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.

14. Beachside Tea House

Here we are again with Chapter 14! Hopefully this update is finished sooner than the last (even I'll admit that it took an embarrassingly long time) though perhaps not as quick as some in the past. Things seem to be progressing at a good pace, and times are about to pick up again so sit back and enjoy the ride as Crosseyedbutterfly presents the 14th segment of 'A Different Life'. Oh…and Authors notes and such are at the end, so be sure to stop and take a look!

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Kenji and his brood were dutifully loaded onto the train the next morning with Motoko and Keitaro's help, one last round of hugs and sticky kisses passing through before it chugged sluggishly out of the station and towards the country side where the Aoyama's lived. The couple had stood there and waved until it was out of sight, Keitaro with his arm about her waist and holding her close in easy companionship. Back to the Inn they went when the last traces of the train were gone, talking about their nieces and nephews and how glad they were to have visited with them.

Later that day Tama-chan was brought down out of Naru's room and introduced to all of the residents, the band Su had designed being add to the creature's forearm as well as a quick overview as to where the turtle was allowed and wasn't. The only real places the turtle wasn't allowed were Motoko and Keitaro's bedroom and in the immediate vicinity of Motoko herself (the younger residents bought the story that she might mistake it for one of the enemy, but Ami, Austin and Kitsune exchanged looks at the odd sheen of sweat that had appeared on the samurai woman's forehead with the appearance of the turtle). With that, and one final threat from Haruka to behave that was done in private after the meeting, she was released to roam the Inn as she fit and explore her new home.

Things settled down again into a routine, and as always with routines they tend to make time pass in the quickest of ways.

As the days rolled onward, melting into a colorful blur as spring ran into summer, school came to a close and with it several of the defining lines in the resident's lives. Manager and resident alike bent their backs under the load such a time required, be it studying for exams or the spring repairs that had accumulated during Keitaro's 'sick leave'. The tests came and went, though, and all passed with the highest of marks as a just reward for their hard work.

The kendo finals also came within the same week, and all of Hinata-sou made the trip to Tokyo where in one of the famous arenas Motoko led her team to a total victory over all other schools present in the Sr. High Women's division. The battles were stunning displays of dexterity and strength, and hardly was there a match that the winner was not easily decided until the end. Yet the samurai's chosen followers triumphed, and the party that followed with all female members of the team in attendance was one that was spoken of for years to come.

Naru's graduation from high school came and went, along with the bittersweet memory of her failure to get into Toudai. However, the ceremony itself was bereft of any such thoughts and celebrating with her parents and step-sister that came to see the proceeds helped keep those thoughts away for the time being.

Koshi and Seta remained out at their dig, occasionally sending postcards in to Sarah with treats or presents as a sort of appeasement for being gone so long. And though she missed her Papa and cousin dearly, there was always so much going on around the Inn that there were some days that she hardly missed them at all.

For once, things were relatively calm in light of all the excitement, and settled in for a restive summer break when the first of many interesting happenings took place. Keitaro was returning from the bank having finally settled all loans and extra accounts he possessed a good while after dinner had ended to find Motoko packing in their room wearing a pair of overalls with the straps down and a worn tank top.

"There you are," she said with a smile, her hair held back from her face with an elastic holder. "Hurry up and pack, oba-san is anxious to get going."

"Get going where?" he replied, thoroughly lost. "I didn't know we were going anywhere!"

"Sorry about that, he slipped past me while I was railing on Austin for trying to juggle my tea house cups," said Haruka from the doorway as she appeared as if out of nowhere. "I'm sure you can fill him in, though, so I'm gonna check in on Naru and help her get her bags downstairs."

"Where are we going?" repeated Keitaro, still confused.

"To the beach Tea House," replied Motoko with a smile. "We, as in you, Haruka, Naru and I, will leave tonight to fix up the place and the rest will join us a few days after. There is a regular crew that works it well past when school starts again, but Haruka likes to open it personally and see it gets a good start for the summer crowds. It is very enjoyable, the work we do there for her, with a great deal of recreation time as well, so no one complains."

"What about Hinata-sou and the Tea House here?" replied Keitaro, though he'd already given in by the way he pulled out an empty duffle bag and began to fill it with shorts, shirts, underwear and his swim trunks.

"Haruka has arrangements made to cover everything," replied his wife. "In the past Hina-san would stay behind and mind the place in our absence, and I have a sneaking suspicion that she will do so again, but Haruka refuses to say if it is so and insists all will be taken care of."

"Well, if Haruka is sure it's going to be taken care of then I won't worry about it," he said with a shrug, tossing some toiletry items in a smaller bag as Haruka yelled for them to hurry up from downstairs. As a last minute thought he grabbed his sketch pad and a couple of pencils, tossing those in as well. "I just wasn't crazy about leaving this place empty for that long, you never know what might happen."

"Haruka would never leave her childhood home in such a state, if given a choice," came the gentle admonishment, Motoko shouldering her bag and sword with ease. "You should know that. However, we must hurry before oba-san decides to leave us behind.

"Some time today, you two!" yelled their aunt, as if on cue.

"Coming!" replied Keitaro, grabbing his things and jogging after his wife down the stairs. Loading their bags in the back the group took off in the old patched-up van, Naru in the front passenger seat with Haruka driving and Motoko and Keitaro in the middle bench.

"Get comfortable," ordered Haruka as she turned onto the highway, Naru already having put on a set of headphones and pulled a blanket up around her shoulders. "We're driving through the night and starting work when we get there in the morning so you should sleep while you can."

"Are you sure you can make it that long?" replied Keitaro in surprise. "What is it, an 8, 9 hour drive?"

"Been doing it for these last 10 years," she replied, pausing to tell an old Honda Accord on the far left lane they were a disgrace to their car in different words before blowing by them indignantly. "I'd like to think I'm not that old yet…"

"Oh, right." The manager glanced about, watching the cars outside for a moment before turning to his wife and finding her settled against he window with her notebook spread across her lap. "Are you going to sleep?" he asked quietly, trying not to disturb the other two.

"Hm?" She looked up, setting her pen aside. "I do not sleep well in moving vehicles, for the most part."

"Then when will you rest?"

"Tomorrow after the main tasks have been completed if I am unable to find such rest later tonight," she explained with a shrug. "I was trained to be able to keep myself moving no matter what, it is not hardship for me to do so again."

