A Different Life

by crosseyedbutterfly

AU that starts before the anime or manga. A forced engagment, random turtle demons, throw in some new characters, plus an explination of several people's pasts...well... guess you'll have to read it and see...CHAPTER 23 UP. Fini.

13. Tsuruko and Co

Eh…

scurries out under a rain of random implements of death and several creative threats

Yeah, yeah, yeah…I'm not happy about it taking this long either so you can put a cork in it already! Be glad I took this time at all, college isn't as easy as a lot of people make it out to be, you know. And all my breaks at home have more family time than you can shake a stick at. That, and I have a pretty darn big family…

Well, enough of that, here's your chapter! Again, as usual, notes are at the end so check there if you said (or think you might have said) something interesting/asked a question in your review/made me laugh period. Enjoy!

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Keitaro and Motoko were both out back at the appointed time, one dressed in her usual kendo garb with her sword at her side and the other in his usual jeans and t-shirt with a crutch under one arm and a heavy black blade on his back.

"I still do not see why you insist upon carrying that weapon," said Motoko as they neared a figure standing in a wide clearing right at the edge of the forest. "You shall not be able to use it properly with one leg broken and its unusual weight."

"Still, it's the only weapon I have and it might come in handy," he replied with a shrug, trying to remain as alert as possible. "As they say, I'd rather have it and not need it than not have it and realize it would've been of use."

"I was half afraid you would not show," taunted Tsuruko when they were finally within earshot. "After all, you have disappointed me in so many other areas already; why not add one more to the stack?"

"What are your terms?" replied Motoko, refusing to be baited.

"You have from the time the sun fully clears the horizon until the last ray disappears into the night," explained their opponent calmly. "And you may make use of any method, tactic, or weapon that comes to mind. To win you must defeat me once, be it a disbarment or a death strike it only counts if I am defeated."

"The customary length is three days time," pointed out Motoko quickly.

"There are hardly customary circumstances," came the sharp reply. "The appointed duration stands as by order of the council."

"Very well…" Motoko gave Keitaro's hand one final squeeze before letting go, turning to watch as the sun raised itself the final few required inches. The air was tense, the breeze light, and as the wind brought up a swirl of dust the sun finally cleared the horizon completely.

Silent and swift, the young woman drew her blade, charging her opponent fiercely.

And thus the battle began.

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Naru was the one to get the mail that morning, and as she leafed through the stack she found a letter addressed to her with a return address that she didn't recognize. Opening it as she walked up the stairs, the young woman paused when she saw the name at the end: Mutsumi Otohime. And while it was nice to hear from the kind girl, she was also quite sure she'd never given the woman her address to begin with. Scanning the letter, she noticed the young woman mentioned sending her some sort of package soon and wondered what in the world that was about as she set it on top of the rest of her mail.

Putting it out of her mind as she begun to walk again, she'd just made it to the front door when what sounded like an explosion behind the Inn caught her attention. Dropping everything on the table in the main room, she darted through the kitchen to the back porch where the majority of the residents already where.

"This is so cool!" cried Sarah as another minor explosion occurred, kicking up enough dust to block the trio from view for a moment.

"Yeah! Oh…that one had to hurt!" Su traded high-fives with the American girl, still watching intently.

"Auu…I hope no one gets hurt!" whispered Shinobu as she held a dishtowel to her lips nervously.

"What's going on?!" cried Naru in confusion.

"Tsuruko's fighting Motoko and Keitaro!" explained Sarah quickly.

"Yeah, and it's a good one too!" added Su.

"Why??"

"Dunno. Su?"

"Not sure."

"Don't look at me," added Kitsune when her friend gave her an accusing glare. "For once, I don't have a clue!"

"We need to top them, then, someone might get seriously hurt!"

"Tell me, Naru, are you suicidal or something?" said Kitsune as another explosion went off. "Whatever's going on, there's not stopping it until it's full well ready to do so. Unless you've got something that can counter both Motoko and Tsuruko going at it full speed I wouldn't suggest setting foot anywhere near where they are. I mean, Keitaro's practically immortal and he's still getting the crap beat out of him out there. Not even if you got me drunk on the finest sake in Japan could you persuade me to go."

"Yeah, I'm not stupid," added Sarah. "I might like explosions, but that doesn't mean I'm getting in the way of one!"

"Calculations of death being likely are too great to risk interfering," agreed Su with a nod. "Sorry, but you can count me outta this one."

"What's going on out here?" Haruka appeared behind them, slightly annoyed. "That racket is scaring away the customers again."

"Tsuruko's beating the crap out of Motoko and Keitaro," replied Su frankly.

Haruka narrowed her eyes. "Just push things along my ass…Shinobu, go put together some sandwiches and tea, they'll have to stop to eat eventually. I don't want any of you going out there, though, until we know what's going on or it stops for sure."

"Yes, ma'am!"

"Alright."

"Sure."

"Do I look like I have a death wish?"

"Damnit, Tsuruko," muttered the Urashima woman as she went back inside. "Causing more trouble than you're worth…you had better know what you're doing!"

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Motoko fell back, panting slightly as she wiped the sweat from her eyes. Keitaro stood beside her, sweat dripping from his face as he leaned heavily on his crutch.

"This," he murmured as Tsuruko laughed at them, still fresh as a daisy and with a predatory gleam in her eyes. "Is a lot harder than I thought."

"I warned you it would not be easy," replied his wife.

"Yes, but I was hoping it wouldn't be impossible," replied Keitaro, more sharply than he meant to. "We can beat her, I know we can, I just don't know how…"

"Weary already? Perhaps you are growing soft, little sister, for while your skills have never matched my own, your waning endurance is quite pathetic," commented Tsuruko as she sheathed her blade, motioning towards the inn where a small troop was watchfully waiting. "We'll break to eat, and as soon as you feel rested enough we may begin again." She then walked off, seating herself in the shade of some trees as serene as ever. The sun was almost directly overhead, and with the overbearing heat it brought with it they envied her for her chosen spot.

"We brought you some sandwiches!" called Su as she dashed towards them, having taken off the moment Tsuruko had turned away. Sarah was hard on her heels, a sealed pitcher and cups in hand.

"Thanks," replied Keitaro gratefully as he took one, immediately wolfing it down whole. "Mmmm…."

"Just tea," said Motoko as she sat down tiredly, sipping the cool liquid that quick quenched her raging thirst. "Thank you."

"You need to keep up your strength," argued Keitaro logically. "You should eat something."

"Food cannot give me the strength I need," she replied simply, politely but firmly refusing the proffered sustenance. "Thank you, but I shall not partake of any meal until after the battle at hand is done."

"Mind telling me what this is about?" asked Haruka as the pair nodded and ran off towards Tsuruko, offering her food and drink as well.

"Not really," coughed her nephew.

"That wasn't to give you a choice, Keitaro."

Motoko met her aunt's hard gaze, glancing away to see her husband whispering hurriedly to Su.

"You do know that Keitaro and I have not…that we are…"

"You're both still virgins, I know," broke in Haruka impatiently. "And…?"

"The council sent with Tsuruko a ruling that if the marriage wasn't 'complete' upon her arrival that we were to be charged with the task of producing an heir in the next 10 months."

Haruka grimaced. "And so you challenged."

"Yes, of course, it was our only available option. We have until sunset to defeat her."

The elder woman nodded stiffly and began the walk back. "Beat her, then. You're not ready to be parents yet."

"I am quite well aware of that."

"Ready to go?" asked Keitaro as he struggled to his feet, wincing with the way it jarred his broken bone. "Time's a wasting."

"You are sure you wish to continue?" she replied as she rose, helping steady him with a firm hand. "You could withdraw to the sidelines if it hurts too much…"

"No, I'm in this till the end," he cut in with a shake of his head. "Besides, worse comes to worst I've got a back up plan."

"It would not have anything to do with those two, would it?" She motioned to Su and Sarah who were racing towards the Inn with big grins.

"No, just some of their 'toys'," he replied lightly. "Any means possible, right?"

"Are you two still resting, or may we continue?" called Tsuruko, already standing and looking as refreshed as she had at dawn.

"We're ready!" called back Keitaro, hobbling forward determinedly.

"Good." She stood there, one hand resting nobly on the handle of her sheathed blade. "Let us begin!"

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The darkness quivered, anticipation running through its entire mass.

"Yes, love, just a few moments more…"

Shivering, writhing, the darkness began to roil with what sounded like a twisted laugh emitting from its depths.

"Peace love, peace! You must be still…"

The darkness became calm, though it still quivered with joy.

"Good…now stay prepared, love. Soon you must strike!"

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"They're still going at it."

Naru frowned, shaking her head when Kitsune offered her the bottle of sake she was drinking from. "Does anyone know why they're fighting yet?"

"No…well, Haruka does, but she's not saying. All I got was a guarantee that the action would end at sundown. Ouch! You see that? Keitaro about got busted to kingdom come."

