Disclaimer: Not mine.

A/N: Having a prologue of 650 words leaves a really, really bad taste in my mouth. Here's one more. Read and review!

The autumn season was coming to an end and the winter would bring about many a thing that she would rather not think about. As she meditated she found herself once again drawn away from her task. The first thought that had cross her mind was her age. She was seventeen now, and like many other times, she had brushed that feeling off, and the certainty that she would soon arrive… In the end, it was only a matter of time before she'd have to leave Hinata-sou, so why fret now? Then the thought of Urashima had entered her mind. He had been gone a while. Why hasn't he shown up yet?

Quickly acting through the instinct of survival and self-preservation, she thoroughly pinched herself in her cheeks, allowing her to knock her mind back on course. Sitting in her futon she took a few breaths to calm the storm that brewed in her mind. But two things had remained constant. One had always been in the back of her mind and she had dreaded it every day. Day after day she worried about the coming of Tsuroko, her elder sister. She had no desire to leave in order to take over as the head of the Shinmei-Ryu school, and Tsuroko would one day come back and drag her back to Kyoto. To refuse her would be a fly trying to reason with a monsoon, it couldn't be done. Her age was the second thought. As the years flew by, as she got older (not only did she have to worry about Tsuroko since she would appear once she would be old enough) but birthdays had never held any significance with her. And although she wouldn't admit it to herself, that thought saddens her to a degree. But with her reasoning, birthdays just meant that one had gotten older, and for her, the day when she would have to leave Hinata-sou became imminent as she went through her birthdays like her daily morning exercises.

And finally there was Kei---er, Urashima… Just when she had limited the number of things on her mind to think about, he had to go about and ruin it with his antics. Lately his attempts at friendship were pitiful at best she reasoned. But like any good warrior she allowed herself to be humble when times befit such course of action. However, she herself had her own private prosecutor, ready to question everything and all things…

Maybe you've finally accepted him into your life.

Don't be ridiculous. He is what he is, nothing more than that.

And what is he?

A pervert, like all men.

And yet when have perverts apologized with a look of shame and panic rather than secret triumph?

Maybe he's a good actor.

But you know he's a bad liar.

Motoko scowled as her inner prosecutor had scored yet another victory. No matter how many times she looked at it, the pieces fit. The man was ill fated at best, forever bound to clumsiness, to live as a man with a backbone that's equivalent to finely crushed gelatin. To be guilty of his actions required something Urashima didn't have, she thought with slight remorse. Her instincts had always guided her hand to her katana before questions like this could be asked and answered. Assuming the worst and executing, that was her fault. Priding herself on honor and protecting the weak and innocent from the clutches of evil and tyrannical, this was a severe blow indeed. Deciding upon action rather than stewing in guilt within the confines of her room she stepped out of her room in search of a man that she may have wronged on too many occasions.

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"She can be a champion boxer one day. Maybe even kick-boxer." Keitaro thought to himself. As he wearily shuffled up the long flight of stairs that led to Hinata-sou he couldn't help but feel the familiar twinge of inner emotional turmoil every she sent him to a neighboring town, village, or even city with one of her patented punches. Every time he got up from the Keitaro-sized crater he'd make on impact he felt a little stab made into his heart. Maybe the Aorta or a main artery, whatever is was, it hurt like hell every time. "Maybe one day…"

"Yeah, one day what?" he sneered derisively at himself. "She'll plant you a nice big wet one instead of sending you a one way trip to Jupiter? A cold day in hell indeed…" Keitaro muttered. But a thought occurred to him. Promise girl or not, what difference does it really make? She hated him and she despised him with the fervor one would reserve for the man that came up with the idea for producing Olsen-Twins movies. No matter what he did, it was never good enough or it wasn't the right thing to do. His thoughts then veered to the more gentle and easy-going Mutsumi. She was always so cheerful and optimistic, although a little flighty. They had much more in common and got along together famously. Maybe he should let his dream and promise die. Maybe he'd be better off with—

"Urashima!"

"Motoko?" Keitaro replied with a puzzled look on his face, after having his monologue interrupted. He looked up and Motoko stood in front of him. She was decked out in several layers of clothing. After learning her lesson when she had first gotten a fever because of neglect she chose to be careful when the weather got a little extreme. She was still in her hakama and gi, but she wore a heavy, brown winter coat over it. Her hair was pulled into her usual ponytail and she wore a pair of white earmuffs. When Keitaro ventured closer he could see that instead of her usual sandals she wore a pair of boots. Unbeknownst to him, Motoko had also taken the precaution of actually wearing a pair of jeans given to her by Naru one Christmas. The pair of boots she was wearing reached up a little past her calves, a gift she had received from Kitsune for "those days when she might be sick of being just a warrior". She wore a thick, black sweater made of wool, and she even wore a pair of gloves. Pride dictated she should at least look her role as a student of Kendo as she protected herself from the elements. As of now, it was well past eight and the feel of winter was hanging heavy in the air.

"Motoko. Fancy meeting you here." Keitaro replied with a smile. He didn't smile too much since it might give the wrong impression. The only reason he allowed himself to be comfortable at this point without overdoing it was the fact she was unarmed. This meant she wasn't here to kill him or severely maim him. "So what can I do for you?"

"Where did you wind up this time?" Motoko asked quietly. "Normally it would take you less than half an hour."

Keitaro grinned a silly grin and quickly pushed his inner thoughts away to deal with another time. "Funny you should ask. This time I actually ended up not too far! I just took my time and went window shopping I guess."

"I see." His answer had somehow caught her off guard. Curiosity soon got the better of her when she realized they were standing in the cold night air for several minutes without any interaction. "Why?"

Keitaro gave a small laugh but Motoko picked up a hint of sadness in the young man's voice. "No reason I suppose. Looking at all those things I want to get…" When he caught the look of disapproval crossing Motoko's features he waved his hand in a dismissive gesture. "No, wait! That didn't sound right! What I mean is… I wish I had the money to get some presents. It's just… well; never mind. We should get inside before it gets any colder, I'm sure you have better things to do than to stand out here in the cold for who knows how long right?" Blowing on his hands for effect he quickly bypassed Motoko, leaving her a little confused. She had went to find him, waited for a little over an hour since his launch time, and now when he had finally shown his face, he had dismissed everything and she didn't even get a chance to get her guilt out in the open? She turned around and headed inside, intent on getting something done, if not her training.