"Ohh…" After looking around for a few more minutes, Keitaro sighed and decided to try and sleep it out like the fourth member of their little crew. Taking a handy blanket and pillow, he tucked it about himself and tired to find a comfortable position on the half-bench seat. Nearly there, he would've promptly fell asleep if not that his neck protested a little too much to the awkward angle in which it had been placed. Several other odd, and some just plain weird positions followed until he felt a gentle hand rest on his shoulder.

"Lay down," his wife told him quietly so as not to disturb the other two.

"But you…"

"You can rest your head here." She laid the pillow in her lap, setting herself up so she could continue writing using his back as a desk. Her husband wasn't long on complying, knowing a good thing when he saw one and gratified for her selfless move. Soon time saw his on his stomach with his head comfortably cradled in Motoko's lap with the pillow and a blanket tucked in around his shoulders. Blinking sleepily as Keitaro found it nearly as comfortable as his own bed, he glanced up to catch his aunt's gaze in the rear-view mirror and could've sworn she winked right before he was enveloped in sleep.

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Kitsune collected the mail the next morning, thoroughly pissed that she had to sober up for a few days and only slightly consoled the fact that she'd been promise bottomless drinks in return for a week. Yes, the beachside vintage of sake was particularly tasty and strong, but to not be allowed even a beer or hard lemonade for two whole days…

"A package, ma'am."

Kitsune was startled out of her thoughts by the UPS man beside the mailbox, holding his clipboard and a cardboard box about the size of a dictionary. "Who's it for?" she asked, curious to say the least but still signing the line dutifully that it had been accepted by someone.

"A Baker-san," he replied, reading from his list. "It sounds American."

"It is," replied the foxy lady, trading the clipboard for the box and giving it an experimental shake. "I'll make sure he gets it."

"Thanks, he your husband?"

Kitsune gave a short laugh, shaking her head. "Heck no."

"Oh…ok."

The shake had revealed nothing of interest, other than it was unusually heavy, and Kitsune was almost at the top of the stairs when she remember the two Americans were minding the Tea House until Haruka's 'help' arrived, deciding to leave it by Austin's door instead out of laziness. Finding Su about to run up the stairs she amended that plan as well and tossed the boy at the young tenant lightly.

"Drop that by Austin's door, will you?" she asked as she draped herself across the couch, flipping on the TV.

"What's in it?" came the curious reply.

"Dunno, other than it's heavy, it just came in the mail."

"Ok!"

"What do you think it is?" asked Sarah as they topped the stairs.

"Dunno…" Su suddenly got a gleam in her eyes. "Wanna go scan it and see? We need something to test it with anyways!"

"Sure!"

The two bounded into Su's room quick as a wink, putting the box on a conveyor belt where it was whisked inside an odd contraption with several flashes of light coming from the inside. A few seconds later the two had their answer, pictures popping up on the computer screen of stacks of paper all piled together.

"That's boring," muttered Sarah in annoyance. "You'd think being an American he'd get a big gun in the mail or something. At least there was cookies in that last box that we could take. C'mon, let's...is something burning?"

Su yelped, diving towards the machine which was now emitting small streams of smoke. The box was retrieved intact though rather singed just before the whole thing collapsed in on itself in a heap of smoke and oil.

"We'd better put it back," said Sarah as Su took a fire extinguisher to her creation. "Y'know, get ride of the evidence and all…"

"I wonder if the laser frequency was too high or if just the bouncing of the waves themselves was too much," she muttered to herself, chewing on a thumbnail. "I though I had it balanced out this time!"

"Su!"

"Oh, coming!"

The evidence was quickly deposited inside Austin's doorway, one corner crumbling away completely and black lines marking its edges.

"Do you think they'll know it was us?" wondered Sarah as she brushed the soot from her fingers.

Su shook her head. "Not a chance, why in the world would they? C'mon, we've still got packing to do for tomorrow. I wanna take lots of effects to use in the play. Race ya!"

"You're on!"

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Keitaro woke to the smell of Mc Donald's egg, bacon and cheese biscuits, feeling something heavy and warm shift on his back as a few silken strands of the deepest black brushed his nose.

"Kodak moment!"

The flash of Naru's camera left the young man blinking owlishly, lights dancing across his vision.

"Eat something and wake up Snow White above you," said Haruka in a weary voice, drinking black coffee in large gulps as they turned onto a sandy lane off the main road.

"I'm awake," murmured Motoko, though she buried herself deeper in her arms and Keitaro's back.

"And Naru here is able to swallow fire," came the tart retort. "Sit up and put on your boots, we made bad time on that last stretch of highway and lost part of the morning as it is."

"It's 7:00 am, how much of the day could we possibly have wasted?" asked Keitaro in surprise.

Naru looked up over her seat as his wife did as she'd been told mumbling something under her breath about marrying into a family with a slave-driver aunt. "We normally arrive at 5:30," she explained flatly.

"Oh."

"Here we are."

Keitaro looked out at the broken-down building with holes in its roof and its walls in questionable condition. "…it's about to fall apart," he pointed out, giving his aunt a confused look. "How the hell are we going to get customers to come in with a building like that?"

"Baka." Keitaro ducked the fan swiped sent his way as Motoko and Naru jumped out of the van and began to unload their supplies while discussing their plans for this year's production. "That's why we came early, to fix up the place before we open up shop. And don't worry about the customers, they'll come." She winked at Naru and Motoko, the former grinning as the latter pointedly ignored it. "Now," went on Haruka before anything else could be said. "Keitaro, get up on the roof and start patching up the holes. If we're going to sleep in there tonight and not the van, it's got to be finished so get moving. Motoko and Naru, take down the front wall and set up the over-tarp, you know how to do it without me. I'm going to sleep, but I want one of you two to come and wake me in time for lunch. Whoever makes it or what is made, I don't care, but we eat at noon and when I say that I mean everyone better be ready to eat a 11:59. Got it? This place has to be in top shape by the time the rest arrive."

"Yeah, I was just wondering though," said her nephew as he put on the tool belt that had been tossed in his direction with a thing of nails and several shingles. "How are the others getting here?"

"Kitsune drives them up," came the sharp reply as she lit up, grabbing her own duffle bag and heading towards the back of the building. Motoko and Naru were already busy at one corner, working at some hinges with a crowbar and hammer. "That's one of the few parts of this trip she hates, I make her sober up before she takes the drive."

"I could honestly believe she hasn't been a day sober since the last time you made her do so last year," he replied with a laugh as he set up the ladder that had been on top of the van against the outer wall beside the door. Scaling it with the nails in one hand, he looked back over his shoulder hopefully. "Could someone toss up those-ah!" The manager barely avoided a collision with the bag of tiles his aunt threw up at him "Uh…thanks!"

