Disclaimer: Nope, none of it.

A/N: Thank you for all the great reviews! It's nice to know that one's work isn't unappreciated! A word of warning now… it's my sad duty to inform you… THIS IS IT! THIS IS THE END!

But not quite… You see, I've decided to make this the last chapter of Book I. In other words, I'll make a sequel. But keep in mind, I'm going to add another dimension to all of this, so don't expect just sappy romance. And Naru isn't just finished yet. Yes, I swear my allegiance to the Motoko and Keitaro coupling, but I try not to be biased when it comes to fanfiction. Also, I think these two deserve a fair shot at Keitaro the most out of everyone, so don't look for Mutsumi/Shinobu/Kitsune/Su/Kanako/Tsuroko/(or anyone else I may have missed) and Keitaro couplings. With all that said, I don't know when I'll get the sequel up, but I have managed to get a lot of it done. It's just that I promised my friend and colleague, Valentine Unit, that I lend a hand with her work in progress that's after Tenchu: Through the Portal.

Okay, I think I said enough for today. Enjoy the show! Read, review, and feel free to grab a hanky at this momentous occasion! I mean, not only is this coming to a close, but also this is the first time I've finished a fic! So, on to the good stuff!

Disclaimer: Nope, not mine.

Dinner had been a little awkward since Naru had decided to eat in her own room. She was still cheerful and lively but it felt forced rather than genuine. Keitaro knew the difference and found it strange that she should act cheerful (genuinely) towards him. She had sped off before giving anyone a chance to protest. Everything had been routine and Keitaro was glad for some semblance of normalcy. When the dishes were cleared and everyone had gone off to their rooms or back to their nightly routines Keitaro had opted to follow Motoko out to the annexing compound. As her after dinner ritual she would mediate and perform some mundane katas to end her day. He had waited patiently since he knew her schedule and how she acted like clockwork. Giving her enough time to finish meditating he approached her just as she opened her eyes.

"It's a nice night." Keitaro said with a smile. Without waiting for her to respond he quickly added, "I don't suppose you ever look at the stars?"

Motoko blinked in surprise. She closed her eyes once more and straightened her back. "Leave me be, Urashima. I have much to do before I go to bed."

"Then I won't take much of your time then." Keitaro said with a finality that surprised even him. Motoko opened her eyes in question. He had certainly gotten her attention. "Not to sound like I'm prying but… is there anything the matter?"

"What gives you the idea that there's something wrong with me?" she huffed.

"For almost three full weeks you've done nothing but basic training." Keitaro pointed out. He stroked his chin as he spoke. "If I remember correctly, you often do more than just swing your sword around. What was that expression again? You're just going through the motions!" Keitaro beamed at his mental victory. He considered it as such since it was a foreign saying he had picked up from his old English class, when he had overheard his teacher discussing non-school related topics.

"Really?" Motoko asked indifferently. In reality he had struck a cord within her. Not knowing how to react, she had given that chance to him, to let him say more and let her think about an appropriate response.

"Yes. Then there's also the fact you haven't hit me or shout an insult at me at all." Keitaro pointed out. Taking a seat a few feet opposite of her, he sat cross-legged and placed his elbows on his thighs, leaning forward while looking straight ahead. No matter how many times he would confront her, or any other girl for that matter, in such a forward manner, it was always a daunting task. Reminding himself of why he was even doing such a thing in the first place kept him from tripping over his own tongue. "I'm not really complaining or anything since it's bad enough having to be sent to every town and city in Japan via Naru-Airlines, but—"

"But what?" Motoko interrupted. Her tone held a bitter tinge to it. "You want me to degrade you now, is that it? What if that's not what I want anymore? Maybe I have better things to do than waste my time with a fool such as you!"

Keitaro reeled in shock. Normally her words had a cutting effect to them. Motoko could often disarm you with a simple, cutting stroke of her tongue. Her witty and wry remarks were effective, like a rapier. She would give a subtle hint of her intentions and feelings, or she would simply thrust, and impale you with one stroke, all the while making sure you feel the full brunt of it. But now, her outburst was almost desperate. It was not the cut of a rapier, but the blow of a club. She didn't have reservations nor did she hide her emotions, something that he was sure neither of them was used to.