"That's what he gets for trying to sneak up behind her," snorted Naru flatly. "He's not exactly quiet on those crutches."

"His leg's gonna take forever to heal with the beating its taking, though," pointed out Kitsune. "Almost feel sorry for the guy." She turned around, reaching for more sake.

"As sorry as the many yen you might be able to squeeze out of this, you mean."

"Exactly!"

Naru looked back out. "You said they only had until sundown, right?"

Her companion followed her gaze out. "Yeah, why?"

"Well, look." Naru pointed to the west where the Sun was just about to touch the horizon. "Whatever's gonna end this better do so now."

"You're right…" Kitsune studied the scene for a moment, then perked up. "I hope it's good!"

"Kitsune!"

"What?? I might as well be entertained by whatever's disrupting life here, right?"

Naru sighed with a shake of her head. "Oh…nothing."

"Then hush, I'm trying to watch…"

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Keitaro staggered to his feet with his wife's help, feeling his heart leap up his throat when he caught sight of the sun. Tsuruko still stood across from them, not as tired and definitely far from being beat.

"That back up plan of yours," said Motoko as she ran a hand over her sweaty brow, a hint of desperation in her voice. "I believe we need it now."

"Go distract her," replied Keitaro as he stumbled off towards where some crates lay by Su and Sarah. "Leave the rest to me!"

"Alright."

Motoko turned to face off with her sister, falling into the same pattern as they'd followed the rest of the day. Firing off a few ki attacks, barely dodging the return volley, and then engaging with the opponent blade to blade. Attack, parry, lunge, dodge, strike, leap, swing, twist…Motoko mis-stepped and found herself faced with a ki whirlwind bearing down on her. Instead of blocking or countering the attack, she jumped up and moved with it, letting it carry her away though the battering forces left her with bruises that she'd be feeling for some time as Keitaro took that as his signal to attack.

Aiming the grenade/rocket launcher on his shoulders, Keitaro fired off shot after shot until his rounds had expired and he dropped the heavy contraption off to the side. "No one could come out of that without at least getting hurt," he said aloud as the dust began to clear. "Come on, be down. Be down. Please, be down…" The dust finally settled to reveal…nothing. The ground was strewn with craters, and not a trace of the swordswoman was among them.

"What in the-…"

"BEHIND YOU!!"

Keitaro turned in time to catch Tsuruko's attack in the chest, and of all he had experienced this was by far the worst. Torn completely from the ground, his shirt was soon nothing but rags and the sword ripped free from his back to go flying towards the shocked Sarah and Su.

Landing on his back after rolling several feet, he felt his blood freeze at the look in Tsuruko's eyes. Motoko was running towards him from the side, but even he could tell she wouldn't be there in time.

"Cheap tricks!" she raged. "A coward's attack, and this from the man who saved my sister?!"

"Keitaro, catch!"

The manager turned to see the naked blade of the katana that had graced his office for so long arching towards him, and he reached for it in one final, desperate act to win…

Motoko felt the evil darkness strike even before she saw its effects, screaming a warning even though she knew it was too late.

The moment Keitaro's hand wrapped around the hilt his whole body jerked in surprise as another presence forced itself upon him. Eyes turning black, he writhed and convulsed as if in agony, sickly green veins appearing all over his arms and face that seemed to pulse and grow.

"The Hina blade," murmured Tsuruko as she leapt back, eyes narrowing in concentration. "I can see you now that you have shown yourself, daemon, and you will regret it! True, I said any means possible, but I did not think you would ever resort to such a measure!"

The new Keitaro lifted his head, fangs sprouting from his mouth and the same black, soulless eyes that his cousin's bore squinting at her as he leered. "A new body I now have and I shall not easily give it up. If you think I will help defeat you for whatever purpose the boy fought you, you are wrong and tonight I shall feast upon the tender flesh and souls of you and your sister." Bringing his sword up in a defensive position, he sneered at her. "Come try me and see!"

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"Explain it to me again."

The master sat before his messenger, listening intently.

"Of course, my lord. The Hina blade-daemon was created by your great-grandfather, the late Master Ikari, to capture his lost brother who had married into the Urashima family line. The archives tell us he himself, at the prime of his powers, captured and sealed the strongest of the daemon, who are the lesser cousins of the demons we generally use, into a blade he himself forged, writ with the sacred symbols, and cleansed in the dark fires."

"And yet it failed."

"Indubitably, sir. Expecting such a trick, the brother put the seal on the sword indicating it was never to be drawn and placed it in his office as a reminder to guard himself always."

"A clever man, though foolish in some decisions. Go on."

"Upon his death, the sword and its slumbering daemon were locked away in the family attic, forgotten until the boy found it not long ago."

"And the seal?"

"Rotted away to nothing but dust. It is likely he never noticed its presence as he drew it for the first time. That is what woke the daemon once more, the blade being allowed back into the light."

"Why was he not possessed then? Such was the opportune time!"

"It was only drawn part of the way, and the daemon had been asleep for a very, very long time thus weakening its abilities. That is also how he escaped detection to this point, by remaining in a semi-comatose state and letting your servant dictate his actions. The sword is its 'anchor', it can choose to leave and inhabit other objects anytime it wishes to for limited periods of time once it was awake. So when others inspected or probed it…"

"It fled elsewhere in the room until it was safe."

"Precisely."

"A surprisingly intelligent plan…what would happen now?"

"In exchange for the daemon's freedom, I believe he must slay the two sisters and bring the boy to us immediately."

"Interesting. Keep bringing me news as it comes, I wish to see how this plays out."

"Yes, Master."

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"Sister, no!" Motoko covered her mouth as Tsuruko hit the ground, her sword flung far from her limp body as she rolled a few times before coming to a stop.

The monstrosity that her husband had become sauntered over to the form calmly, nudging the elder woman with a foot and only getting a garbled moan in reply.

"Weak," he sneered, spitting on her prone body. "I'll kill you after I deal with your little sibling here."

"Keitaro…?"

The demon possessed man turned towards her, an amused smile forming on his lips. "Calling for your precious husband? He will not hear you. If you want him back, you'll have to defeat me."

Motoko set her heart and will as it if were made of stone, bringing her blade up against the one man she'd sworn never to harm in an attempt to free him. "I will have him back!"

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Kitsune ambled down the stairs, Naru following her slowly with a frown on her face. Keitaro had beat down Tsuruko, though neither one was sure how, and things had to be over with such an occurrence. Heading into the kitchen and greeting Shinobu who was working over the stove, Naru had reached for the handle to the back door when it slammed open, Haruka bodily tossing two pouting blonde girls onto the floor and standing in the frame so they couldn't run past her.

"I don't give a damn, you're staying here!" She glanced up, seeing the surprised trio in the kitchen and giving them a hard stare. "Make sure they stay," she ordered them flatly. "And that applies to you too! One person sets foot outside this kitchen before I say it's ok, and there will be a great deal of pain." The back door slammed shut, making Shinobu jump in shock as Su and Sarah slunk away from it grumbling.

"Auu, what's going on?" asked the young chef, pausing in her preparations of dinner.

"Keitaro finally grabbed hold of that sword he was toting, and his arms and legs turned all green. Then he started whooping Tsuruko's butt but we don't know how it ended," explained Sarah with a sigh.

"Yeah," added Su," Haruka-chan made us come inside!"

"We saw that too," said Naru, "From the roof. That uppity sword-swinger took a nice beating, I'll say. Where Keitaro's arms and legs really green, though?"

"Yeah," replied Sarah with a quick nod. "And his eyes got all weird lookin'…you think everything's ok out there?"

"Auu…I hope so," put in Shinobu, trying to squelch the growing fear in her heart as she poured oil into another pan and added the vegetables. Please… she whispered in the far corners of her mind. Please bring sempai and Motoko back safely!

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Haruka stood with her back to the kitchen door, drawing her fans as she grit her teeth together. Keitaro was possessed, of all things, and there wasn't a damned thing she could do about it which pissed her off like nothing else. It would be up to Motoko now whether or not her nephew ever joined the land of the living again, her sole concern was now for the girls behind her in the Inn. If the daemon did manage to overcome the younger Aoyama sister as he had the elder, the daemon would want to feed and her charges were the nearest available source within the area. There was nothing she could do to protect Motoko, Tsuruko, or even Keitaro by this point, but she could and would do what she was able to make sure the rest of the residents were safe. She just hoped it wouldn't come to that.

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Motoko lay face-down on the ground, her sword stuck on the dirt beside her as she gasped for air. His defense was impenetrable, and the strength of his attacks matched none that she'd faced before, including her sister or father.

"You're quite feisty," her opponent informed her languidly with a chuckle. Seeing her lift her head to glare at him hatefully, he laughed all the more. "Ah, small tigress, you may growl at me all you wish but all it will gain you is a sore throat. Hate me. Loath me. Desire to destroy me! I dare you too."

"Get…get out of his body!" she screamed, lunging to her feet as she grabbed her katana and brought in up in a broad sweep. "HIKEN ZANKUUSEN!!!"