"Just get working!"

"Yes, ma'am!"

Keitaro chuckled to himself as she swore loud enough for him to hear and her inability to reach him at the moment. "I am NOT a ma'am!" Haruka moved off to the back again, disappearing into its black depths to grab what sleep she could. He could hear it as someone turned on a radio downstairs, bits and pieces of news and music drifting up to him in stray clumps depending on the wind. The sun, drifting up to its apex as time went on, reached its height far sooner than he thought it would and as his stomach began to complain about an incredible lack of sustenance in it a familiar voice along with the appetizing smell of fresh ramen caught his attention. Finding his current portion of the roof finished and feeling like he deserved a break, Keitaro slid down the ladder and padded silently into what he assumed was the kitchen area with the mouth watering smell and voice guiding the way. The melody was pulsing and slow, yet it made something well up in his chest as he listened to the voice mirror his own feelings perfectly.

yami no yozora ga futari wakatsu no wa

yobiau kokoro hadaka ni suru tame

kazari nugisute subete nakusu toki

nanika ga mieru

kaze yo watashi wa tachimukau

yukou kurushimi no umi e to

kizuna kono mune ni kizande

kudakeru nami wa hatenaku tomo

nani wo motomete daremo arasou no?

nagashita chishio hana wo sakaseru no?

toutoki ashita kono te ni suru made

deaeru hi made

kaze yo watashi wa tachimukau

yukou kagayaki wo mezashite

inori kono mune ni dakishime

samayou yami no you na mirai

kaze yo watashi wa osorenai

ai koso mitsukedashita kiseki yo

kimi wo shinjite'ru yorokobi

arashi wa ai ni kizuku tame ni fuite'ru

(English translation at end)

As the last word and notes died out he found Motoko standing over the stove, tending to the pots there as the radio went to some local news bits and she continued to hum to herself unaware of his watching presence. Smiling at this rare opportunity he slipped up behind her as silently as he could and once her arms were free of the pot ran his fingers lightly along her ribs before glomping tightly around her waist from behind.

"Ah! You-!" She wriggled free, giving him an irritated look that quickly melting into an affectionate grin as he gave her an apologetic shrug. "Any particular reason you found that necessary?"

"You don't leave yourself open for many sneak attacks," he replied as she turned back to the stove. "It was too good a chance to let it pass. Mm…when are we going to eat? That smells really, really good…"

"Not until Naru finishes waking Haruka," replied Motoko, giving him a mock-severe glare as he tried to reach past her for a taste and she blocked his way.

"Not even a little taste?" he pleaded, pulling her closer with one arm as he tried to reach around her with the other.

She saw where he was going before he got there, though, and blocked him again before giving him a gentle shove towards the table. "Go set it, Haruka will be out here soon…"

"Aww…alright…" He pulled out the paper bowls and chopsticks, setting them on napkins on a table nearby. "Old bat needs to hurry up and get up, I'm hungry."

WHAP

"OW!"

"Keep your shirt on," grumbled Haruka as she appeared in the doorway, clothes rumpled and barefoot. "And your comments to yourself."

"Ok, sorry…"

Nothing much else was said as a couple of cokes were popped open and the quartet fell ravenously onto their simple meal, finishing it in record time with occasional queries to the work that was left to be finished and praises for the food itself.

"Get back up on the roof, kid," said Haruka as she gathered up the dishes and tossed it all in a waste bag. "Motoko, you're putting up the sign and lights. Naru, you're starting the inside cleaning. I'll start checking the walls, but since we had everything reinforced last year it shouldn't be in too bad a shape."

"We won't have to replace any windows this year," observed Motoko as she took a quick glance around, dragging out a crate from behind one of the counters.

"But we did lose most of the light bulbs that were left in their sockets," replied Naru with a shrug. "If it isn't one thing it's another."

"Less talk, more work!" called Haruka from where she was marking a weak spot to be patched up by on corner.

"Yes, ma'am!" the pair said in unison with matched grins, and by the time Haruka had turned around with a fan poised above head the room was empty of all save herself.

"Damn brats…I'm getting too predictable in my old age…"

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Keitaro labored under the sun for the rest of the afternoon, almost completely lost in his own little world until he realized just about the time the last glimmers and rays were disappearing behind the horizon that he wasn't alone. Motoko worked her way long the edge of the roof, carefully stringing up old, weathered Chinese lamps in which she put a new bulb and attached it to an electric line that ran along the bottom lip of the gutter. A sign set up towards the front on some supports that hadn't been there before testified that she'd likely been there a long time, and Keitaro blushed at his own inattentiveness.

"Are you done?" she asked when she realized she was being watched. "Oba-san said we could not eat until you are, for it will be too dark afterwards."

"Almost," he replied with a nod, looking back over his shoulder as his stomach growled. "Which is probably a good thing."

"You might wish to hurry before your stomach decides to snack upon your spine," she advised with a wink as she scooted back down the ladder for more lamps.

"Ok!" Keitaro was a little surprised by her rather playful mood, but he wasn't about to complain. Going back at it with a will, by the time all last vestiges of light were gone and the stars had begun to twinkle overhead Keitaro had descended from the roof for the last time and washed up to eat dinner with the others. One by one (with the exception of Haruka, who'd showered before she made the food) they each slipped off at different times and made use of the shower to clean up as the meal went on. The whole affair was very relaxed, and as Naru left to take her turn he observed the building the other three women seemed so at home in.

The building itself mainly consisted of a huge room that took up 2/3 of the overall space at least, if not more. The last 1/3 was the kitchen and some storage space, marked by a waist high counter will stools along it and a swinging door at either end. The only door that he'd actually observed was through the kitchen to one side, but the customers were obviously to approach through the open wall which now lay out providing more seating with an awning over head to keep sun and rain off their patron's heads. A flexible metal wall that slid down from above provided enough security when the shop was closed and locked, a thick tarp tied behind it to keep out the elements and unwanted guests. There were also the small rooms to the back with the shower, toilet and sink. It was small, but more than enough for one or two people should they choose to live there permanently and far more sturdily built than the rest of the place.

"Where will we be sleeping?" he asked suddenly as he cleared up the last bits from his plate, all but licking it clean. A glance over the scoured wood floor underneath his feet and all he could remember being in the van being a couple of pillows and blankets he hoped there was something he'd missed.

"There's another room back behind the kitchen that's on the others side of the hall," replied Haruka as she lit up as usual.

