook his head, then repeated his earlier though out loud. "Maybe I learned it from receiving it so many times? I know that Motoko never taught it to me during our sparring sessions."

Naru looked confused for a moment, and gave him a quizzical stare.

"Sparring sessions? Motoko is teaching you?"

Keitaro nodded as he suddenly stood up, the protections provided by Yuki apparently were hard at work making sure he recovered the massive loss of ki he had just suffered. He silently sent a prayer of gratitude towards the winter spirit and could feel her smile in return.

"It's kind of a long story," he replied to Naru, who was now staring up him with sad eyes from her position on the floor. He smiled in the face of her sadness and offered his hand down to her, trying to reassure her somehow. He looked around for Toritsuku but could not find the man anywhere. His eyes finally found a small door just behind the desk that the business man sat at and the young man figured he made his escape sometime around the end of his fight with Karasu. "For now, though, I think we should be going as well. I really don't want to be around for the arrival of anyone in this building. Shall we head back to Hinata?"

Naru nodded her agreement, then took hold of his hand and stood up. The pair then slowly made their way out of the building, fortunately meeting no one in their journey.

The train ride home was probably the most uncomfortable one that Keitaro had ever been on. There were so many things that he wanted to ask of the girl next to him, so many answers he needed to hear. Yet every time he opened his mouth to ask the myriad questions rocketing through his mind he would suddenly lose the courage and fall silent yet again. In the end it was Naru, who was apparently no less uncomfortable judging by her constant fidgeting, that spoke first.

"I'm sorry," she said quietly. So quietly that Keitaro almost couldn't hear her.

The young man turned to her and gently laid his hand on hers in reassurance. Naru squeezed his hand gratefully in return before continuing.

"And thank you for coming for me. I know we have been through a lot, and that you had every right to call the police and just not deal with it." A slow tear fell from her right eye then, and Keitaro could nearly feel his heart break again for everything that had taken place and regret for how things turned out. Yet after everything he had gone through the idea of trying again had suddenly lost all weight in his mind. It seemed as if finally being able to meet his ex-girlfriend again pushed all of the obsessive feelings he had had earlier about talking to her and setting things right straight from his thoughts. Only now, he sadly recognized that they could never go back to the way things were before, a fact that Naru seemed to share.

"I wish that we could go back and start over," she slowly continued, staring out the window on the opposite wall and into the distance, not really seeing the scenery speed by. "But I realized, after I ran away and all, that things can never return to the way they were before. I have too many issues, so many things that I'm afraid of that I never realized until after we had, you know...slept together. I was trying so hard then to seem like a normal, happy girlfriend. I thought that if we had taken it to the next level that these fears that were building would go away, that I would somehow become normal. In the end, I only ended up hurting you, and for that I am truly sorry."

Keitaro sat in silence for a moment, trying to gather his thoughts into a coherent reply. In truth, he had slowly begin to think that something like that was the case. It was strange really, an event that had made him so happy at the time could now be looked back upon as a mistake. Something that should have waited. Though the more he thought about it, the more he couldn't be upset at the girl beside him. All he could be was sad for what could have been had this been a different place or time.

"It's okay," he replied after a lengthy pause. "Somehow, I think we'll be alright."

Naru smiled hopefully, her first real smile since they had last been together, back when everything was much simpler.

"I know it."

The train began to slow then, as the voice over the radio announced that they had arrived in Hinata city. Keitaro got up and looked back curiously at Naru when she didn't move to follow. She shook her head in response.

"I still have a few stops to go before I get back to my parents house. I can't go back to Hinata, not just yet anyway. I still have some issues to work through. But maybe in a little while I'll be ready. Since we won't have to study for the entrance exams, but just regular classes maybe things will be a lot less stressful. Perhaps then we can become friends again?"

Keitaro smiled shyly at her hesitant request and stepped out of the doors as they opened, then turned back and giving his former girlfriend his most earnest look.

"I'd like that."

He raised his arm in goodbye as the doors closed again and the train began to move, watching the brunette he had just had a heartfelt conversation with return the gesture as the car began to disappear down the track. Things certainly weren't fixed, but more than any other time he felt that they finally going in the right direction. As the last car left the station and the train moved off into the distance, Keitaro resolutely turned his head towards the Hinata Inn and set off. There was still one more conversation he had to have today, and this one would be much more difficult in many respects. However, there was no way he would avoid it, not for something this important. With that final thought he set off towards his home, and a certain person he knew would be there.