"You care for my new host, don't you?" he chuckled evilly, easily maneuvering around her large attacks. "Let me see…so he is your husband, is he? And as of rather recently too, congratulations!"

"Make your home elsewhere and leave him alone!" Her words were punctuated with every sword thrust, attacking him savagely and too blinded by her rage to realize how little she was truly accomplishing.

"Oh, how sweet! He calls for you even now inside, 'Motoko-chan! Motoko-chan!'" Mockingly, it only took a twist of his blade to disarm her a second time, striking with the flat of his blade to send her tumbling once more. "Now what's this interesting tidbit? Over half a year married and still a virgin?" He crouched beside her, leering openly as he took in her form limply spread before him. Taking a fistful of her gi, he pulled her up so they were only inches apart. "Very beautiful you are, too, and such beauty should not die a virgin. I will have you before I kill you, as a 'gift' if you will to you and your husband!"

Motoko stared back, barely even able to breath and completely frozen with fear as he leaned in over her. Shivering uncontrollably as those black, soulless eyes bore into the core of her being, she wished it would end and pleaded inside for her Keitaro to return. Just as one deformed hand was running down her neck, though, he convulsed sharply and as he began to blink rapidly she could see her husband's warm brown eyes looking back at her for a few seconds.

"Don't…"

"Keitaro…?"

"Get back in there!" The monster inside surfaced again, squinting at Motoko as he reached for his blade. "Fine, you do not appreciate my gift? Then I'll just kill you and be done with it!" He shoved her away, standing quickly and pointing his sword at her throat. "I would've enjoyed it greatly, it's been such a long time since I've tasted the sweet wines of a woman's charms. However, you have a few friends in that building back there that will suffice for that. Good bye."

Motoko closed her eyes, accepting her eminent death when she felt the cool steel of the sword bury itself along side her neck, opening her eyes to find her opponent's right hand and arm shaking so badly he could barely keep a firm grip on the blade. The green lines began to grow and shrink randomly, giving away the inner struggle currently taking place.

"This is my body now!" the demon yelled, twisting in agony. "Damn it, no! Stay down!" Blinking more, the brown showed through again, glowing fiercely.

"Get away…from…my wife…!"

His body seemed to fling itself away, sweat beading on his face as the struggle continued. "You won't win, mortal, not against me! You can't get rid of me, I shall triumph in the end!"

Grimly, the brown fought to the surface again, his penetrating gaze pleading with his wife. "Motoko-chan…please…"

"She's weak!" cried the daemon, furiously shaking his head as his hands spasmodically clenched themselves. "Unable to save you this time! Submit! Submit to me or be destroyed!"

"You…you wouldn't…" Keitaro bravely broke free again. "I can't, Motoko-chan…please, I…I've got him but not for long…"

Now freed of the chains of fear that had bound her with the appearance of her beloved, Motoko rose shakily and drew together what little strength she had left. Taking up the final stance of her family's school of sword, the one she had never entirely perfected. Narrowing her eyes, the young woman was about to draw upon her hate for the daemon when something struck her. The evil being had encouraged her hate, her fear, and her pain….perhaps… She closed her eyes and let a small smile appear as she relaxed.

I understand now why I never seemed to get it right before. I lashed out in fear to live another day, but never with love to save another's life…

Meeting his eyes, she nodded once as he did the same, still jerking randomly as he struggled to remain in control. Concentrating and pouring everything in her heart that she'd ever felt for her husband into her attack, Motoko completed the intricate steps flawlessly and with a final leap unleashed the perfectly formed power in a swooping arch directly at Keitaro.

"OUGI ZANGAN KEN NI NOTACHI!!"

As she landed the samurai woman stumbled, landing on all fours and gasping for air. "Keitaro…" she whispered as tears began to form in the corners of her eyes. "I love you…"

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Inside Keitaro's mind it was a storming battle of dark and light as his ki continually strove for control of the black presence that threatened to completely swamp the core of his being. Breaking free of the grasping bonds that threatened to permanently enslave him again and again, he felt his heart leap as Motoko faced off with him, giving him a look that filled him with hope that everything would be alright.

"She would think to exorcise me and banish me once more to a life of being adrift, would she?" The darkness seemed to tremble, suddenly sinking its talons mercilessly into his core. "Then I shall take you with me!"

The attack was upon them, the very force of it sending his body backwards off its feet though it did not physically harm his flesh. Like a bolt of lightning it entered his being, tearing away at the foreign presence that had invaded him and leaving him alone. Watching in satisfaction, Keitaro was about to make a snide comment when he felt himself jolt violently, the darkness still clinging to him desperately as the attack pulled it away.

Maybe you didn't hear me the first time! I said you're coming with!

Solidifying himself in his 'core', Keitaro shook his head as he brought up the same fire he'd once used to purge Motoko's wound and would now use upon himself to purge it of this vile presence. Now that it had loosened its hold with Motoko's attack he finished the job as best he could and threw himself upon it with all intentions of destroying it completely.

"No."

The fire raged, the darkness writhed, the screams of the damned filled his head and then everything went black…

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Haruka began to walk forwards hopefully, seeing Keitaro land with the green lines disappearing completely. Maybe it was just a trick, but for once she allowed herself to hope for something rather than the worst possible scenario. Keitaro did have a way of always coming out on top for seemingly no reason at all, she just hoped this time wasn't going to be an exception to that seemingly predominant rule.

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Motoko forced her to look when she heard his body hit the dirt, struggling to her feet and still holding her blade in nerveless hands that let the tip drag in the dust behind her as she stumbled back towards him. The green lines and fangs were gone, but Keitaro was very pale and still as she dropped her sword and fell to her knees beside him.

"Keitaro…" she whispered as she brushed his bangs away from his eyes, pulling his head into her lap though he still hadn't moved.

Still as death…

"No!" She shook him gently, the tears that had formed in her eyes earlier now making tracks in the dust down her face when his head just rolled limply to the side. "I did it right, you have to still be there…Keitaro-kun…" She put a hand over her mouth, choking back the heart-wrenching sobs that welled up inside her. Shaking, she bent farther over him, caressing one cool cheek as a few salty drops spotted it. "I love you," she whispered in a hoarse voice. "Maybe I am too late…and you will never know that…but I want you to hear me say that so please do not be dead…" Closing her eyes she stayed like that, slowly losing as the sun dipped completely under the horizon.

Something warm brushed against her chin, startling her eyes open to find a chocolate-brown pair staring back up at her warmly. "Hey," he croaked, his voice low and rough. Gently his wiped away her tears with a hand that shook slightly. "You shouldn't cry….I'm alright, see? No reason to cry. Besides…" He reached up with his other hand, covering one of her own. "I love you too."

"Keitaro!" She embraced him tightly from where they both were, his head cradled gently against her bosom as she began to cry again. "I'm sorry, I…you must think I'm just being a silly woman."

"Not at all." He started to sit up, aided b y her steady arms so he could lean against her shoulder. "I was scared too, very scared of what he might do to you and what he almost did too…"

"You protected me, though," she murmured back softly as she ran a hand on his face. "Because you were there, nothing happened. And that's all that matters."

"I know."

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Tsuruko lay there in shock, still dazed from the fall she'd taken and completely floored by the most recent of the day's tumultuous events. A daemon had appeared and nearly killed her. Though she wasn't sure how long she was out, it couldn't have been long for she'd woken to her younger sister performing a perfect 'Ougi Zangan Ken Ni Notachi' and effectively ridding them of the daemon she herself had failed to defeat. How Motoko had managed it, she wasn't sure, but it had been managed and managed very well indeed. There was no trace left of the being, and currently Motoko and Keitaro were sharing a quiet moment together.

Reaching for her blade and seeing the sun long gone with the area being dimly lit by the lights in the back of the Inn, she found a foot standing firmly on the blade and followed it up to the body above who turned out to be no other than one Haruka who was currently working her way through a cigarette with a frown.

"You lost, understand?" she growled. "All of this…this is your fault, and none of this would've happened if you and that senile council hadn't tried to meddle in affairs that aren't theirs once again."

"I was disarmed, and I did say by any means necessary," came the sober reply. "Even if it was one that was unplanned for. They will be left in peace."

"What was the counsel's 'ulterior motive' in this?" went on Haruka flatly. "They never do anything without a reason."

"Motoko and Keitaro, being who they are, will face many trials together-"

"Trials that you hardly needed to add to," snorted Haruka.

"May I finish uninterrupted?!" The elder Urashima nodded stiffly, though she still held the swordswoman's blade in place. "They will face many trials, as already stated, and the council was afraid they would be unable to cope unless a strong bond was forged between them. Their idea was that if they had not completed the marriage, then they must be falling away from each other and finishing things up, so to speak, would be more than enough to bring them together again."

"And what of the child that would likely result? Had they thought through that as well?" Haruka's words were sharp and bitter.

"There is no guarantee…"

"Until you force them to produce an heir! Do you think they're ready to be parents? Children should not be born as a punishment or an attempt to forge a bond between people!"