"Yeah, I know, but there's only room for one or two back there, unless some of us are gonna sleep back there on the floor?"

"Nope. That's where you and Motoko will sleep on the futon. Me and Naru will be out here in a couple of hammocks."

"I thought we were to take the hammocks," replied Motoko quickly, a little surprised. "And you and Naru were to have the room in the back."

"Your tenant brought up a few good points, and so I decided to switch it up," she said with motion towards the back where Naru was taking a shower. "Is there a problem with that?"

"Well, it will work for tonight, but it does not make much sense when you will be sleeping back there when the others arrive anyways."

"Why would she sleep back there?" put in Keitaro curiously. "And where are we going to put the rest when they come? We can't sleep them all in here! There's just not enough room! It'd take forever each day to set up and tear down enough hammocks for everyone."

"When they arrive, we will all transfer over to the hotel across the road," explained Motoko quickly. "They give us three rooms in a suite setting for our own use in return for a certain number of food vouchers at the Tea House."

"But someone has to stay here overnight to make sure no one breaks and in and such," broke in Haruka carefully. "This year, it won't be me and here is why. With Keitaro coming along, and no other males, it so royally screws up the usual sleeping arrangements that there is no way to make it work without opening some doors for rather disastrous ends. Ami and Austin said they'd take care of their own arrangements, so we don't have to worry about them either."

"Then we'll be staying here, in the Tea House?"

"Yep, there's a bed back there and everything. All you have to do is lock the doors at night and not open them again until morning," said his aunt matter of fact-ly. "I could never leave one of the girls here alone, if something happened Hina would have my hide for a rug. But a married couple won't attract any unwanted attention as a lone girl might and therefore is very doable."

"Did you replace the futon mattress?" asked Motoko quickly with pursed lips.

Haruka grinned, and unless Keitaro was blind there was a slightly self-conscious tweak to it. "There's a new one in the car, we can make the trade tonight."

"Then it's fine with me."

Leaving that statement alone, as it was likely to get him smacked or worse, the young man clapped his hands together and rubbed the crumbs from dinner off of them. "So, what's on the schedule now? More work? Or can I go ahead and take my shower too?"

"We rest after the sun goes down," replied Haruka. "No need to be burned out by the time the others get here, that just complicates things."

Naru, who had entered just in time to hear Keitaro ask his question, added, "Usually, during these few days, Haruka tells us about some of the adventures she had in her younger years. But I'll bet you've already heard all of them, being her nephew and all…"

"Adventures? What sort of adventures?" came the shocked reply. "I knew you traveled a lot, but I thought they were just archeological digs with some old friend of yours!"

"Another shred of proof that your parents put the 'fun' back in dysfunctional," coughed Haruka. "Doesn't surprise me, neither my brothers nor their wives ever cared much for the rebellious younger sister of the Urashima family."

"I can't believe you don't know about some of the stunts she's pulled," said Naru in surprise. "Tell him about the dig way out on the island where you got chased off by those techno-tribes!"

"You only like that one because it has a love story in it," pointed out Motoko dryly.

"It doesn't make it any less of a great story," replied Naru with a grin. "Go on, tell it!"

"Well, if you want…" Haruka shifting in her chair, settling into it for a long wait. "Once, long enough ago that I could go for days without sleep it seemed and work like a Trojan for hours, I was asked along on this dig by an old friend and her boss…"

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Shinobu patted Tama-chan on the head, the small turtle having elected to stay behind for some reason, even when Motoko had begrudgingly admitted it wouldn't hurt to have her along on the trip. Set up in Naru's room with enough melons to sink a ship and few oranges tossed in for a variety, the young chef hoped the whoever the caretakers of the Inn would be would also take good care of this small reptilian creature.

"Something wrong?" asked Austin as he passed by Naru's doorway, spotting her inside.

"Just saying good night for Naru-sempai," she replied with a smile, getting up quickly and heading for the door. "I feel a little bad leaving her all by herself without Naru-sempai around to keep her company."

"I'm sure Tama-chan will be just fine," he said with a winning smile, giving her a quick pat on the head. "I think Su and Sarah are getting impatient downstairs, what anime are you watching?"

"Azumanga Daioh, Austin-san. Would you like to join us?"

"No, I have to write some letters home while I can," he replied ruefully. "Maybe next time, though. Ok?"

"Ok!"

Going down a few more doors, the young American entered his room and noticed a battered box shoved up against the wall that hadn't been there when he'd left that morning. Cursing the Japanese postal service for their clumsiness as this was the third package he'd gotten in such a poor condition, he reached for a pocket knife and quickly slit through the tape holding it closed.

Rummaging through the legal documents after reading the note stacked on top, Austin opened the secret door behind his and Ami's room.

"Hey, wanna go on a road trip of sorts?" he called, pulling out another document.

"Where to?" she called back, changing out of her work clothes into something more comfortable. "We're supposed to leave with the others tomorrow for the beach, right?"

"We were," he agreed, still reading whatever was in his hand. "But something came up…" He pulled out two plane tickets from an envelope.

"Where to?"

"Home."

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Keitaro was blearily blinking his eyes by the time the story telling was finished, finally getting his turn in the shower as none of the girls had finished until right before they'd begun and it was apparently a crime to even think about moving while Haruka was telling her tales. While he cleaned up Motoko headed on outside to check on how the lamps and signs were holding in the brisk evening breeze, Haruka going out to the van with Naru to retrieve the hammocks and new futon mattress. Saying goodnight to the pair when she came back in, Motoko made another appearance a few moments later.

"What did you do?" she asked simply, knowing Haruka would understand without question.

"I made life easier for you," came the frank reply. "The queen was actually far too large for the frame, which is ok for one alone but when you upgrade to two can be…problematic. I just didn't want either off you falling off the unsupported edges or the whole thing toppling over on top of you while you're…resting. That's not a good thing, right?"

Motoko was torn between inquiring about personal experience as to the futon being unsteady before with two on it and wondering if she really wanted to know for sure or not. Surrounded by the vise-like grip of a dozen underlying innuendos, the swordswoman found a hasty retreat to be the best option. Giving terse goodnights again, she disappeared into the back followed by the soft laughter of her aunt in law.

"Is something wrong?" asked Naru, confused, since she hadn't helped unroll the mattress.

"Just a…misunderstanding," replied Haruka, as mysterious as ever. "C'mon, morning is gonna come quick enough as it is."

"Ok."

