Ha, Ten chapters already! This is a really fun story to write too. Hope everyone is enjoying it as much as me.

Many thanks to renzocon for pointing out my sware/swear problem. I will look out for that now :D

Good question Jakinbandw. This is my excuse :P For the part where Yoko was unable to protect himself from Motoko, I'm thinking that it was more fear that paralysed him. I guess he was so scared he forgot he could conjure up an invisible barrier. That and he was only new to the ability so it wasn't second nature yet. Anyway, they can't remember it anymore so it's all good now.

I own nothing.

Chapter 10

Keitaro sighed as he stripped down. Cracking a shoulder, he looked at the ground.

"What is up with Motoko and fights? Was she always this determined to see me destroyed in battle?"

He walked over to his wardrobe and looked in. Choosing some suitable pants and shirt, he slipped into them. Jumping a few times, he let the fabric settle into comfortable positions on his skin. Taking two steps back, Keitaro let his weight drop and he collapsed into his futon. Looking up at the ceiling, he closed his eyes and listened to everything. The birds outside, the shuffling of tenants around the house. Slowly Keitaro's eyes began to droop as sleep came. Just as he began to drift, a sharp rap came at his door causing him to jump several feet into the air. He landed heavily on his rump with a thud. Standing, he mumbled something before stomping over to the door. Opening it he saw the concerned face of Yoko.

"Oh. Yoko. Come in."

The tall boy nodded and wandered over to Keitaro's bed. He dropped down and looked up at his friend.

"Will you be ok?"

Keitaro paused for a second. Of course he'd be ok.

"I mean, will you be ok fighting someone like her?"

Keitaro nodded. It was understandable that Yoko would be concerned. He hadn't come in contact with someone like Motoko before so he was unaccustomed to such aggression.

"Don't worry. If it was me when I was twenty, right now I would be hiding in the darkest corner of the secret hallways that course through this building. Now, I'm actually more worried that when I fight Motoko I'll over do it."

Yoko nodded uneasily. "Yea, I guess so. But there is still the possibility of you getting hurt. I mean, she blasted us with that weird windy thing. I'm guessing that was a Ki attack?"

Keitaro nodded. "Well observed. It was when Motoko died that my interest in martial arts and Ki manipulation sparked. I had always viewed her as the exact person I wanted to be, other than her being a girl. She is strong, focused and diligent in every aspect of her life. I sort of moulded my training and mindset to mimic hers. The only thing that I didn't follow was her dismissal of the opposite sex. Had I taken a similar view to her I probably would have turned against all humans in general. We both know how badly the human race has fallen and I know every point in time where a key something goes wrong. Should they happen again I could probably stop it now. Perhaps I could create a newer, happier, more productive human race…"

Yoko looked at Keitaro queerly as he continued his train of thought. While watching Keitaro, Yoko's eyes flashed with an idea and he opened his mouth to say something. But he paused for a second, thinking about how best to phrase the question.

"Keitaro, you know how your immortal and all? Well, with me not being immortal, what will happen to me in this time line? Is me being here cancelling out my future life because of this? How will I effect everything?"

Keitaro thought for a second. "I'm not sure. Think of it like this. Even if I didn't come back with you, the fact that I know all of what I know will probably influence the future. Maybe it will create a completely new future. Maybe time will just mould around our intrusion and continue along a predestined path. Maybe this is a whole new time line that we have entered that is yet to have its future moulded. Who knows. All I can say is that its probably not the first option as if we immediately created a new future by arriving here, it is highly probable that you wouldn't have survived reanimation."

Yoko visibly paled.

"If we are just going to be incorporated into the present time, that means that we can live normally so long as we never pass on our genes. Should that happen then children that never should have been born will be born and thus an entire new genetic string will be introduced into the human line. Who knows how that may work out. Heh, you might even end up fathering yourself if you can understand that."

Yoko blanched and nodded. "Yer. Yuck, getting with my great, great, great, great… who knows how many great's grandmother." Yoko then paused. "But, if that was the case, if I didn't (this is so gross) get with this lady, might I never be born?"

Keitaro smiled. "That's the fun part. We would never know unless you do it. But think, when you weren't here, you were still born so it's pretty safe to say you won't have to get it on with your ancestors."

Yoko nodded and spat out the window. "Good. Now enough with this. I feel sick. The last possibility?"

Keitaro leaned back against the wall. "Well, if we have moved into a completely new, unplanned timeline, we can do whatever we like. The future is still yet to be planned so what ever you do is set in this past leaving the original timeline unchanged."

Yoko nodded but then he looked up questioningly. "But, say you use your 8th sense. You can travel both forward and backward in time. Say you travel forward in time, won't that mean that the future is already set?"

Keitaro frowned. "Well, if it is one of the first two options, yes. But if it was the last one, if I were to travel forward in time from this instant, I will see what the future would hold from the decisions made at this very instant. But say I wait a second and do something entirely different to what I saw in the future, I could go into the future and find a completely different reality to what I first saw. That means that the future is yet to be set and anything can happen."