"Children make or break a marriage," pointed out Tsuruko tightly.

"And what if it broke it?"

"What?! How dare you-"

"Sister?" The pair looked up, Haruka discreetly removing her foot so their guest could stand. Motoko and Keitaro stood together before them, the latter leaning on the former for support with a resigned look on their faces.

"I am glad you are both still well," said Tsuruko as she rose, sheathing her blade with a sharp glance at Haruka. "If I may speak with you, Motoko-chan…"

"We understand our duty," she replied, a flat tone to her voice. "There is no need…"

"That is not what I wish to speak to you about." Tsuruko's words were commanding, and the younger sister immediately gave in beneath them. Passing Keitaro to Haruka who nodded in understanding, the aunt and nephew headed back towards the house to give Tsuruko the privacy she'd requested as they slowly made their way to the house.

Tsuruko brought the leather journal and glass phial out of her sleeves, handing them to her younger sister. "I believe I must return these…"

"We never defeated you," replied Motoko, refusing to accept them. "We know our duty, we have already discussed it."

"Keitaro disarmed me, and even though he was possessed at the time, a defeat is a defeat no matter how it is achieved," replied her elder sister, placing the two objected in Motoko's hands. "Your duty is no longer so, you may live your lives as you choose."

Motoko hesitated, feeling a little dazed as she was once again forced to completely revolutionize her way of considering the future for the second time that day. "Sister, I…"

"Go and speak with your husband for while your marriage is a strong one I am quite sure he is not ready to be a father any more than you are a mother," cut in Tsuruko, putting a hand on her shoulder and turning her towards the Inn as she did. "As for me, it is time I returned home. But before I leave, I give you this." She put a sealed scroll in Motoko's hands along side the journal. "In hopes that my brother in law may be healed."

The young woman studied the scroll, turning it over in her hands before looking up to ask a question. But when she did her sister was already gone, vanished once more in that uncanny way of hers. Motoko bent her head, sighing as she once again felt the desire to curse her sister for her meddling and yet unable to do so with the good such a catastrophe had caused. Taking the opposite road, and smiling, she bowed low in the direction of her home city.

"Thank you."

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The Master sat in the shadows, observing the severed head that sat beside him, amusingly enough, on a silver platter. It was nice to know his assassins had a sense of humor, albeit a twisted one. It gave them a 'human' feel though he never saw their faces and only knew to distinguish them by their 'presences'.

"Not so sure of yourself now, are you?" he murmured, tapping his fingertips together. "Though it was a clever plan, it was not quite clever enough. You didn't bother counting in the variable of 'love', disgusting thing that it is, did you?" He laughed bitterly. "Oh, no, of course not…fool, if only had you allowed me to assist, for the boy was with in our grasp…! Others should have been in place to strike the woman down. Thus letting him escape to us. Once here, he shall never leave us again…yes! We must find a way to bring him here…boy!"

"Master?" Another figure appeared beside him, far younger than the rest thus far and bearing the mark of a messenger.

"Go fetch my Hunters," he ordered, lips curling into a malicious smile as he did. "It is high time he had another 'Gather' for the harvest to come…"

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Everyone converged upon the young samurai woman the moment she opened the door, a little surprised when she motioned for them to be silent.

"Where is Keitaro?" she asked, glancing around and finding him absent.

"Haruka dumped him on the couch and said to wait for you to come in before we start pestering him about what happened," said Sarah quickly. "And then she took off for her Tea House to check on Ami and Austin. Something about not trusting them together alone for that long. What's going on, though? Where's Tsuruko? Did you guys win? What were you fighting over?"

"The reason no longer matters," she informed the young girl, giving her a weary smile. "What is important is it is over and things can now go back to how they were before. Tsuruko has returned to her home, and we will likely not being seeing any more of her for some time." She glanced up, frowning as she sniffed the air carefully. "Is something burning…?"

"Auu, the rice!" Shinobu flew back over to the stove, Su and Sarah hot on her heals.

"Think she set the stove on fire?"

"I dunno, but let's hope!"

"Are you…alright?" Naru stepped forward hesitantly. "You both look like you took quite a beating…and Keitaro hasn't said a word since he got here, he's just lying there like his life is over…"

"Yeah, I'd say something big happened alright," added Kitsune with a calculating look. "That's not like Tsuruko to just up and leave for no reason at all."

Motoko nodded, pausing before she brought out one of the brightest smiles the residents had ever seen her produce. "Yes. Everything will now be just fine. Please give my apologies to the rest, for after I help Keitaro to the baths I believe I shall retire for the night. I'm quite well exhausted, and with school tomorrow I believe the first order of business should be sleep. Good evening to you both, and I shall see you in the morning."

"Oh…kay…" Naru blinked, shaking her head as she watched through the open kitchen door their friend help the manager up the stairs and whisper something to him that made him perk up almost instantly. "Why do I get the feeling we're being left out of something really big here?"

"That seems to happen a lot," added Kitsune with a shrug. "C'mon, Shinobu's got dinner finished and I'm starved. We can try and pry it out of them later on, for right now I wanna know who this Mutsumi Otohime is that you got a letter from today."

"Kitsune, did you go through my mail again?!"

The foxy lady smiled, as modest as ever. "Only the one letter you left open for the world to see on the table. Serves you right leaving it there, it was just begging to be read by any old person who passed on by. Anyway, I wanna know what this package is that she's sending you…"

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Keitaro yawned as he leaned against his wife, putting the least amount of weight on his aching leg as possible as they shuffled towards the stairs. "Thanks. I think I could've- AH! No, never mind…" The manager clenched his jaw as he gave his wife a weak semblance of a smile. "Your sister gave me quite a beating…"

"She gave us both quite a beating," Motoko replied quietly as they reached the upstairs baths and she helped him over to the side and tub that he would occupy. "At least we can say it was not in vain, though."

"It nearly was," he reminded her as she closed the curtain about him, leaving a towel, soap and shampoo within easy reach of the tub.

"Yes, it nearly was," she agreed. "But close only counts in horseshoes and liars tongues. I shall be in the room should you require me, please do try and take it easy with your leg as it is. I will leave your extra crutches out here so you can get around on your own, but do not strain yourself. The break has taken enough extra stress for today as it is."

"Yes, ma'am," he replied, grabbing her hand and pulling her close as she turned to leave. Nestled in his arms, she paused before gently wrapping her own about his middle. "Good night," he whispered into her hair. "And…I love you."

"I love you too," she replied, kissing him gently before wrinkling her nose. "You are also in great need of a bath."

"You're no rose, either," he teased, tugging on a strand of her hair. "There's another tub in here…"

"No, I will freshen up in our rooms and take my usual bath tomorrow," she informed him, quirking her lips. "I will see you in the room. Oh, and before I forget…" She took the scroll from her gi top and pressed it into his hands. "This is from my sister for you."

He paused, a little suspicious of anything that came from her family but accepting it none the less. "Alright…"

She laughed, giving him another quick kiss before he gave her other reasons to stay and walked out of the room. Besides, Ami and Austin would be returning soon and the latter would likely appreciate being able to use the upstairs baths as well as usual since he wasn't allowed in the hot springs. That, and such thoughts as those that rose at the idea of sharing a bathroom with Keitaro were hardly appropriate at the moment. The little voice in the back of her head was allowed to say that they might be later on, though, and she colored slightly at that thought.

Heading into her room she shut the door behind herself, stripping down and giving herself a quick sponge bath as she'd been taught after such an arduous battle. Taking stock of her bumps and bruises, she was relieved the worst of it was the long, tender, black and blue stripe extending over her side from the blow she'd taken with the flat of the daemon's blade. The blade itself had disappeared with her sister, and she imagined it would be taken back to the council for inspection as such things usually were.

Throwing on a large t-shirt, Motoko fell in her bed and kept herself awake just long enough to make sure everything was right in the Inn before drifting away on the clouds of her dreams.

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Keitaro pulled himself out of the tub after he'd soaked long enough, toweling off and pulling on the loose sleep clothes Motoko had left him. Thanking the kami once again for giving him such a wonderful wife, the young man hobbled his way down the hall after waving to Austin who came in just at that time with the sealed scroll Motoko had handed him in one hand and a crutch in the other.

Entering his room, the manager sat himself by the window and cracked it open in the moonlight, attempting to remain as silent as possible with Motoko already obviously asleep in the bed and the rest of the residents likely heading there themselves quite soon. Shaking fingers spread it open, and after scanning it slowly he realized what it was. Charts and diagrams appeared before his eyes, arrows showing the natural paths of ki through the body and, best of all, techniques of all sorts to heal each and all types of ailments he could imagines.

Skipping ahead to the section on bones, Keitaro assumed he would be too exhausted to do any real healing that night. However, a 'scan' as the scroll stated, revealed his reserves to be greater than he'd imagined. Then again, when he thought back over it, other than the battle with the daemon he'd really done very little with his ki other than his natural ability to heal during the battle. Sure, he was no where near the 'full' reserves he'd been at that morning but there was still a sizable amount left to work with.