Keitaro wasn't long in finishing his shower, hanging his towel on one of the hooks before entering the room and getting the final surprise of the day. His wife was already in the bed, either fast asleep on the far side (if it could be called that) or feigning it well enough that he couldn't tell the difference. There was no problem with that, though, the issue lay in how little room there was beside her. It was hardly more than an oversized single futon, and it was a good thing they were both comfortable with cuddling or he'd be teetering all night on a precariously close edge. Lying on their backs, there would just be enough room for the two of them comfortably, and that was a far cry from their futon back home where it would sleep four if two or three got cozy and five or six if everyone smushed in a bit.

Sitting on the edge of the bed in his boxers and a light shirt he reached out and ran a hand through his wife's silken hair, enjoying the feel of it slipping through his fingers. Wondering if he'd ever have the courage to tell her just how attractive he found her even covered in grime from a hard day's work, Keitaro carefully settled in beside her and laid an arm protectively around her so her back was to his chest. Deciding this was hardly what one could call bad, just a little different, he quickly drifted off to sleep after sternly reminding himself not to move around to much or he might himself quite intimate with the grain of the wood floor below in the morning.

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Kitsune was personally overseeing the lock down of the Inn in the early hours of the morning as she was still sober and had nothing better to do when Ami and Austin walked by, each holding one end of the rolled-up tarp that covered the hot springs when no one used them for long periods of time.

"It's only for a few days," pleaded the young man just as they got within earshot.

"No, I'm not going," his companion insisted forcibly.

"Not going where?" broke in the foxy lady nosily.

"No where," spat Ami, giving the other woman a warning glare to stay out of it. "We're going to the beach with the others, ok? That's the plan, end of story."

The couple moved off, Kitsune watching them until they were out of sight with a thoughtful look on her face.

"Wonder what that was about…?"

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Motoko was the first one awake of the two, which was hardly unusual, however the position she found herself in most certainly was. She'd somehow ended up on top of Keitaro during the night, head nestled into his chest and legs tangled comfortably together with his heartbeat strong in her ear. Pausing as she wondered what she was going to do now, she had to admit that as cozy as it was there was a warm feeling gathering in her lower stomach that she shied away from encouraging with the sound of Haruka already up and making breakfast in the kitchen.

Carefully lifting herself away from her husband, the samurai froze half up in a kneeling position as he stirred restlessly. Motoko waited until he'd settled down again before slipping quietly off the bed, rummaging through her bag to pull out a pair of old jean shorts and a plain t-shirt. As much as she liked her hamaka and gi, they were hardly suitable for beachwear and even she recognized that fact as she changed quickly. Giving Keitaro an impulsive brush of a kiss just before she left, she slipped into the bathroom to clean up and then headed into the kitchen area with a business like manner.

"Sleep well?" asked Haruka as she sliced up the last pear, their morning fare of diced fruit, yogurt and fresh bread from in town complete.

Motoko didn't bother answering, just giving her aunt a straight look before filling her plate and digging in. Naru, who'd claimed the bathroom the moment Motoko had emerged, was soon dressed and eating as well. The meal between the three women was silent in general, with everyone helping clean up and put away the leftovers the moment they were finished with Keitaro just coming out of his room yawning and running a hand through his mussed hair.

"Hurry up and eat," his aunt informed him, tossing him a slice of bread and butter with an apple while giving Naru and Motoko their assignments for the day. "We've still got work to do."

Grinning ruefully, he stifled another yawn. "Yes, ma'am!"

"Damn brats…"

All four whole-heartedly bent their backs to the tasks set before them that day, consisting almost entirely of cleaning with the general repairs completed the day before. Dust flew everywhere, cobwebs pulled from their corners and layers of sand and grime dislodged from the floorboards. A fresh coat of whitewash was added to the outside, giving the old wreck a fresh look of unimaginable proportions.

Close to noon a young man came riding up on a bike, a basket in one hand as he leapt off and yelled for Haruka. Likely in his preteens, the kid seemed very familiar with the place as well and even waved to Naru who was touching up the whitewash and got a smile and wave in reply. He was a good bit shorter than anyone else there, thin and well-tanned with a cheery expression on his face.

"Hold it, Tai, I'll be out in a sec!" his aunt yelled back, appearing moments later free of the rubber gloves and apron she'd been wearing to keep the strong acids off her skin and clothes from the kitchen cleaning.

"You're still alive!" he exclaimed when she came into view. "As ancient as you are, you're still as beautiful as ever Haruka-chan…"

THWAP

The fan left a red welt on the left side of his face, but the young man continued to smile. "I missed you too…pops sent me with lunch, he said so you wouldn't have to stop working to make your own meals. I'll bring dinner too, if you want."

"That old drunk still kicking, eh?" Haruka dropped her cigarette to the ground, grinding it out with her heal. "And let me guess, he wants a night of open bar for every meal you provide?"

"Bingo."

Haruka frowned, scratching the back of her head. "Would've thought he'd back off by now with his liver shot to hell last year…"

"You'd also think he'd cut back after his first liver failed three years ago, but that didn't happen either," came the short reply, the young man tossing his long bangs out of his eyes. "If you're worried about being the one to push him into the grave, don't be, he's been dancing on the edge too long for his own good anyways. What'll it be? I still have chores to do and he's not too happy when I take my time about doing them."

"One night for two meals," she decided firmly. "Either way, I'd rather not have his death on my head…"

"Yeah, ok, see you tonight!"

"Hey, Haruka, who's the kid?" Keitaro called down after having watched, the boy pausing in his departure at the sound of his voice.

"Just a neighbor who has his uses," she called back.

"There's a guy with you!" Tai exclaimed, just seeing Keitaro for the first time on the roof. "Who's he?"

"Keitaro, my nephew," replied Haruka with jerk of her chin upwards. "He married Motoko this last year, so he's been added to the crew…"

"Motoko got married! Man, never thought I'd live to see that happen…congratulations, kendo girl! Did you drag him to the altar or did he you?"

"You're an idiot," said Haruka, interposing herself between the boy and the swordswoman who had begun to stalk out from inside with a bokken in hand. "Get lost, we'll see you tonight."

"Yes, ma'am!"

As the boy sped off, Haruka handed the basket to Naru who immediately brought it to the kitchen. It held a simple affair of ham and cheese sandwiches with packs of chips and enough to feel three or four more than were actually there, but they were grateful none the less and it was devoured as rapidly as the day before.

The rest of the day passed uneventfully enough as they worked until the restaurant was spotlessly clean and ready to be opened. Tai come with dinner an hour after sunset, him partaking of the meal as well as he shared the local gossip they might be interested in.