By the time that the young man finally arrived at Motoko's door, all of his earlier resolution was gone. His hand, clenched tightly in a clammy fist, refused to rise and knock on the shoji door in front of him. His throat, suddenly parched, would not let a single sound out to carry a greeting to the woman inside. He took a deep breath and tried to steady his nerves and tried to knock again. Whether the archeologist would have succeeded became moot point, however, as no sooner had his knuckles raised to knock on Motoko's door they flew open and he was face to face with the young warrior.

Motoko's olivine eyes widened upon recognition that it was truly Keitaro before her. She had the tired look of someone who had been sleeping and woke up suddenly, and just beyond her, he could see a futon with covers haphazardly thrown to the side. The pair fell into a strange silence, staring at each other for minutes on end before Keitaro finally was able to speak.

"Umm, hi," he said, lamely, unable to come up with anything else in the face of her wide-eyed stare.

"You're safe?" Motoko nearly whispered, somehow not believing her eyes.

"Yeah, though for a moment there I didn't think I was going to be able to do it," the young man admitted. It had been so close after all. If it hadn't been for the depth of his connection to Yuki, he would not have survived Karasu's assault. Keitaro had never feared more for his life than the moment he thought his immortality was truly gone, broken by just a few words from his opponent.

Do you...want to talk about it?" Motoko asked tentatively. In truth, despite everything they had gone through together, she was still unsure of the strength of their bond. While she had at least resolved that she wanted to begin to get into the process of opening up, when confronted with the actual opportunity to do so she suddenly lost much of her resolve. Her heart felt like it was going to burst from her chest it was beating so quickly. A very small part of her that was still a cold hearted warrior frowned at the thought of being so emotional over such a thing, but it was quickly told to shut up by the increasing side of her that wished to relish in the joy of such feelings.

"I think I'd like that," Keitaro replied softly, and stepped into Motoko's room at her invitation. He spent a brief second looking around the young woman's living space as he walked over to a small table set in the middle of the floor. He had never really spent much time in here, as previously it would have meant instant death to cross the threshhold. The swordswoman's room was almost exactly like the woman herself: simple; and he marveled at the way everything seemed to radiate a soothing calm, disturbed bed covers nothwistanding. Glancing at an empty sword stand on a low table nearby suddenly reminded the young man of yet another thing he had to do.

Keitaro turned and suddenly remembered the sword he had been clutching ever since the ordeal finished. An idle part if his brain wondered why he wasn't accosted by the police at any point in his journey. Perhaps they thought he was cosplaying and that the sword was fake? Reverently, he handed it back to its owner who received it with just as much solemn ceremony.

"I think this belongs to you. I'm quite sure it saved my life. You know, I used rock splitting sword against that guy. I wonder if you were not somehow there with me when I was doing it.

Motoko started and nearly dropped Shisui as she was putting it back in its resting place. Once it was safely down she turned quickly on the young man.

"Truly?"

Motoko's awed response invited a lengthier explanation, but Keitaro suddenly became nervous at fully expanding on his theory as to why he was able perform the technique with no formal teaching of its theory.

"Umm, you see, I sort of think it had to do with the fact that I had received it so often that I kind of just picked it up," he spoke hurriedly, holding his hand to the back of the neck in his habitual nervous gesture. He laughed loudly and suddenly, trying to cover up those nerves.

"But don't worry I have..." he trailed off then at the expression on Motoko's face and the tears that began to softly trail down her cheek. "Is everything alright?"

She didn't answer for a second, but then sunk to her knees looking up into his eyes sorrowfully. After one last wet look, she placed her hands before her and bowed so low that her forehead nearly touched the ground on which her delicate hands were placed.

Keitaro, for his part, could not move and simply stared at the sign of deep apology, unsure of what to say or do as Motoko began to speak.

"I am so sorry... so sorry..." Motoko repeated between sniffles. "For everything I've done to you. I thought that by becoming friends I could somehow make up for my sins, but I cannot. Every time I start to believe that we have progressed, yet another element of my transgressions rears up. Will I ever be free of these reminders?"

The sniffles that the young woman made were enough to break the spell of inaction over Keitaro and he knelt down and gently lifted his friend's face. In an uncharacteristically brave sign from the young archeologist he caressed Motoko's cheek, marveling anew at the delicacy that he sometimes forgot because of her outward strength. His fingers, ever more gently, traced the bruises which were just beginning to heal from their first meeting with Toritsuku.