Deciding to give it a try, Keitaro read over the steps carefully, making sure he had every detail memorized and firmly planted in his head before moving on. Remaining seated as he was, he fell into the partial trance the work required and placed a hard above and blow the broken bone.

'Looking' at it through his vision taught by his wife, Keitaro could make out through his pale skin the outline of the fracture in his leg with its jagged and broken edges. He could also see the bruised and inflamed muscle around it, likely the result of that day's battles with Tsuruko. Instinctively he cooled it, reducing the swelling and easing the pain at the same time.

Following the steps carefully, he began to move with in the bone itself, weaving his ki into the broken shaft and using it like glue to hold it properly in place. Once he was sure it was firmly held, he began to regrow the bone itself, going into the roots of the marrow and starting from there. His leg ached, unused to the forced growth, but he managed to remain relaxed and not disrupt the healing with spasms of any sort.

The hours flew by, and by the time Keitaro stopped for the time being it was late into the night. A peek revealed his reserves were not quite depleted yet, and yet instinct told him it would be better to wait until the next morning to continue the work. Sighing as he heaved himself towards the bed and set the scroll aside, he was surprised to find it didn't hurt at all and only tweaked a bit when he put his weight on it.

Lying beside Motoko, he pulled her close to him and was gratified when she came into his arms willingly even in her sleep. Holding her to his chest, the manager fell asleep with a smile on his face and the knowledge that, once again, everything was going to be just fine.

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A week's time passed, everything seeming to settle back into place as it usually did as Keitaro's leg seemed to miraculously get better over night and Naru wondered what it was that Mutsumi was sending her as her letter had suggested. Eventually the day came to remove Keitaro's cast, and together he and Motoko went to see the doctor after school and having a few x-rays to confirm that the bone was indeed fully knit together once more. Receiving a full bill of health as well as a bill for payment, the couple headed back towards their home arm in arm and Keitaro thankfully on his own two feet again.

"I can't believe everything that's happened in just the last few weeks," he commented lightly as they strolled along out of the train station and taking their time on the way back.

"Is it as unbelievable as a marriage to a random swordswoman peppered with an unusual demon your first night together?" replied Motoko wryly, giving him a sideways glance.

"Is that strange? I thought that happened to everybody! Oof…hey now…" Keitaro rubbed his ribcage where he'd been swiftly elbowed with a knowing grin. "So, what's on the schedule for today?"

"Practice for myself," replied his wife as she began to tick them off her fingers. "I have a match with our school this upcoming weekend. Naru and Kitsune left early to visit a friend of theirs, they likely won't be back until late this evening. Austin and Ami are helping Shinobu with dinner tonight, Su and Sarah are likely occupied with the task of seeking out every nook and cranny in the Inn…I believe all that is required of you is to clean the hot springs before it is put into use this evening."

"Are you sure I can't persuade you to join me for dinner?" he asked, smiling when she nudged him in the ribs again. "Alright, I get the point."

"You know I have much to do," she told him with a hint of regret in her voice. "There as been a great deal of distractions as of late…"

"Yeah, I know…" His stomach suddenly growled, both breaking into an easy laughter as he blushed. "Oh well, we'd better get back so I can shut him up with some leftovers."

"I wonder if Dr. Nori knows anything of ki-healing," said Motoko randomly as they reached the steps of the Inn.

"Why?"

"She did not question how you were healed so quickly, and while I imagine she has encountered many strange things treating Haruka and Seta's wounds over the years, there is no medical technique except ki-healing that can bind bones into being whole. Flesh wounds such as a cut or a scrape, they have many remedies and many quite easily attainable both legally and illegally."

"Your sister and my aunt have known each other for a good many years," pointed out Keitaro. "Who's to say your family hasn't provided healing for mine in the past?"

"I suppose that is possible…"

"Mo-chan!"

Both young people paused, looking at each other strangely.

"That was not you…was it?" asked Motoko cautiously.

"No," replied Keitaro quickly, glancing around. "For a moment I thought it was you, but that obviously doesn't make sense."

"Sillies! Down here, Mo-chan and Taro-kun!" Both looked down to their left, Motoko immediately kneeling down to scoop up her youngest niece with a wide but confused smile.

"Rei-chan! But how did you…?"

"Mo-chan!" The little girl just threw her arms about Motoko's neck, giving her a sticky kiss in the process. "Missed you and Taro-kun very much! Why did not come and visit?"

"My precious little Rei-chan," she laughed, ticking the child who giggled sweetly as she did. "I am sorry, we were just simply unable to. I promise we will come and visit sometime soon, though. Where are your-"

"GERONIMO!!"

"AHHH!!"

"Oh."

Keitaro went down under a wriggling mass of small bodies as a surprise attack was launched against him under the crafty guidance of Su and Sarah. Ticking and gently tossing off his small assailants, the Manager finally managed to stand with one still hanging from his neck and most of them tugging at his arms and legs.

"Hey, hey, easy there!" he chuckled as they tried to knock him over again. "It's nice to see all of you too!"

"What, you don't think we're done yet, do you?" asked Sarah as everyone suddenly pulled back, bringing out large water guns from nowhere and training them on the poor man with Motoko and Rei easily out of the line of fire.

"What the- AHHHHH!!!"

Motoko couldn't help but laugh as Keitaro took off towards the back with the entire childish hoard hot on his heals.

"Bang bang!" said Rei as she held a tiny water gun in her hands, shooting off two little streams towards the running ground that obviously fell short yet she cheered and giggled anyways.

"You are quite the sharpshooter," Motoko told her as she quickly took possession of the toy lest she become its next target. "You were just there waiting for us to distract him, weren't you?"

The little girl smiled and nodded proudly. "Uh huh!"

Motoko laughed, the sound making her small niece even happier still and cling to her neck to give her another sticky kiss. "Oh, you are being very sweet today."

"He really will make a good father someday."

The swordswoman glanced over, finding Kenji standing a few yards away with an easy smile on his face.

"I would hope so," she replied, giving him a slight though wary smile back. "Good day, brother in law, what brings you to our home? Has my sister come to visit us again so soon?"

"No, just myself and the kids, whatever company we may be," he replied with a friendly shrug. "Tsuruko had some business to attend to, but she sent me here with the others as an 'apology'…?"

"Tell her apology accepted, if you would be so kind." Motoko held down the laugh that threatened to burst out at Kenji's disappointed look. Turning away, she headed towards the front door with Rei still cuddling into her neck. "When did you arrive and who helped you settle in? I assume not one of the residents, or they would have found a way to contact Keitaro and I as to your arrival."

"We came in just a little while ago, and your aunt was more than happy to assist us in finding rooms to stay in," replied the man as he followed her, opening it for her politely as Motoko wondered at just how willing her aunt in law might've truly been to help to find Kitsune in the doorway, a smirk immediately developing on her face.

"Cute kid," she said dryly, unable to not notice the similarities between her friend and the little girl. "Something you need to tell us, Motoko-chan?"

"Your lack of tact no longer even surprises me," replied Motoko every bit as dryly, raising her brows as she did. "Kenji, this is Konno Mitsune, one of the residents here at the Inn. Kitsune, this is Kenji, my brother in law, and his daughter, Rei-chan."

"Tsuruko's man, eh?" Kitsune chuckled to herself, and her thoughts at that point were something that no self-respecting author would ever put into words. "Where's the rest of the brood? She made it sound like there were at least a few more."

"Outside with 'Taro-kun!" chirped Rei.

Kitsune frowned. "Taro-who?"

"Keitaro," explained Motoko quickly. "They are out back playing with him, Su, and Sarah-chan."

"Poor guy…oh well." She moved back, letting them enter and standing with them in the front area as they removed their shoes. "So tell me-"

"Hey guys! Guess what? I-oh, excuse me!" Naru appeared in the doorway, a box in hand with the rest of the resident's mail under her arm. "I didn't realize we had another guest. My apologies, I didn't mean to interrupt you like that."

"Naru, this is Kenji. Kenji, Naru." Motoko finished it quickly, both quickly recognizing the other.

"Tsuruko's husband," guessed Naru, getting a nod in return.

"And you are one of the residents here, of course, as well as a long-time friend of Motoko," he replied, getting a nod as well. "Tsuruko-chan has told me a great deal about all of those who live here. Myself and the children have never visited Hinata-sou before, and with the them wishing to see Motoko and Keitaro and Tsuruko out of town on business it seemed the perfect time to do so."

"It is an honor to meet the spouse of one of our honored guests," said Naru carefully, giving him another quick bow. "However, if you'll excuse me I just got this package from a new friend of my and I'd rather like to open it as soon as possible.

"Please, don't let me stand in your way of doing so," he said with a grin, giving her another slight bow as she did so as well and moved to head up the stairs. Once she was out of sight and earshot he turned back to the other two with a quizzical look on his face. "She doesn't seem so bad, really, at least not what has come back to us in some letters from here."