Motoko continued speaking as he analyzed what he saw. "Urashima, I'm sorry. That outburst was unnecessary and rude on my part. I have had a lot on my mind lately." She whispered. "Good night."

Now it was Keitaro's turn to be outraged. "Oh c'mon! You can't just tell me nothing's bothering you! Look, maybe it doesn't mean much coming from me but I don't want you to suffer for whatever I did!" He didn't realize he had held his breath while waiting for her to answer… Not until he realized she had just stood up from the ground. At some point he had stood up, and now they were look directly at one another. A slow breeze tenderly brushed Motoko's hair from her face, allowing some of the moonlight to highlight her usually hidden beauty. Normally she hid her femininity under a shroud of focused determination and lethalness but now he was once more given a chance to see another side of her.

By god she's… amazing. He stopped short of saying beautiful. For some reason it didn't seem to do her justice.

"What makes you think it was anything you did, Urashima?" Motoko asked in all seriousness. "I've come to terms on what you are. Actually, on what kind of person you really are. You are not a pervert. You are just a very, very unlucky man. It would be a miracle if you can live out the rest of your days at all without having to suffer serious injury for your own foolish mistakes." Motoko continued even though Keitaro looked like he had been shot with several arrows in every man's sensitive spot. "You have ended up taking the full brunt of my wrath and lived to tell the tale. But that doesn't surprise me anymore. What does, is that you still take that in stride."

"What do you mean, take it in stride? How else am I supposed to take it? I lift one finger against you and I'll be lucky if I can still reattach it!" Keitaro painted a rather morbid scenario but even Motoko knew it to be true. There was no way he could have protested anything she would do to him except with his usual cries for mercy. That thought only reminded Motoko of what she has to do…

"I'm sorry…"

"Pardon, but did you just say you were sorry?"

"Yes. I said I was sorry. I am sorry for all the times I've tried to strike you down in the name of all that is chaste and good." Motoko replied. She bowed slowly and rose with such a practiced grace that one would mistake her for royalty. "You are very unfortunate, and I have realized that. Fate has conspired against you and pitted you in situations where you should have been killed. Fortunately it has not come to that and I would not know what to do if you had died by my hands."

Keitaro was much more than taken back by this sudden revelation. Normally he was never listened to and he'd be forced to run for his life… but now Motoko could see that every event that led to him being physically sent into the stratosphere was all just a big misunderstanding. "Yeah… I'm sorry too."

Motoko laughed, albeit somewhat more melancholy than usual. "You're sorry for what? What have you done?"

Now it was Keitaro's turn to sound sarcastic and melancholy. "What have I done? What haven't I done? What's the difference? It's all the same it seems…" He went behind Motoko and back to his earlier seat and positioned his back against the clothes-drying stand. He patted the ground, indicating that she might as well sit for a little while if they were to pour out their feelings in the middle of the night. "It's Naru ya know? Maybe if I've done something right or just didn't bother with certain things, I wouldn't always have to worry about landing in a different time zone every day."

"What? But I thought…" Motoko stopped speaking as she processed this information. At first she had thought that this was somehow their way of foreplay and the like. She wouldn't really punish him for his clumsiness and he didn't really mind all that much… harmless flirting even.

"You thought what?" Keitaro asked. He was interested in what Motoko thought. Most of the time she could care less for modern concepts of anything. She would know of them but she wouldn't care to comment on them or give her personal opinion on it. He was definitely interested on a different outlook on his situation with Naru.

"Nothing. I just thought maybe you and her…" She trailed off as she felt the heat rise to her face. Keitaro caught on quick and whistled low, eliciting a quick elbow from Motoko. "I'm serious! I just thought that…"

"What? That we're together or something?" Keitaro barked out a laugh. He had meant to sound unaffected and distant but Motoko could hear the false tone of bravado in his voice. "Believe me, there's nothing in this world that would get me near her in that way. It would take an act of parliament, God, and maybe even a good word from some the not-so-heavenly types too."

For a while the sat there, their backs up against the clothes drying stand. They both had their eyes on the stars. Neither of them expected the other to really speak after that but enjoyed each other's company as they took in the beauty of the night that surrounded them. I guess I was wrong then. Not just about Urashima, Motoko thought as she looked over to him. They aren't in love… So what does this all mean? Suddenly, Keitaro spoke up, interrupting her train of thought.