"Old Tanaka isn't working the ice cream stand this year, he's finally stepped down and handed it over to his son," he was saying just as the last of the noodles disappeared, everyone starting on the chocolate chip cookies he'd brought as dessert. "And it's the one with all the daughters, so you might have competition of loveliest ladies of the beach this year."

"Is that some sort of competition?" asked Keitaro, confused.

"An unofficial one, you could say," replied Naru with a wink. "It's kind of like who can attract more young, male customers to their spot on average over the course of the first few weeks of summer. Mainly high school, college, and a little older is the target group, we've been the uncontested winners for the last couple years, though."

"Why's that?"

"Motoko didn't tell you?" broke in Tai with a huge grin. "It's 'cuz they all work in bathing suits and bikinis, that's why!"

THWAP

Haruka cleared her throat as Tai rubbed the side of his head, Keitaro's mouth simply hanging open. "That's part of their uniform," she clarified carefully. "They also have aprons, and some wear waist wraps depending on the person" She glanced cautiously at the stolid Motoko. "It's not like he makes it sound, everyone's comfortable with it and between me and Motoko we keep the lechers with their hands in their pockets. If that wasn't the case, I wouldn't even think of letting them do so."

"It was Kitsune's idea first," went on Naru, picking up the slack. "What, four years ago now? Maybe five, but anyways, she started serving drinks at the bar in a bikini because it got so hot that year, and so the rest of us started doing so to while serving the food or cooking or whatever to one degree or another…and the tradition just stuck the next year too."

"It's one of the reason's business has been so great as of late," put in Haruka, taking control of the conversation once more. "Between that, Shinobu's cooking and Su's gadgets entertaining the kids to give us a family-friendly feel…well, let's just say these first few weeks are the most important of the summer."

"Are you guys doing the production this summer, too?" asked Tai curiously.

"As if we could not do it," replied Naru with a grin. "We had so many good things said about it last year…it's a Beachside Teahouse Tradition!"

"What's this production?" asked Keitaro, lost. "I've heard it mentioned a few times…what is it?"

"It's the play we put on for the kids," explained Haruka, lighting up as she settled back in her chair. "It's free, but we get enough donated funds to cover our costs while we do the showings. It's another of Kitsune's ideas, actually, she wanted to be an actor when she was younger, and started up this one year."

"We took over it when she lost interest," added Naru.

"Does Kitsune even have a job?" put in Keitaro. "I swear, I never see her actually work…"

"She writes columns for some newspapers, actually," explained his aunt with a shrug. "If she bothered to stay sober long enough to do so she could probably go freelance for a couple of the bigger named papers in Tokyo, but that's not gonna happen."

"Oh…"

"Now, since we're on the topic of the play," went on Haruka, pulling up a giant notebook. "We might as well go over the details for it while we have time without the little ones underfoot. This is our plans for this year…"

And it was upon this topic that they spoke long into the night.

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"Is everyone ready to go?" called Kitsune as she made the final checks. Being sober made her able to remember the details she'd usually gloss over but that wasn't necessarily a plus. Sake was no longer a constant taste in her mouth, and that was starting to piss her off. She wanted to be at the beachside Teahouse and be there now.

"Everything's locked down!" reported Shinobu, who'd checked all the doors, windows, and gates carefully. They were in the lower garage, so that included the giant front door as well.

"Luggage check is a go!" added Su as she jumped into the van, having been in charge of loading with Sarah as her helper.

"What about the Tea House?" asked Kitsune when no further reports were forthcoming, herself busy checking to be sure she had the food, snacks, gas money, and map.

"Oh, Austin said to tell you it's all taken care of," piped up Sarah quickly as she strapped herself in.

"And where is Austin and Ami?" ground Kitsune through her clenched jaw, every second wasted here was one longer until she could complete her quest to be a drunk again.

"Dunno…" The young American paused, then snapped her fingers as it came to her. "That's right! They told me to give this to you and say it better be passed on to Haruka or Keitaro."

Kitsune snatched up the folded scrap, glancing at the scribbled message before stuffing it in her pocket.

"It'd been easier just to tell me in person," she muttered, jamming the keys in the ignition and getting the old tub roaring to life. "I wouldn't have asked too many questions…"

"Auu, where'd they go?" asked Shinobu, confused. "Aren't Austin-sempai and Ami-sempai supposed to go with us?"

"They're just gone on a side trip of sorts," said Kitsune with a sly grin. "C'mon, we've got a Tea House to reach before tomorrow morning."

Not five minutes had passed after they reached the highway, though, when Sarah squirmed in her seat. "Kitsune, I gotta go…"

"And I'm thirsty," added Su quickly. "I could drink a whole river, just pour it over a waterfall right into my mouth-ouch!"

"Don't say that!" cried Sarah, whacking Su on the head. "I really gotta go, and you're not helping…"

"Ow! Don't hit me!"

"Don't make me wanna piss my pants!"

"Still hurt…"

The foxy lady groaned aloud as they continued to pester her. It was going to be a very, very long night.

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It was well into the night by the time Tai left and the group turned in for the night, Keitaro helping to pull down the metal shield while Haruka tacked up a sign on it.

"Why's that say we're opening in a week and no tomorrow?" he asked curiously, giving it a cursory glance. "Did you put the wrong date down?"

"Nope."

After getting no other response, he asked again. "Then why? The restaurant is ready to go, right?"

"Yeah, but the workers aren't," explained his Aunt tersely. "Between school just ending, Kitsune being sober two days, and the long drive, that requires 3 days of recuperation and rest period. Well, most of them won't rest, they'll play in the ocean all the time. Which means they'll spend a day or two sleeping after that period is done and that's 4-6 days we're closed just for that. To err on the safe side, I give them a week and when it's over everyone's more ready to settle down and work."

"What hours do we keep?" he asked curiously. "Obviously some in the evening with the bar."

"Tuesday through Saturday we're open at 10 am with the bar available until 1 am or so depending on the customer flow. Sunday's we're closed completely, and Monday's we don't open until 1 pm."

"And anytime we're not working…?"

"Personal free time, except when we're doing production work and there shouldn't be a lot of that this year. Oh, and you get one evening off a week to watch the younger 3 since they'll get off at 8 each night." Haruka flicked the ash off the tip of her cigarette. "We don't get many 'family' groups after then and it's wiser not to have them underfoot."

"I can imagine so…"

"Do you mind?" asked Naru from where she'd settled down in her hammock, clearly ready to go to sleep.