Motoko colored slightly at that. "You have a certain amount of amnesty being Tsuruko's husband," she explained quickly. "Seeing as you are 'claimed' as well as…well, Tsuruko could kill her with her bare hands and she knows that very well."

"I see…"

"Excuse me, coming through!"

Ami and Austin both rushed by just then, running at a faster pace than usual with rather excited looks on their faces.

"Sorry about that!" called Ami over her shoulder as they went up the stairs, barely clearing the corners in their haste. "I'll explain later!"

"…ok then." Motoko sweated, turning back to find Kitsune had disappeared as well. "Would you help me with dinner? Keitaro seems to be busy at the moment, and we generally take the task in teams."

"Of course! Is anyone else going to help us?" He followed her into the kitchen, tweaking Rei's nose to get a grin in reply but letting her stay with her favorite aunt where she clearly wished to be. Inside they found Shinobu already setting out different meats and vegetables, preparing all the ingredients before she began to make the food itself. Introductions were quickly made, and soon all three were set about their separate tasks with Rei toddling about on the floor and exploring the room in general.

"I was wondering," said Motoko as she poured a bowl of freshly chopped onions into the pan with the other vegetables. "You said Haruka was more than willing to help, was there any reason why?"

"Not one that you are likely to find out," put in the said person as she ambled into the kitchen, cigarette-less for once in light of the children around. "You also might want to put another plate or two out, Seta calling to say-hm?" The elder woman paused as something tugged on her pants, looking down to see little Rei hugging her calf. "What? Go to your father, he'll hold you."

Rei shook her head stubbornly, holding her arms out to Haruka. "Oba-san!"

"Looks like yourself a new friend there, boss," commented Ami as she breezed through the kitchen, giggling when a mixed look crossed Haruka's face.

"Get yourself down to the Tea House already, you said it'd only take a moment," came the sharp reply.

"I'm going…"

"You're a stubborn one, I have to give you that," she said as she squatted down carefully, coming eye toe ye with the child as Motoko and Kenji watched with interest. "And you're supposed to grow up to carry the family name of Aoyama? You're just a chubby little ball of mush."

Rei giggled, reaching up to touch Haruka's face with her small hands. Sighing, the elder woman stood still , letting Rei explore her cheeks, nose, and ears curiously with a serious look in her eyes. Jerking back slightly, when a fistful of her hair was pulled roughly, Haruka lost her balance as Rei was startled as well and fell in an undignified manner to her backside while catching the youngster in her lap.

"Don't do that!" scolded Haruka as she set the girl on her feet, beginning to rise herself when Rei sniffled sadly and looked up at her with big eyes on the brink of tears and a trembling lower lip. "Aw, kid…" Haruka gave in after just a few seconds, scooping her up and settling the small child on her hip with ease. "It's alright, see? No harm done…just don't do it again, ok?"

"Oba-san!"

Haruka turned an interesting shade of pink as Rei threw her small arms about the elder woman's neck, giving her a wet kiss on the cheek in the process.

"Eh…yeah, whatever. Go see your dad." Haruka quickly put the child into he father's waiting arms, heading for the door into the backyard. "I'll go out back and see if Keitaro's still alive."

"You know," said Kenji with a smile as the door closed behind the woman. "I think that was one of the cutest things I've ever seen in my life…"

"I heard that!" came back through the door in an annoyed tone.

Kenji's smile grew all the more as he called back. "And that's exactly why I said it!"

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Naru peered at the box curiously, having already read the short note that came with it that was basically just a reiteration of what the letter had said and gave no real clue as to what could possibly be inside. It was a gift, and it was for her, and past that the new ronin had no idea what it was. Deciding the best way to find out would simply be to open it, as was Mutsumi was hardly one to send something a booby-trapped box or something like that, she pulled out a crowbar and began to pry out the nails one by one.

Soon the lid was lifted free and she peered inside to find a familiar green shell surrounded by licked-clean watermelon rinds.

"What in kami's name…?"

"Myuh!" The yellow head and fins popped out of their respective holes, the small reptile-ish creature hopping out of his box and landing on Naru's head.

"Tama-chan?!" she exclaimed in surprise.

"Myuh!" The small turtle nodding in affirmation, patting her head with his fins.

"You're Mutsumi-chan's gift?"

"Myuh!" Again, he nodded, this time glancing about as if inspecting his new home.

"But wait, why in the world would she…" Naru trailed off as the turtle plopped itself down in her lap, giving her the biggest and cutest puppy eyes in the world. "Well…I guess that doesn't matter, does it?" She patted the yellow and green creature's head, getting occasional but happy 'myuh!'s in reply. "Welcome to Hinata-sou, Tama-chan, wanna go see what the rest of it looks like since it's your new home?"

The turtle nodded quickly, flapping his way up to Naru's shoulder and settling herself there comfortably.

"Alright, then let's go!" The young woman rose to her feet, heading for the door. "This is my room, as you can tell, and it's your room now too. You can come in here anytime you like. Out here is the hallway…"

The moment the door was completely open, though, Tama decided to take things into her own hands, or perhaps that would be flippers, and with a hop went zooming down the hallway at an alarming pace.

"Hey! Wait, get back here!" Naru went sprinting after the creature, just barely able to keep it in view. "Tama-chan!"

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Keitaro was in the middle of turning the tide on his small assailants, having finally grabbed a water gun for himself, when an earth-shattering cry pierced the evening air. Turning towards the kitchen, the manager burst into a full-out run as he saw his aunt turn in mid-stride and whip out two fans. Both were thrown within the same motion, eyes narrowed in what was likely deadly precision. Two thumps signified they indeed struck something, but the commotion from inside just made him put on another burst of speed. The kids followed curiously, a little confused and disorganized as their target fled faster than they could follow into the house.

The manager burst past his aunt, who still stood in the doorway with a third fan read, to find Motoko standing with her back to him and a good three inches of her sword drawn. Before her was Naru, arms spread wide and trying to yell over his wife's demands that she remove himself at once. Beyond her was Kenji sitting flat on his butt with Rei in his arms, above his head a small green and yellow turtle that was pinned on his back to the wall with Haruka's fan on either side of it.

"Motoko-chan, please stop! She is-"

"Get out of my way, Naru! It's one of the-"

"But she's harmless, I swear!"

"Harmless?! Harmless?!"

Motoko suddenly lunged past Naru, catching the turtle against the wall once again with the top of her sheathed weapon as it managed to free itself by popping its legs into the shell and wriggling about a bit. Drawing her tanto, the samurai woman held it poised to throw, a vengeful gleam in her eyes.

"These creatures and their Masters are not harmless!" she thundered, Tama looking back at her in confusion. "Four times they have threatened my life, three of those they have nearly taken Keitaro's as well and twice have threatened the well being of all who dwelling within these halls! Yes, that is harmless indeed, is it not? Perhaps we should just invite them all in for tea some time and be done with it! This one was not yet given the chance to attack, and I say we do not give it such!"

Naru froze, unable to move for fear of forcing Motoko's next move and yet unable to stop the flow of flow of words that tumbled from her lips. "No! She was a gift from a friend, and you knew her you'd know she'd never send a demon to us! Mutsumi Otohime is her name, please don't hurt-"

"Otohime??"

Kenji was up instantly, bravely putting himself between the turtle and Motoko's tanto as he began to speak quickly in confident tones.

"Motoko, please, you must believe me when I say this creature is innocent and will not behave as her corrupt brethren have…"

"You admit it is one of them!" she cried, moving to push him out of the way. "Corruption will always occur when an opening is presented, it must be dispatched of immediately!"

"Myuh?" Tama-chan scratched her head, waving her fins a bit as if trying to say something.

"Silence, foul fiend!" Motoko pushed harder with her sheathed katana.

"It's not a demon, Motoko, it's a benign spirit! See for yourself!"

She paused, glowering as she inverted her sight and realized her brother in law was right. Sputtering, she sheathed the short blade, still holding the small reptile in place with her sword. "But why is it here now? And why is it in such a vile form? We have never had one besides my sister's visit the Inn, and to appear in the shape of our enemies just weeks after the most recent confrontation…it is not natural!"

"What's going on?!" cried Keitaro, supremely lost.

"Let me have it," said Kenji carefully as he took hold of the creature in both hands, Motoko reluctantly removing her blade and picking up the wide-eyed Rei from the floor.

"Shinobu, if you would take Rei out back with the rest of the children?" she requested brusquely, all the little bodies clamoring to be let in behind Haruka immediately scattering into the yard with the stern look that came their way and the young cook moving to join them quickly. All the food was set on low and the lids placed on top, set aside until they could finish it later on.

"I suggest we all have a seat," said Kenji as he took the head of the table, still holding the turtle firmly in his gentle hands. "This may take a bit of explaining."

Naru sat at his right, still obviously concerned about the state of her new pet, as Haruka took the seat next to her. Motoko sat at the other end of the table, Keitaro sitting across from his aunt and next to his wife.

