Motoko slashed the blade against her skin and tasted the dripping blood. Cold. Her blood was cold. This should never happen-a warriors blood was hot- hot. Not cold…that was weak.

It had taken her forever to master this technique-an old technique at that. Maybe she was growing weak. Staying here and being here at Hinata…Was her warrior spirit crumbling before her eyes? Without looking as to where she was reaching she thrust her hand forward, trying to grab the pieces of her life only she could see before they sprinkled onto the ground, sweeping the roof with a blowing breeze…The minute her hand came near those fragile, glass-like pieces, they vanished-all of them, at the same time.

"Oh…"

Motoko shook her head. Ridiculous. A warrior does not sulk like this about re-learning something old. A warrior does not-

"EEEEEEKS! TURTLE!" Her scream came through loud in the air and her eyes became swirls focusing on Tama-Chan as he flew pass, inches from her nose. "EE-OO-AAHHHH!"

"Ah!" Keitaros tall, lean figure came onto the roof. "Oh- Motoko. You're already here? What are you-"

"GET IT AWAY!" Motoko kept crying, backing up. " Get it a-Oh!"

"MOTOKO!"

Motoko felt as if rushes of clouds were swimming past her. Amazing. She was falling. She really was weak. She should have seen- a warrior would have seen- where she-

"Keitaro!"

He jumped over the railing and was pressing forward on the air as best as he could to get closer to her. Soon he was, and he wrapped his arms around her. At the last moment, before they hit the ground and before Motoko could figure out the aching throbbing in her heart, he flipped her on top of him so that he was the first to the hit the ground…so that he took the pain.

Motokos vision was crystal- clear at first…and then it started to blur. No one- no one- including her sister- had ever…

She wiped the ridiculous tears away, and crawled off Keitaro. She lifted his unconscious body onto her back and carried him inside; all the while the thudding in her chest grew more intense.

"KEITARO! Motoko! What happened to-?" Naru cried from the couch. Vaguely, Motoko remembered the other residents of Hinata Inn were gone on vacation, leaving her to take care of the wonderful- no! No- to take care of the stupid idiot on her back with Naru!

"He…" Motoko thought fast. It wasn't normal for Keitaro to just pass out. He was the indestructible idiot after all. So what made him black out like this had better be good. "He…I…I went too hard on him. He fell from the roof."

"Oh. Here. I'll- uh- take him to his room." Naru offered.

The thought of Keitaro waking up to Narus face, pearly smooth skin and glistening light, brown hair, with her brown eyes boring into him worriedly was to much to think off- especially since they had confessed their love to each other.

Motoko took on a disgusted, exasperated face, as if just saying this was too big a burden. "No, I had better do it Naru. I owe him an apology at least. I mean…I didn't think the moron was so fragile." Naru looked troubled when she said that. "Not that being a moron is wrong Naru. I had just better take resposiblity."

"Really, Motoko, I can-"

"Naru. I'm not going to attack him or anything in his sleep. I'm not that mean."

Naru sucked in her breath. You could see she was counting to ten in her mind. "Motoko," she spoke calmly. "I'd feel better if I did it. Ok?"

No- it's not okay.

"I'm doing it Naru. I'd just feel better if I knew this was my fault and I was taking care of it. Excuse me." Motoko tried to walk past Naru but Naru kept blocking her. "Naru- please move."

"He should go to a hospital!" Naru cried. "I'll get my car keys and-"

"No," Motoko sighed. " It wasn't that high. And I made sure to place my hands on the back of his head to decrease part of the full collision. Now excuse me."

"MOTOKO! I'm doing it! You hurt him enough already! " Naru tried to snatch Keitaro away but, before Motoko could stop herself, she slapped Naru smack in the face, sending her staggering back.

Motoko gasped and stared at her shaking hand. Narus eyes were wide and full of rage that shot deadly daggers at Motokos figure, saying clearly:

How could you? Why would you?

Silently, Motoko carried Keitaro to her room. For a moment, she had a fleeting emotion of bubbling happiness inside her at what she had just done. Slapping Naru like that…Here, at this place, attacking someone with her sword was one thing…

-But slapping them was another.

And then, like the grave, that dripping, joyful seep of bliss that was filling her to the core…quietly…peacefully… melted away.

"Mm…Mo…Motoko…chan?"

Motoko gasped at the 'chan' part. Something delicious burst inside her, clouding her senses.

It was shameful.

Keitaro was laid onher futon, still unconscious. The strip of evening air snaked across Motokos room, cascading it with puddles of orange light. Motoko pushed back her long hair and swept it up into a ponytail. Quietly, she gingerly put a finger on Keitaros rosy cheek. Why had he called her name and not Narus?

"Keitaro…" Her voice came out as a whisper, tiny and frail. "I…I'm so…sorry…"

This was strange. Motoko placed her free hand on her forehead. AH! He was warm.

Without making a sound, she sneaked back into the kitchen. Good. Naru was gone. She probably went into her room to lick her wounds. Motoko filled a bowl with water and grabbed a clean towel on the counter, then went back to her room, closing it secretively.

The fluffy cloth was dipped into the warm bowl of watery liquid by Motokos quivering hands. It was pathetic to say but….This was harder than her daily training. As soon as Keitaro was up she would apologize and go back to p-

"Motoko! …"

Why…?Why did he keep saying her name? Could he be dreaming of her? That made Motoko blush feverishly. She dabbed at Keitaros forehead with the wet towel, then laid it there, when….his arms suddenly grabbed her and pulled her to him. She wanted to push him away…but something held her back. An unfamiliar force…held her back.What type of strings of emtions could this be...?If only her sister were here...She would probably tell her what a warrior would do and...what a real warrior was.

Suddenly, something cold blew past her, cutting her cheek. Motoko grabbed her sword and faced the window but nothing was there.The only trace of anything was another sword, the finest she had ever laid eyes on with a note attached to it.

She read it quickly and only until she had made sure Keitaro was alright did she touch her cheeks, only to find that they were wet.

Hello! This is my first fic in a while...I really hope you will be gentle when leavinga review and that, ya know, you won't bite my head off.(Shivers)I hope you enjoyed it and,with enough reviews, I will continue. I LOVE writing and am writing a novel at the time but this just came and has become my ficcy treasure.(Huggles)PLEASE be gentle when leaving comments and if I mixed something up tell me but, well, kindly please.Have a nice day if you arecool like watery lemons and thank you for reading this fic. Snaps if you leave a comment.Alright.Bye!(-)