A week has passed since Hinata Sou's unknown brush with death, ten days since the events at the airport. Motoko and Naru were still shell shocked over their actions. The only change that Keitaro had noticed was Motoko becoming nearly as hard to approach as Naru. He tried to talk to both girls on numerous occasions, only to have his good intentions fail. Motoko actively dodged Keitaro. She made herself scarce when she detected his ki. For moments when he caught her by surprise, she would lower her eyes to avoid eye contact, and then run from the area.

Naru was outright impossible to approach. She recently blocked the hole in her floor with something extremely heavy, possibly her futon, and kept her bedroom door locked at all times. She made herself perfectly clear to Keitaro, and the other housemates, that she did not wish to be disturbed. Shinobu was the only person who witnessed any sign of life from Naru. She left trays of food outside her door when she cooked for the household, and more often than not, the plates were empty when she returned.

"This can't go on," Kitsune said as she plopped down on the couch beside Keitaro. Ever since the ordeal, the two became fast friends. They had yet to tell Shinobu and Su what happened, and for the moment struggled to keep it that way.

"Well, what can we do? At least Motoko will leave her room, but Naru…" Keitaro's voice trailed off as they both thought of the situation. The TV in the main room was off. The horses at the track were ignored, a huge accomplishment for the fox.

"Naru won't talk to me either," Kitsune said with a sigh. She held her forehead in her hand as she thought about why Naru did not confide in her. Sure Kitsune frequently uncovered dirt on her fellow housemates for fun, but for a situation this serious, she could be trusted. She knew Naru needed her support, and Naru instantly asked for it after telling her what happened on the way home from the airport. Since that day however, Naru refused all attempts at conversation.

"You have a better chance with talking to her than I do, you are her best friend." Kitsune rolled her eyes a Keitaro's comment. It was as if he knew she was thinking the same thing. "She won't even look at me," Keitaro continued, "I remind her of that woman."

A long silence passed as Kitsune considered his words, "Naru's stubborn, she won't talk 'til she's ready."

"We can't just wait until this goes away."

Kitsune shrugged as she shook her head, "might have to."

"Keiiitarrooo," someone sc reamed as they entered the room. Keitaro turned at the mention of his name and was met with a flying kick right to the chin. Kitsune watched as Keitaro was knocked head over heels off of the couch and onto his back.

"Hello Su," Kitsune said with a laugh, she was grateful for the brief moment of normal antics of Hinata Sou.

"Hello food," Su squealed as she ran for the kitchen.

"Wait, Su!" Shinobu walked after her with bags of groceries were in her hands, "I still have to cook first! Oh, hello Kitsune-san, Sempai."

"Hello Shinobu-chan," Keitaro groaned as he got back to his feet.

"Will Naru-sempai join us today?"

"Don't think so," Kitsune answered, "she's still not feelin' well."

"Oh…I wish I could help."

"We all do, but Naru will come out when she wants to."

"We should all go eat in her room" Su said as she ran across the three towards the stairs. Two half eaten bananas hung from her mouth and a cooking pot was on her head.

"Su, wait! I need that pot!" Shinobu gave a quick bow before chasing after Su.

"Those two," Kitsune said with a grin.

Keitaro took his place back on the couch, "could we do that, bring everyone to Naru's room and eat there?"

"You're thinkin' about what Su said? Really?"

Keitaro shrugged, "it couldn't hurt. You have a better idea?"

"What about Motoko?"

Keitaro raised an eyebrow, "Motoko?"

"She'd be easier to talk to than Naru, right?"

Keitaro recalled the moments he tried to approach Motoko. He opened his mouth to protest, then gave the idea some thought. While Naru refused to come out of her room, Motoko could occasionally be found around Hinata Sou. While Naru stayed behind the safety of her locked door, Motoko could be approached in the open. Maybe, just maybe, Kitsune might pull a rabbit out of her hat here.

"She runs whenever she sees me, if you have any bright ideas lay them on me."