"I'm not sure where to start explaining all this, but the best place is usually the beginning," he stated slowly, collecting his thoughts into a single cohesive story as he studied the reptile in his lap curiously. "Long, long ago well before many of the great Empires rose to power and while the kami still fought in the skies above for control of the earth below, a few breeds of animals became 'different' from the rest, more intelligent than their fellow counterparts and able to do many things the normal ones weren't. Things like communicating with humans as well as the ability to aide or destroy them, as they should choose. The true difference, many say, is that these creatures possess a 'soul' much like humans do, whereas the others do not, but I shall not bore you with the arguments and counterarguments that arise with the discussion.

"Several of these creatures are quite common in our history and legends, the great hunters of the sky who began the phoenix, the lizards who began the great dragons. Tigers who grew larger and more ferocious and ruled entire kingdoms of animals deep in the forests were no man dare tread. The first, though, believe it or not, were the sea turtles. It was only a small group of them, and they were found by one of the first Otohime's, a young man who discovered them backed in a cover surrounded by a pack of ferocious predators. He gathered his kin and chased them off, and to repay the debt of saving their lives the clans formed a pact to be linked together in a communal friendship of trust and help. They became the original 'hot springs turtle' which is known for its abilities as a messenger by air in its younger years, and a messenger by sea as it growing older and is no longer able to fly.

"Time went on, though, and both the Otohime family and their turtles didn't stay 'pure' in that they began to evolve and split off. Different traits and variations began to arise and with time came changes as it usually does. From it came the giant land turtles that did not fly or swim, and when partnered with trainers were fearsome in battle and were rarely defeated. There were those who began the 'navy turtles', the ones who learned to attack from the water to protect those who lived on islands. Some, like this one's breed, were simply messengers or learned to help in some sort of daily task that eased their people's lives. All of the splits, save one, are still in contact and on friendly terms today."

"The Turtle Clan," spat Motoko, venom apparent in her voice.

"They violated their 'contract' with turtles by using them as holders for demons to increase their destructive powers and abilities," explained Kenji slowly. "And when the turtles deserted them, they found their own breed of 'normal' turtles that were land-based to do the same thing with. Yes, they are just regular animals compared with those used by the Otohime's and their many offshoots, but when capitalizing upon the powers absorbed by the trapping of a demon inside the poor creature they can be formidable opponents indeed. They were not 'evil', though, and even had a slight alliance with the Otohimes up until the last three or four generations. That's when things truly began to head south."

"How is it that you know all of this?" asked Keitaro suddenly, head swimming with all the information that had just been stuffed into it.

"My family has been around nearly as long as the Otohime clan, and was around before the Turtle or Aoyama clan," he explained quickly with a shrug. "One of our first occupations were to be the information gatherers and historians for the Emperor at the time, and even after his passing we continued to do so and list it in our annuls for there are many who would pay a great deal back in those days for such bits and pieces of information. Our family chronicles are more complete and accurate than anything else you will find of early Japanese history."

"Why don't you release it into the public, then?" asked Naru skeptically. "I'm sure there's museum's who'd pay a pretty penny for such things."

"Because it would rewrite Japanese history as we know it and ruffle more than a few feathers," he replied with a snort. "There are some things that happened in such a radically different manner than we learned it in public schools that even I have a hard time believeing it sometimes."

Naru raised a brow, still skeptical, but willing to let him continue. "Ok, then…"

"At the time the Turtle Clan came to be, the Aoyama family was formed and rose to power," he continued. "The three clans had a unique bond between them. One, the Otohimes, raised benign spirits. One, the Turtle Clan captures evil and demonic spirits, bending them to do their will in the name of 'good'. And finally one, the Aoyamas destroyed those demons and spirits that couldn't be captured or 'reformed'."

"If there was a workable unity among the three clans, why is it going so badly now?" asked Naru suddenly. "It sounds like a good system to me, so where did it fail?"

The three Urashimas exchanged looks before turning to Kenji who just shrugged.

"We don't really know," he admitted carefully. "There are specific instances that caused rifts between the clans that we can cite, the problem is that there is a lack of reason behind them that no one can explain."

"Such as what?"

"The Turtle Clan stealing those types." Haruka motioned in Tama's direction with her cigarette. "And forcing them into slavery through binding by demons to human masters. That started just about the time Hina was born, if the tales she used to tell are anything to go by."

"That was the first rift between the Turtle and Otohime clan," added Kenji quickly. "Several things were learned with that incident, the first being that female turtles cannot be bound into such posts, which is why I said 'brethren' earlier. Regardless of what Tama-chan wants, she cannot serve the Turtle clan with anything but the abilities she has naturally for demons simply will not bind with females to enhance their powers. Also, there was never given a specific reason by those who were captured in attempting to catch the benign spirits other than 'they were ordered to' to do so. And while yes, it made them more powerful, the rulers of the Turtle clan know better than to draw so much attention to themselves when they are hardly able to stave off an attack by either of the Aoyama or Otohime clans. That is why an incident like that didn't make sense. They never used the power to do anything other than harass a few Aoyama members, and yourselves here, nothing more."

"There is no specific gain behind such a move, when they would not be able to hold what they had taken if attacked in return," clarified Haruka when Naru opened her mouth with a confused look in her eyes. "Which, given the risk of the situation and the long time it would take to capitalize upon that which they'd captured, made the move puzzling."

"Oh."

"There had always been a gap between the Turtles and the Aoyamas," went on Kenji, treading carefully with his last statement. "They were in competition to a certain extent, but the first 'incident' would be the death of Motoko's mother in such questionable circumstances and all culminating events that led up to it."

The only sign of recognition the swordswoman gave, to her credit, was the tightening of her lips, but Keitaro noticed it none the less and reached over to squeeze the hand that rested on her thigh gently. The weary ghost of a smile he got wasn't much, but he accepted as it was all he was going to get and motioned for Kenji to go on.

"That's about it, to be honest," he explained as he sat back, running a hand through his hair. "The Otohime's rarely send such creatures out of their reach without a reason, but it's beyond me why this little one might be needed here. She's just a messenger."

"Myuh!" The turtle shrugged back when given a quizzical look by some of the others, wriggling out of Kenji's grip to pounce on Naru's lap cutely.

"Whatever the reason," finished the man. "She is here now, and here she shall stay until they call her home again."

"It's a liability to the house if we allow it to stay," argued Motoko with a frown. "Even if that creature in and of itself is not dangerous, how difficult for the enemy would it be to capture this one and set in its place another what would attack at the next opportune moment?"

"A good bit more difficult than you may think, at first," replied Kenji quickly. "As a trained warrior, this spirit has less ki than you and you can keep it in your 'sight' at all times as well as check to make sure it hasn't been switched any time you want. Keitaro has the same ability as well, and there is rarely a time when at least one of you are not present, right? Any attack would have to come with in that very limited time frame, and what about Naru? I'm pretty sure she's been chosen as the 'keeper' of the turtle, and if that's truly the case then no one will fool her with a fake no matter what."

"As my sister does with hers, able to tell it out of a flock of its own kind with ease," conceded the swordswoman uneasily. "But what of the others? There are times that all three of us will be absent, as well as this: what if the creature itself is corrupted and sent back to us? Would we notice the chance in time to stop it?"

"We can make a band or something for her to wear so the others will recognize her as well," suggested Naru as she patted the turtle's head gently. "She was a gift, I can't just send her back!"

"You didn't answer my second question. And gift or not I do not feel comfortable with it in our home!"

"Tama-chan is incapable of being corrupted in that manner," said Haruka flatly. "It's a she, ok? She-turtles aren't able to be holders of demons the way the males are. Therefore, unless the creature was tortured into being used against us there is no way they could corrupt it, and given how hard they are to catch or destroy period I doubt you need to worry about that. I don't think you're being given a choice in this, though, even if there were a chance of it being used against us." She picked up the shelled reptile and studied it. "The Urashimas and Otohimes have been friends even longer than the Aoyamas and Urashimas. If they sent this turtle on purpose, with a given task, it won't leave regardless of what you do or say until its masters tell it to. We can probably make it so it stays away from you for the most part, but I think that's the best anyone's going to be able to do in a situation like this."

Motoko shuddered as she met the creature's eyes, it was far too like her enemies for her own comfort but she was smart enough to realize when she couldn't win. It was harmless, even she had to admit to that no matter how it rankled, and no one feared its presence with the exception of herself. Shrugging, she rose and walked around the table keeping a good distance between herself and the turtle at all time.

Keitaro rose as well in confusion. "Motoko-chan…?"

"If it must stay, I will not waste my breath arguing against it," she said as she opened the back door, glancing back over her shoulder tensely. "But I would strongly advise that it is kept out of my way for the peace of the household." And with that she left the kitchen completely, closing the door behind herself firmly.

"I suppose that's all for now," said Haruka as she rose slowly, putting out her cigarette and tossing it in the bin. "You." She held the turtle up to her face so its eyes met hers and they stared at each other expressionlessly.