"Hey," he smiled, softly wiping away her tears with his thumb. "I was going to continue by saying that it strangely worked out for the best. If I had not learned that technique the way I had, I may have never been able to get out of that building alive and save Naru. It's because of you that I'm here."

Tears began anew as Motoko covered his Keitaro's hand with her own.

"How can you say that? How can you sit here and forgive me so easily, and even thank me?!"

Motoko's eyes grew wide and her pupils began to dilate as she was lost in her confusion, and conflicting feelings. Her voice began to crack and rise with every word and through the strength of her feelings. Feelings that threatened to boil over and alert the other residents if they weren't careful so Keitaro did the first thing that came to mind to break the cycle: he bent down placed his other hand on the opposite cheek and kissed her.

His surprising move had the desired effect, as he could feel the young woman's shock through the contact of lips. Somehow, through the electric shocks coursing through his body he retained enough sense to revel in the soft feel of Motoko's mouth upon his. He had no idea what possessed him to make such a daring move, as he was sure that at any other time it would have been his life. But as his companion's shock wore off, instead of shoving away she melted into him and began to kiss back, snaking her arms around his shoulders and holding on as if for dear life.

When the moment ended and the two parted, they simply stared at each other for a minute or two, unsure of what to say or do next. Keitaro was the first to speak once the shock had worn off, and he could quiet down the part of him that begged for more.

"I'm sorry. I couldn't think of what else to do. I think that somehow, in our adventures recently, I began to look at you in a slightly different way than I always have. I'm sure that I've always cared for you. Mostly as I have cared for everyone here at Hinata. But when my protections wore off and I was battered and bleeding and didn't know if I would live, let alone win, all I could think about was how I needed to get back to you and say what I needed to say, and when Karasu insulted you I thought nothing but of wiping that smirk off of his face. That in the time since my burnout I have begun to see you differently. Something far stronger than I initially thought, and I'd really like to find out where this goes."

This time, when the tears started again down Motoko's cheeks, they slid past a surprised smile. A smile that radiated every ounce of joy she felt at hearing those words from Keitaro. And while she was only just beginning to uncover the surface of her feelings, she knew that she could look forward to discovering them together with the clumsy, gentle man before her.

Somewhere on another plane not on this earth, a spirit smiled sadly for the desires she had that could never be realized. Within that sadness, however, was also joy. Joy at the beginning of something she felt could one day be great, and as a gentle wind picked up, it froze her mixed emotion tears and converted them to snow.

~End~

Notes:

So, how long has it been?Yeah….sorry about that. But this is done. It's finally done. I can't say that I've ever finished a project so long before and I don't know quite what to do with myself now that it is finished. There was so many things I wanted to cover in this that new things just kept coming up that I didn't know how to deal with. I've never been good at emotional writing, and I don't think this is still up to snuff but as there are still a few awkward bits that I'm not quite sure how to resolve. Part 1 was extensively rewritten to make it more in line with some of the directions I have done here. Anyone who still remembers the older version would recognize that I've changed the magic system I used. I did that because I never really liked the original but also as an idea for where I might be able to take this as a sequel began to take shape I knew that I wanted to fold in more of Akamatsu's Negima universe, which meant I changed Keitaro to more of an eastern style. It didn't really come into play here, but I think it will come into play a lot more in the sequel if I can ever get that project off the development ground. I'd like to say it's a done deal, as painful as writing this story was and finishing it torturous I still enjoyed the writing itself. It proved a good distraction anyway as I work through graduate work, something to take my mind off of research and pleasing advisors. It's also good practice for writing, something I need plenty of. So, I'd like to say I'll see everyone again. And I'd like that to be soon as well. I have a few ideas that will make good one shots so those may be up first.

Finally, I'd like to thank a few people, though they are likely to never realize that they were helping me. I'd like to thank Cross-eyed butterfly, I noticed that she had posted another epic and while I could not follow it as I was unaware of the fanbase, her posting again after so many years was what really gave me the courage to sit down and really think about finishing this work. I'd also like to thank Nomadicone, who's story "Immortality Sucks" kept me inspired. I really would love it if someone has the rest of that work on their hardrive somewhere. I only have the first four chapters and I really would love to read it again. I'd also like to thank Quis Custodiat, a relatively new writer for Love Hina…his (her?) works have also been a big inspiration and I hope that there might be some feedback her that would help me improve my future writing. I've also been inspired by may works outside the Love Hina genre, too many to name here. Please accept my thanks for making good works to read and to continue loving the characters we have come to know across many novels/anime/manga.

Wisdom of Snow draft 4, finished October 18, 2019.

-Garasu