Yoko looked up in bewilderment. "Woah…that's a lot to think about…so why don't you try your theory?"

Keitaro just smiled. "Well, I might have already done it and just didn't bring you. You wouldn't know any different. Or, perhaps I just want to wait and see? Who knows. There is an unlimited amount of questions that each have an unlimited amount of responses."

Yoko sat back, utterly lost. "I…guess so…but what use would it do for you and only you to know the new future?"

Keitaro laughed. "Like I said, this may not be a new timeline. For all you know it may still be one of the other two. Anyway, its nearly time for the fight. Best we get going."

Keitaro turned and walked out the door humming happily. Yoko sat on the floor, head throbbing.

"So many possibilities from any of the three options for all I…wait, for all I know? KEITARO, HOLD UP JUST ONE SECOND!!!!"

------

The two rivals stood a distance apart. All the girls along with Yoko sat on the tiles, waiting for the match to begin. The onlookers made no noise as they waited. A soft wind washed over all of them, seemingly charged with the energy flowing between the two fighters. Everyone waited as the tension built. A seemingly innocent leaf floated into view, more or less unnoticed by the spectators. It flipped and twirled a few times before landing gently upon the ground. The instant it touched down, both Motoko and Keitaro disappeared.

"Wha…WHAT?"

All the girls looked around in confusion, trying to find the location of the missing fighters. The sound of metal on metal sounded out from all around them. Frowning, Naru stood up for a better view.

"Where the hell did they go…"

She fell back with a scream of surprise as a flickering image of Motoko and Keitaro flashed just in front of her, their swords locked in combat. And then it was gone, replaced by the clinging of swords.

------

Keitaro jumped around another sideways slash, spinning 360 degrees and parrying another attack. He looked into Motoko's furious eyes and grinned.

'I'm getting to her. I guess she hasn't fought someone like me in a while.'

Brining his blade up, he caught Motoko's and they paused for a few seconds before pushing each other back. They both sailed high before landing softly at either ends of the roof. Keitaro righted himself and looked over at the crowd. He sweat dropped as all of them had their mouths wide open and their eyes practically bulged from their heads.

"H-hello? Guys? You ok?"

Kitsune looked at him quizzically. "Are we ok? Sugar, we should ask you that. Look at you. Not a breath missed, not a drop of sweat, not even a damn hair out of place! But if you look at Motoko, the girls panting like a dog and looks like she has a pool sitting under each armpit. Now last time I knew, you were a weak, no hope, love struck ronin. Yet here you are taking on a master swordswoman and kicking her ass. What gives?"

"Huh?"

After giving the intelligent response, Keitaro looked over at Motoko and stifled a laugh. The girl was breathing deeply, legs wide open in a sloppy stance and sword tip drooping. Keitaro dropped his sword to one hand and stood up straight.

'Are you being serious? I thought she was much further along in her abilities. Sure she has incredible skill but just now, I wasn't even pushed. Perhaps I could just make it look like its hard for me. Hah, that will be hard on its own. She is no threat to me what so ever. What a shame.'

At the other end of the field, Motoko was scathing. 'How is it that the male has become so strong? At least when I versed sister, I had her breathing harder. But against Urashima, there is nothing to say he has even had to raise his strength against me. What training has he undertaken? Is such a sharp incline in his abilities even possible? No. Such rapid increase in skill and ability is supernatural. It must be the work of a demon.'

Standing straight, Motoko shouted across the ground. "URASHIMA! Such increase in your skill is beyond what normal humans could ever hope to achieve. Upon that I have deduced that you must be under the possession of an incredibly powerful demon! Stay put so I may cleanse your perverse soul!"

Hearing Motoko call him far advanced from a 'normal human', Keitaro dropped his head in anguish. "If only I was normal. I would much rather be target practice for a day and die than be as I am now. If only I was normal. If only I was human…"

"SHINMEIYRUU OUGI…ZANMAKEN NI-NO-TACHI!!!!!"

A massive blast of supercharged wind hurtled towards Keitaro. Looking up, he saw it near him. He sighed. 'I wish it really was just a demon and not this cursed immortality gene. Then I could be cured and finally fall asleep.'

As he thought this, the incredible wind smashed into Keitaro's unmoving form. His chest was pushed back slightly as the energy began to pass through his form. Then he was cloaked in a whirl of dust, obscuring him from everyone's view. Motoko landed heavily, panting as she watched the swirling dust before her. She allowed a small smirk onto her face as she saw no movement in the air born dirt.

'I have succeeded. Urashima is now purged of all impurities and is now back to his normal, weak self.'

Standing, the samurai sheathed her sword and took a few breaths. Turning, she calmly began making her way to the stairwell. She ignored all the looks she received from the others, determined to hold her composure. Reaching the handrail, she held it and paused.