"Myuh?" It quipped after a few moments of silence, an innocent look on its face.

"Don't give me that," she replied in a flat tone. "You're a guest here, and you'll behave as such. Your kind likes mischievous pranks, and in regard to your hosts that won't be happening here, right?"

Tama-chan scratched her nose, wrinkling it before nodding slightly.

"Good. Naru, I'd take this one upstairs and keep her in your room until our guests leave, it's just better that way." If either turtle or tenant had an objection it died with the no-argument front Haruka had in place, and as such the turtle was whisked upstairs out of sight with a watermelon until she could be safely introduced to the rest later on. Naru said she'd stay with her new 'pet' to keep her entertained, and with an odd thought popping into Haruka's mind she wasn't inclined to disagree. Turning to Keitaro, she gave him a shrewd look through narrowed eyes once Naru was out of sight.

"Has Naru been around at any given session when Seta has joined you?" she asked carefully.

"Uh…actually, she hasn't," replied Keitaro, surprised and a little confused. "Though she knows Koshi and Sarah very well. Why? Is that a bad thing?"

"That depends on who you're talking to. Now scat, I'll finish dinner and I have a few messages I'd like Kenji to relay to his wife for me." Her voice brooked no argument and Keitaro obeyed with an understanding nod. Out the back door he went, disappearing into the yard with is wife and the many kids scattered there.

"Messages?" asked Kenji in confusion as Haruka headed back over to the stove, checking everything in the pots and starting up where Shinobu had left off.

"Set the table," ordered the elder Urashima, pointing to the shelves where the plates and cups were kept. "I can tell you don't know anything about what happened yesterday between your wife and those two, so I'm going to tell you along with my particular 'thoughts' and Hina's 'comments' on the situation so you can carry it back to the council along with a 'promise' of sorts…"

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Seta didn't even bother going to the front door when he heard the ruckus in the back of the house, simply walking around the side with Koshi following curiously until he reached the others there. Keitaro was running around wildly with Su, Sarah, Shinobu, and several little ones that could easily be Motoko's children, siblings, or cousins they looked so very much alike. Motoko herself stood off to one side, one in her arms and another at her side in a small hamaka and gi with a wooden sword in her belt that bore such a strong resemblance to the woman that the professor had a hard time believing they weren't hers.

He was about to call a greeting when Sarah caught sight of them, immediately leaving the game to come charging over as fast as she could and wrap herself around the two most important people in her life. "Papa! Koshi!" The Aoyama brood followed curiously, swarming the pair in a mass of confusion and shouted greetings all around until Haruka appeared at the doorway and yelled that dinner was ready.

The swarm immediately inverted itself to head inside, making for a rather crowded and noisy setting as introductions were made and old friends met once more.

"So, this brood is yours?" asked Seta as he sat across from Kenji, the two long-time friends from way back before.

"Most of them, three belong to my brother but he needs me to watch them for the time being," explained the man with a grin. "Not that it matters. Once you get over three, the number doesn't matter anymore so much as controlling the chaos does."

"I'm surprised you'd even think of going out of the house with them, actually, especially without Tsuruko around to help," admitted the professor lightly as he tousled Sarah's golden hair. "This one is wild enough for me just on her own I can't imagine dealing with six or seven at a time."

"Coming here isn't so bad, especially with Motoko and Keitaro to help." Kenji shrugged with a grin, nodding to the pair who was interspersed among the children at one end of the table, Rei in Motoko's lap with the little girl eating directly from her plate. "It's good practice for them, whether they want to admit it or not."

"Practice?" interceded Kitsune with a sly look on her face. "Motoko-chan, so soon?? I didn't realize this was a dry run for times that were about to be upon us…" The foxy lady's lips curled up ever so slightly, a wicked gleam in her eyes.

"That 'time' is no more upon us than your entire 'collection' disappearing in the nearby future," came the sharp retort from the resident swordswoman. "Though should you persist in thinking so I believe the latter can be arranged…"

Kitsune backed off quickly, her sake was too important to risk in such a gamble. "Gees, just trying to make a joke…"

Ami and Austin joined the group before too long, the dinner quickly finishing itself as Koshi and Seta left once more to head back out to the dig after a quick goodbye with Sarah and the Americans with Shinobu's help took on the task of cleaning up for the night.

The manager and his wife found themselves buried under a mound of small, wriggling bodies on the couch as Beauty and the Beast was put in the VCR for them to watch with popcorn and coke in abundance for all. That passed all too quickly as well, though, and soon Motoko was helping her brother in law tuck in his miscreant charges before putting Su and Sarah up in their room with Keitaro's help and making sure everything was closed down for the night.

It had been a tumultuous two days, and in all of this it wasn't until after she had closed and locked the last door did the samurai woman remember the 'foul' creature upstairs with a shiver up her spine. A quick peek revealed it was still with Naru, likely asleep beside her bed as neither was moving and both auras were in a state of rest. Resigning herself to whatever lie ahead, Motoko went up the stairs turning off the light afterwards. But a few minutes later found her curled up beside her husband fast asleep and in her land of dreams.

Whatever the future held, as uncertain as it seemed sometimes, she was certain she could face it now for she was sure whatever may come they would face it together. A sword roughened hand found one calloused from years of honest work and squeezed it gently, a silent promised in the darkest hours of the night that it would never let go.

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And there, dear friends, ends Chapter 13. You should be pleased, no cliff hanger this time and if I may say so myself this was a most masterfully put together chapter indeed. I am most pleased with how it all turned out and I hope you were as well.

As usual, thank to the many, many of you who reviewed and now it is time to begin going through the replies I have. Please read through them for you never know when one of my comments may be directed towards you!

Authors Notes:

#1. Yes, Mutsumi has finally joined ranks with the others in this little tale. I see that many, many of you are pleased and a few think her to be a little odd. Well, her role isn't the same as last time so she'll hardly be exactly the same person, right? Cut me some slack, not everything can be perfect I just try really hard and that's what you're gonna go.

#2. Tama-chan has also joined the crew, as several of you wondered about the type of reception she'd receive last time. Well, there it is. And that's how she got to be instated in Hinata-sou, no matter how much Motoko didn't want her there. It also put into perspective the fact that turtles themselves are not evil, it's their masters. More's to come of that, I promise, just wait and see.

#3. Sorry the updates aren't coming faster. I try, I do, to get it up when I can but I do have a life and it's not centered around this story.

#4. You had some mixed reactions about Naru failing, but it has its purposes later on, I promise. Just keep on reading, and it'll all be revealed in the end.

#5. A lot of you were hit over the back of the head with Tsuruko arriving, it was quite amazing if I say so myself. I hope the conclusion of all of that satisfied all of you, along with the battle that it entailed.

#6. Someone asked how many good guys would die in this story, and I have this to ask: has anyone died as of yet? No? Then, as angst isn't in the title I would say few to none, though I'm not going to tell you for sure because then you're going to read each chapter knowing something that you shouldn't. There won't be any massacres, though, that's not within the current style of the story.

#7. Thank you to those who recognize my attempts at originality and sticking with parts of the anime or manga all together as one, it makes me feel special when people read a bit below the surface and into the weft and weave of things. Such intelligent readers are a blessing to have!

#8. One of you asked what was going to happen, if they would win or lose, and now you know! Silly reviewer to ask, though, like I was gonna tell you before I got the chapter up… :P

#9. blushes You guys are gonna give me a big head if you keep heaping on the praise, if they have to widen my dorm door jus so I can leave my room, I'm gonna take up a collection out of you guys to pay for it just so you know.

#10. …someone asked to make them have sex. And here is my answer: when it pertains to the storyline, something will happen, however it will NOT be a lemon as I'm not going to risk my account for your viewing pleasure. The deed will not be done until it is time, though, so you might as well just wait for it.

#11. If I do not always get a 'translation' right in the naming of something, I blame it more on the free translators as that is all that is available to me than anything else. If you want to point out the mistake, go ahead, but there is no guarantee that I'll change the name based upon what you say. I try to get things right as I can, but I'm hardly perfect.

#12. On Keitaro learning to fight (which some of you are VERY persistent about!) it is coming. Patience, grasshopper, patience, for soon all will be revealed to you in this master plan of mine that all may be happy and joyous together, amen.

#13. Someone asked about making the chapters shorter and more frequent, so I ask you this reviewers: Is this what you want? Vote now, longer chapter with long waits or shorter chapters with a CHANCE that they might come up sooner? Make your choice in your reviews, and I'll let you have my thoughts on that particular topic sometime next chapter.

#14. Yes, I am still alive. I haven't been murdered and this is some horrible man dragging his blood-smeared fingers across the keyboard in an attempt to imitate me and confuse the rest of you. Believe me, I doubt he could do half as well as I did and there would be far more spelling errors since the blood would've shorted out a couple of keys by now and letters would be missing entirely. So see, I'm not dead, not at all.