"Listen, I'm not the one to hold a grudge… Let's just forgive and forget. Yeah, I know I'm a clumsy idiot, but you felt you were in the right. It's all you could have done I guess…"

"No… not really. I didn't have to jump to conclusions."

"Once again, not your fault." Keitaro dismissed the topic with a casual wave of his hand, as if to objecting to a friend paying for a dinner. "You have a distrust for men. It's not necessarily good or bad. You just have to know who to trust after a while." Keitaro looked over to her and smiled benevolently. Unwittingly he had just caused Motoko's heart to beat just a little faster than normal. "Do you trust me?"

"Urashima… I… Yes—yes I do." she stammered.

His smile grew brighter but he didn't raise his voice or the like. "Thank you, Motoko. That really means a lot to me." he said quietly. He continued to gaze up at the stars for a while. Motoko could only let her line of sight linger upon Keitaro until her pride forced her to look away. Silently cursing, she berated herself for letting her stomach get all fluttery and she damned her face for betraying her like that. Had he noticed her blush? She looked over to him once more and noticed that he was still entranced with the starlight. A small grin crossed her features, allowing her own doubts and fears ebb from her body and mind. I guess he is too dense for his own good.

For a while longer they sat there, for the first time as real friends, staring up into the sky. But as all things must end, this moment had to as well. Motoko stood up and dusted her hakama off. She offered a hand to Keitaro, whom accepted gratefully. "We should head back in, before anything else happens." She said to Keitaro.

Jokingly Keitaro quipped, "Well, if Naru does get the wrong idea, I don't suppose you can stop her Iron Punch of hers for me?" The grin never left his face, even as Motoko found her hand slapping the back of Keitaro's head. They entered the building, leaving behind old feelings of distrust. Motoko was glad that he had come to her. She for one wouldn't know what to say or how to start it off. This also had reaffirmed her suspicions. Urashima—no, Keitaro, was becoming a real man. Just like the story of the wooden dummy becoming a real boy, this rock-headed boy was now becoming a man… A man with a rock for a head, but it was too deeply ingrained into his personality for it to ever change.

They spoke about the little things, partially due to Motoko. She had found new reason to connect with Keitaro, for more than one reason. He was no longer classified as just another male pervert, she rather enjoyed the company without the fear of harassment, she no longer felt guilty beyond reasoning, her head felt much clearer after their little talk, and she just wanted to talk and convey all the little things she had always kept inside. In short, she didn't have to hide herself, not from him. The feeling of having the weight of the world on her shoulders had just been alleviated a little, and maybe it would be permanent. There will always be things to worry about, but now there was just a little less than before…

As they stood outside her door, Keitaro quickly changed topics. He would be lying if he said he wasn't curious as to why the sudden change in Motoko. "Hey Motoko? I've been wondering, what brought this up?" Keitaro tried to explain it better when he saw the puzzled look on her face. "What happened that made you change your mind about me?"

Motoko stood by her door, her gaze focused intently on Keitaro's. She didn't say anything for a while, and coupled with the fact that she was staring right into his soul, Keitaro began to feel a little antsy. "You gave me a lot to think about. You are not the average male; that I can say for sure. However I am sure you are still prone to the lure of the female. I swear upon my forebears that you will come to no harm as long as you are innocent. But be warned, don't prove me wrong Urashima!"

Keitaro couldn't help but flinch at the tone of her voice. It was the sound of the old Motoko, only less stern. It was still a commanding tone and he couldn't help but place a step back for a tactical retreat. Motoko saw this and shook her head in disbelief, a slight smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. Hadn't what she said sunk into his head? She wouldn't take out her aggravation on him anymore. She had realized it that morning. He had always been the convenient target. He was male, she wasn't the type to trust easily especially men in general, he lived in a girls' dormitory where she resided, and he was accused of being a pervert many a time. With his clumsiness and his luck, it wasn't that surprising that her sword always found a way to his throat.

"Keitaro… Just don't let me down, okay?"

With that said, she slowly closed her door allowing her one last look of Keitaro, smiling at the slight bewilderment on his face.