Keitaro ducked his head instinctively, used to getting whapped when his aunt gave him that same glare. "Sorry, good night."

"Night, kid."

"Night."

Motoko was already 'asleep' when he got in there again, and he silently slid in next to her after quickly changing his clothes. Used to the idea of less room than usual now, he just accepted it as it was and decided if Motoko ever needed her space for a night he'd just offer to take the floor instead. Snuggling in next to her, he sighed with the scent of her hair in his nose and by the time Haruka and Naru had turned off the outer lights for the night the couple was fast asleep.

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Kitsune rolled into the Tea House at 8 am, immediately hopping out of the front seat and tossing the keys to Haruka who traded them for two bottles of sake.

"Same room as last year," the elder Urashima informed her as the foxy lady turned towards the hotel. "Me and Naru are already settled in, no one should bother you until tonight."

"Yeah…"

Haruka would've been 1000 yen the one bottle would be empty before the girl even reached the room and the second minutes after that, but there was no one around to take it and from the sounds in the back of the van there would be several young stomachs clamoring for breakfast in a few moments. Opening the side door, she found all three young girls asleep in the middle seat and a serious lack of two particular Americans anywhere in the back.

"Are we there yet?" asked Sarah as she cracked one bright-blue eye open.

"Yeah, where's Ami and Austin?" replied Haruka as she began to pull out the supplies from the back.

"Uh…oh yeah, they told me to give this to Kitsune and she said to give it to you the last time we stopped for gas. Where is she?"

"…resting. Get up and go change you clothes, you can go play on the beach as soon as you've eaten." Haruka took the offered note, stowing it one a pocket before turning back to the Tea House with the supplies. Sarah followed after giving her companions a poke in the side as a wake up call, scuttling off through the sand.

"They're here!" called Haruka as she walked into the main room, Keitaro immediately getting up from his food to help put up the supplies and Motoko and Naru scrambling to set five more places at the table.

"Only three," said Haruka as she put the excess dishes up for them.

"Why?" replied Motoko quickly.

"Ami and Austin didn't come."

"Why not?"

"You tell me." Haruka flicked the folded note at her niece in law. "It's Ami's chicken scratch."

Motoko caught it between two fingers, unfolding it quickly and reading it with a frown while muttering aloud to herself. "Ami-chan needs to practice more…her writing is nearly illegible…"

"What's it say?" prodded Naru.

"They have returned to America," replied the young swordswoman with a shrug. "There is now 'why', they simply have returned to their hometown."

"I wonder what happened," put in Keitaro, pausing in the doorway.

"Doesn't matter, we'll just have to rework the job assignments a bit," said his aunt, pushing past him with her own load. "Keep moving, I'd like to get this done before the others finish breakfast."

"Heyas! Didja miss me?" popped in Sarah as she bounced into the main room wearing a pair of board shorts and a bright blue swimsuit that matched her eyes perfectly.

"I call bathroom!" added Su as she zipped in the front door, Shinobu following a few seconds later.

"Auu, that's not fair!"

"You can eat first," Naru told her quickly, dishing out the food. "C'mon, you don't what it to get cold, do you?"

"Ok!"

Everyone rushed through their morning duties, Keitaro soon finding himself in his new bedroom pulling on a pair of swim trunks. Motoko knocked before entering, getting an embarrassed 'I'm decent' before peeking in tentatively.

"Could you assist me for a moment?" she asked, wearing an incredibly modest bathing suit that covered everything except her arms and legs. "I am unable to adequately cover my shoulders and neck…" She held up a bottle of sunscreen which, from the sheen on her arms and faint scent of it pervading the room, had already been in use elsewhere.

"Yeah, I can do that," he replied quickly, never one to turn down a chance to be helpful and touch his wife all wrapped into one. Sitting on the edge of the bed, he squirted some on his fingers and laved it into her milky white skin, enjoying the feel of it under his fingertips as he worked the lotion into her skin.

"What SPF is it?" he asked after awhile, breaking the silence between them.

"35, I believe," she replied, keeping perfectly still as he reached her neck.

"Isn't that a little high?" Keitaro picked up the bottle, reading the label for himself. "Waterproof, guaranteed all day protection…it's got the works, don't it?"

"I burn rather easily," explained Motoko as he finished up, donning a towel over one shoulder and slipping on a pair of flip flops. "Normally, wearing my gi and hamaka provides me with sufficient covering, and my face is used to rough treatment by the weather. However, here, by the beach where we spend most of our time in the water and sun…" She shrugged slightly, her smile taking a wry turn. "I would be a well-broiled lobster before sundown."

"I guess I just never though about it," he replied, scratching the back of his head. "Yeah, I noticed you were paler than me but I'd never realized the consequences…not that I'm complaining, I think your skin is very pretty and all…"

Blushing, Motoko held up the bottle as she turned around. "Do you wish to use this or do you have your own?" she asked.

"Oh, I don't need any." Keitaro stood up, his chest puffed out proudly as he gathered his towel and sandals. "We Urashima's never burn."

"Your Aunt makes use of such lotions and creams," pointed out his wife carefully. "The sun is intensified by the water, perhaps it would be wise…?"

"No, I used to come down here when I was a kid," he said confidently. "C'mon, trust me, I'll be just fine." He opened the door for her with a slight bow. "As I said before, Urashima's don't burn."

"Very well…"

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Haruka lay out on the beach for the most part, enjoying the feel of the sun on her skin as she kept an eye on the youngest of the residents playing in the surf. Naru lay beside her, sound asleep as she baked in the sun, and Motoko and Keitaro were out in the waves with the others. Su had latched herself onto the swordswoman's back, squirting Keitaro and Sarah with a water gun while Shinobu used her manager as a human shield and occasionally retaliated with a splash of water while Su pumped up her next shot.

They'd be at it for hours, and with Motoko and Keitaro playing with them the three young ones were more than safe without her watchful eye as well. Settling back, she turned over on her stomach and got ready for a long, peaceful nap in the sun. There was the pattering of feet coming up from the ocean, but she was keeping track of the group's drinks and snacks and so took little notice of those approach until…

SPLASH

"WHA-?"

"Gotcha!"

"Why you…!" Haruka scrambled to her feet, soaked from head to waist as she grabbed the discarded bucket that had just dumped its load upon her. Sarah and Su dashed back towards the tide line, nearly tripping over the next wave that rolled in in their haste to escape.

"Nanana!" taunted Su, glancing back to see Haruka still chasing them.