"See to it that the male is ok. The attack should have passed directly through him, leaving him unharmed. But when the demon was separated from Urashima, it probably clung onto his soul as it was pulled from him, rendering him unconscious."

A voice replied to the samurais directions. And it sent a shiver down her spine.

"Sorry Motoko. I could only wish that you had just cleaned me of whatever it was. But unfortunately, that strength is all mine and even if I told you how I obtained it, you would never believe me."

Spinning around, Motoko had her sword drawn, eyes blazing.

"You cannot still be standing after that. Impossible as it was though, this next attack should properly defeat you!"

Screaming a battle cry, Motoko charged. Keitaro watched her come in tiredly. Her speed and agility were incredibly advanced, but when compared to what she faced, she might have well been walking. Dropping his sword, Keitaro watched Motoko thrust forward. Leaning back, he let the blade pass harmlessly in front of his face. He ducked under each successive slice, moving back slowly as the attacks became slowly more sloppy and unfocused. A knee came up to meet his stomach but met air.

'This is it. Either he falls now or never.'

Motoko spun around, blade following her path. Keitaro watched it come in.

'Perhaps this may be the one to kill me…'

A deep laceration opened up along Keitaro's stomach. He grimaced in pain as he felt the sharp cool blade open his skin up, revealing bloodied muscle to the air. And then it was healed, no mark left to show of the deep wound that had just been inflicted. He watched Motoko follow through, a brief cry of effort stealing itself from her lips. Soon the energy of the attack had Motoko facing her back to him. Keitaro sighed and reached out.

'Might as well let her know not to attack so viciously.'

Balling his hand into a fist, he waited until a firm part of her body came into range. In a quick snapping motion, Keitaro smacked his fist into Motoko's back. A sharp crack echoed out and Motoko was hurled across the roof, hitting the far wall and smashing right through it. Keitaro was left with his fist out, looking after Motoko in shock.

"Wha…what? My punch hardly hit her from an inch away!"

While he watched on in disbelief, all the girls had run over to see their fallen friend. Yoko ran up to Keitaro and tapped him on the shoulder. Keitaro looked up numbly.

"Holy…think you over did it a bit much there?"

Keitaro stood up straight and looked over to the hole and noise.

"But I hardly hit her…I made sure to use none of my body weight…or even any arm weight behind that hit…hell, it was just like knocking on a door…and yet there she is sent flying…"

Yoko patted his back and pointed at the hole. "Well, it happened and there's the end result. Think you should check on her?"

Keitaro blinked a few times. "Yea…yea come on! I could have hurt her!"

Not waiting for Yoko, Keitaro ran over to the hole and peered in. Yoko laughed as a fist came out of nowhere and knocked him back a few paces.

"DON'T EVER COME NEAR MOTOKO-CHAN EVER AGAIN!!"

Yoko sighed when he heard that voice. For some weird reason, he seemed to have this aversion against the honey-haired girl even though he had no solid proof to base his feelings on. Walking over to his friend, Yoko pulled Keitaro into a sitting position.

"You know, you could get into a fight with her if you want…you know, show her that beating the kendo chick wasn't a fluke."

Keitaro shook his head. "If I fought her she would probably die. The only reason Motoko-chan isn't dead is because of all her training."

Yoko looked over at the hole and nodded. "Yeah, guess so. I know I wouldn't be able to do much after that."

They sat there for a few minutes as the girls tried to rouse the swordswoman. After a while, Keitaro saw the girls fall back in relief. Motoko had sat up, looking really groggy but alive. She said a few things to which the other girls disagreed but were then silenced when Motoko shouted at them.

"It does not matter that I was beaten! Now, help me up."

Complying uneasily, Naru and Kitsune lifted the girl. She stood still for a few seconds to gather her bearings. Looking up, she took a step forward and stumbled.

"MOTOKO!"

Rushing forward, Naru and Kitsune caught her just before she face planted. Struggling to keep her standing, Naru looked into her face.

"Motoko-chan, please! You are in no state to be walking! Come with us, we'll put you to bed."

Motoko shook her head. "No. I must do this. Once that has been completed then you may take me away."

Pushing the others away, Motoko made her way slowly towards Yoko and Keitaro. Though she was bleeding and bruised, her eyes flashed as brightly as ever. Finally reaching the two of them, she held out a hand to Keitaro. He stared at it unsurely.

"It was a good duel. As a samurai, I must thankyou for accepting my challenge. I was defeated fairly without any deceitful advantages. I can only hope to fight you again when I have become stronger."

Keitaro looked up into Motoko's eyes. They flashed with a mixture of anger and humiliation. But Keitaro saw a new emotion in those eyes. It was respect. Taking up the offered hand, Keitaro smiled.

"It was a fine fight. Nothing more can be said about it."

And then Motoko did something Keitaro never expected. She smiled. Though brief, Keitaro clearly saw it. And then it was gone as unconsciousness over took the battered girls mind.

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A/N - So how was it? I'm rather pleased with how it all turned out. Anyway, see you in the next chapter.