Plotting was not Keitaro's strong suit, and Kitsune knew that. She knew that he would leave the thinking to her, and that whatever plan they acted on would come from her noodle. Normally, strategizing was a task that she enjoyed, given the current circumstances however, her mind was just as dull as Keitaro's.

"Motoko," Kitsune said in surprise as the topic of their conversation entered the room. Keitaro's shoulders tensed at the arrival of Hinata Sou's swordstress. How much did she hear? Had she been there the entire time?

"Kitsune…hello."

Motoko refused to make eye contact with Keitaro, she tried so very hard to avoid a conversation with him. Even small talk such as weather and exchanging greetings was difficult for her. She simply returned his greeting in passing as she rushed away from him. There was no reason why she couldn't do that now. Before Keitaro had a chance to speak, she was out of the room, heading to the hot spring.

While Motoko was concerned about Keitaro, Kitsune was the true threat. She was a master at reading body language and Motoko's demonstration offered much to read. Her eyes fell away and to the floor at the sight of Keitaro, she held her shoulder in her hand, and her body weight shifted to her right foot. Nervousness, apprehensive, uncertainty, these are things Kitsune already knew. Would she attack if backed into a corner? That was the million dollar question. She looked at Keitaro, he was staring back at her.

He had nothing.

Kitsune shrugged again, she was in no mood to think, "let's follower her."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Motoko disrobed and threw her soiled training uniform in the dirty clothes basket. She then grabbed a fresh towel, covered herself, and entered the hot spring. She dipped a toe to test the waters. After nodding her approval, she folded her towel and settled into the soothing water.

Her body relaxed, her mind was still shot.

Not a day has gone by without Motoko thinking of the death she caused. She was nearly obsessed with it. No matter what she did, be it sleeping, training, or at the moment soaking in the hot spring, she could not forgive herself. She sat in the heated water so that her entire body, minus her nose and above, was submerged. Her thoughts turned to Naru, who she knew felt just as guilty as her.

No!

Motoko shook her head to clear her mind. There were other things she had not given thought about, namely her sister, her clan, and its elders. What would they do in this situation? Most likely send her to death. An innocent died by her hands, in their eyes, there would be no excuse. She questioned her own honor for not being able to take her own life. If she would have done so the very first night, she would have at least had an honorable death. Her reluctance to do so meant she held on to life. These thoughts depressed her more so, she relaxed her heels to allow her body to submerge fully underwater.

Just before her ears were about to be submerged, she heard the hot spring door open. She stood out of the water, there were footsteps. She squint her eyes to try to look through the fog. It was too thick, she couldn't see a thing. Why not use that to her advantage? Whoever was coming had no reason to suspect that she was there. Surely she could simply remain quiet while her unexpected company bathed herself.

"Motoko," Keitaro voice called out.

Motoko instantly dove back underwater. 'Why is he here!'

Wait a moment, Keitaro deliberately came into the hot spring while he knew she was there. Was he peeping? Motoko knit her brows as she reached for her sword. All this time she avoided him, tip toed around him, felt shame every time she through of him. Now, here he is, continuing his lecherous ways! Well there is a very simple solution to solve this problem!

"URASHIMA! How dare-"

She stopped in mid sentence. She found Urashima. He held a towel in his outstretched hand, his head was turned away from her, towards the entrance.

"Motoko, we need to talk."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As night fell, Keitaro found himself in a situation he would have never imagined in his life. He stood in front of Motoko's door, waiting on her to invite him in. There were a few bumps from behind the door, what could she possibly be doing? Keitaro took a deep breath to calm his nerves. He could not afford any mistakes here. This would be the first time he and Motoko would carry a full conversation in nearly two weeks. Motoko opened the door after a few more moments.

"Please enter," she said after she stood to one side.

Keitaro nodded and entered. Her room appeared to be well kept.

"Please sit," Motoko offered as she gestured towards a table in her room.

The long silence was painful afterwards. After both were seated, Keitaro thought of what and how he should say what was on his mind, while Motoko was content to sit in silence. This was the plan that he and Kitsune hatched earlier, just walk up to her, no time to be indecisive now.

"How are you Motoko?" There! Nothing clumsy, just genuine concern from manager to tenant.

Although it was an easy question for Keitaro, Motoko's answer was anything but. Should she tell the truth? Should she lie? Would she feel better after bearing her soul, or should she play her thoughts close to the vest? Surely he knows something is wrong? She went out of her way to avoid him. Now here he was in her room! Why did she agree to this! It was so much simpler to avoid him.

"I am fine," she lied after a while.

"Motoko," he started.

"Really, I'm fine," she pushed harder, "I'm just…stressed."

"About?"

"That is none of your business," she said rather quickly, "it is clan related, and nothing you can assist with."

"Wantanabe Miharu," Keitaro blurted suddenly.

"Excuse me," Motoko asked a bit more fearful than she liked.

"The airport…I know Motoko."

Her train of thought came to a screeching halt.

"I want to help Motoko," Keitaro offered after another long silence. "I want things to return to normal." His hand reached out for hers, she snatched it away before he could touch. "Motoko-"

"Urashima…since you are aware of…my actions…then you know that there is no…returning to normal."

"Motoko I know there's som-"

Motoko raised her hand to silence him, she was not finished speaking.

"For a grievous act such as mine, my options are clear. Either I return to my clan and accept my punishment there…or," she cast a wayward glance towards her wall, "I take my own life." She gave a heavy sigh, her last statement hung in the air for a while. "I bring more shame upon myself by staying here, by being indecisive. I do not know which is the right path."

"Motoko please, let me help! Let everyone help! I won't just stand by while you kill yourself!"

"Oh," she scoffed, "and what can you do to stop me? Your will is weak, your physical strength is laughable, and your only concern is fulfilling your own sick fantasies."

Keitaro simply stared as she spoke. Motoko grew angry at his silence, she had insulted him, she could humiliate him, she could injure him, she could break him so easily, and yet he sat there, staring at her. This male, who she punished again and again for his lecherous actions was able to thoroughly enrage her by sitting in silence. He went so far as to approach her as she bathed!

'With a towel in hand.'

Motoko's face softened. Her insults could not have bothered him. If his intentions were perverted, he would have done so while she stood naked in front of him. If he was weak willed, he would not have approached her at all in the spring, she sent him flying on prior occasions for doing so. And if he was physically weak, he would not be here today. Her techniques could killer lesser men, that was a lesson she recently learned.

"I apologize," Motoko offered.

Keitaro smiled and shook his head, "no problem."

"Why are you here Urashima? Do you not fear for your life? I am a murderer, doesn't that concern you?"

Keitaro shook his head again, "I came to help Motoko. I'm not worried because I know you're not that type of person."

"I took a life, Urashima."

"It was an accident."

"Accident or not, I took it! An innocent person's life! There's no disputing that!"

Motoko looked at her sword, Keitaro looked as well. A few seconds passed, both knew what the other was thinking. They hopped to their feet at the same time and rushed towards the sword stand. Motoko was the faster of the two, she was able to reach the sword first and grip its handle. Keitaro got a hand on the sword as well, he clinched his fist around the blade itself.

Motoko did not notice the extra hand until it was too late. She pulled the blade to her. The blade cut through Keitaro's flesh vertically, spilling blood as it did so.

Motoko's eyes were fat with fear. 'Oh god I cut him!'

She dropped her sword instantly and took his injured hand into hers, "BAKA! What were you trying to do!"

Keitaro winced as he looked at his palm, "I had to stop you, it worked."

Motoko looked at him, astonished. He wore a stupid toothy grin. She momentarily forgot about the injury until she heard a drop of his blood drip on the floor. She looked at his hand again, it was covered in blood. "Go to the bathroom and rinse your hand!"

She rushed him out of her bedroom door, then went to her closet. After finding her chest wrapping bandages, she rushed to catch up with him.