"It's ok, old people can't run!" added Sarah, sticking her tongue out at her.

Scooping up some water and catching up with the brats in one motion, Haruka dumped the water over their heads and, dropping the bucket, vengefully gave them a dunking for good measure.

"Then it's a good thing I'm not old," she informed them, Keitaro laughing while Shinobu hid her chuckles with a hand and Motoko just smiled to herself.

"Hey, you can't laugh, you wouldn't come help," growled Sarah as she wiped the seawater from her eyes. "Coward…"

"Not my fault I'm smarter than that," he replied with a shrug. "I know better than to provoke my oba-san."

Haruka grabbed her nephew by the scruff of the neck, pushing his head firmly underwater in a way that had everyone else in stitches as he came up spurting for air.

"What'd I do!" he gasped.

"It's Haruka-san," she snapped.

"Aww…ok…" Keitaro suddenly ducked behind his wife. "Oba-san!"

"Old woman!" added Sarah with a mischievous grin.

The resulting scuffle and water war quickly enveloped everyone present, and indeed Haruka's earlier prediction came true, they were at it for hours.

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Hina traipsed up the steps to her beloved Inn, for even if it was no longer hers by law it would always be so in her heard. Her assistant, a very pale, black haired young woman dressed in a black business suit subtly tailored for a female and with a black cat perched on her shoulder, walked a few steps behind her with a calculating look in her eyes.

"Big brother lives here now, does he not?" she asked quietly.

"He does," acknowledged her elder with a sage-like nod. "Though he is not here right now, he has inherited Hinata-sou as promised. However, he has done such a fine job keeping this old Inn in shape that we will not be doing any repairs there this year. Therefore, with the exception of our rooms, the bathrooms, and the kitchen, you are not to wander around exploring, even for your brother's room. There are tenants who live here as well, and you cannot go violating their privacy. Our focus will be the Tea House, which needs extensive renovations, as planned."

The young woman nodded her understanding, though the corners of her mouth pulled downwards a bit. Her respect for her aunt was minimal at best, if it existed at all, and was only based upon the fundamental teaching that you were to respect all elders no matter what. Therefore, spending the first few weeks of her summer helping fix up that particular relative's place held no interest for her. However she held Hina-san in the greatest of regards, and would therefore obey none the less.

"There is an explanation for that," went on Hina, glancing back to give her charge an odd look. "But it will be one for you to discover later on." She opened the front door, pausing as the cat leapt from her mistress's shoulder to twine about their legs. "And the restrictions go for your cat as well, of course."

Drat. "Of course, oba-san."

"It's alright," soothed her furry companion, leaping neatly back into her arms. "We will find out eventually, for she has said it will be so."

"Yes, I know…" She stepped over the threshold, a moment of awe taking place as her eyes took in the huge main room, all polished and gleaming bright. Her brother had been taking good care of it indeed, and that made her heart swell with pride.

"Kanako-chan!" called her grandmother, already back in the kitchen. "It's a bit warm today, isn't it? Would you care to make us some tea?"

The darkly clad young woman obediently walked across the main room, the moment shattered by the intrusion of the elder Urashima's voice. "Coming, oba-san."

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Keitaro grimaced as he showered; gingerly soaping the salt from his tender skin, for it was as red as a lobster and as painful as if he'd dunked himself in a broiler.

"Urashima's don't burn," he parroted back at himself. "Idiot…why do I keep jinxing myself?" Finishing the shower as quickly as he possibly could without causing any permanent damage, the manager dried himself off gingerly and after pulling on a pair of boxers headed for their bedroom since Motoko was already out in the main area speaking with Haruka and Naru.

Inside his room, he carefully pulled on some shorts and even managed to get his hair in a semblance of order until he could take it no longer. Sitting on the bed, he stopped moving completely and still his skin burned as if it were on fire. Putting on a shirt would simply be impossible at this point, and from the sound of things outside the others were ready and waiting to go.

"Keitaro?" his wife knocked hesitantly on their room door. "The others are waiting to go eat…"

"Uh…yeah!" He forced himself to stand, smacking himself in the forehead and wincing at the contact even as he did so. Rummaging around, he realized he hadn't brought a single button down shirt to his dismay. That was his last hope, and now things were really bad indeed. Pulling one over his head was out of the question, he was just lucky it was only the upper half of his body.

"How much longer will you be?" she asked, unwilling to open the door in case he was in the middle of changing.

"Oh, just a couple minutes…" Or hours, or days…Keitaro found his sandals and pulled them on, now only stuck without a shirt and no way in sight to get it on. "I just…uh…" Walking around, hoping inspiration would strike, he suddenly tripped over his discarded towel, falling stomach first onto the floorboards with a loud SMACK!

"Ow! Dang it…"

"Are you sure you're ok?" she asked, now worried as she opened the carefully and found him lying on the floor on his back. Bright red, and obviously in a great deal of pain, he made quite the pathetic picture. "Oh, Keitaro…"

"Yes, I know I'm an idiot," he groaned, accepting her hand up to get to his feet once more. "Why don't you go ahead and go with the others? I'll stay here and rest…"

"No, you try not to hurt yourself any further, I will speak with Haruka for a moment." She disappeared back down the hallway, and as the sound of her talking his aunt did little to help the pain that was intensified with his clumsy fall. Hearing her come back, he looked up while sitting carefully on a stool that was in the room. "Stay there," she told him, bending to search for something in her bag. "I have something that will help."

"Ok…" He waited patiently, watching and feeling incredibly stupid as she brought up a sealed jar. Using her tanto to crack it open, she popped off the lid and motioned for him to face away from her as she dipped her fingers into it. "Look, I'm sorry for being such a pain…"

" Don't worry about that, just sit still. This will sting for a moment," she said softly. "But it will fade quickly if you just stay where you are and don't move."

"Alright." Gasping as she applied the first dollop, sting did not adequately describe what he felt. At least how long it lasted was mere seconds, though, for as quickly as the searing pain had begun it was replaced by a blessed cold that numbed his tender skin nicely. Carefully, Motoko massaged it into his shoulders and back, covering every inch from his hairline to his waistline in a thorough but gentle manner. If not for the fact that he was getting this sort of treatment because he'd been sunburned to a crisp, the young man would've rolled over and begged for more when it was done, but his predicament kept him quiet for the time being. Taking some himself he joined in on his front side, covering his chest and stomach until it no longer hurt to bend over and breath.

"Is that better?" she asked as she came around the front, leaning over closer as she began to work on his face. "It should have begun to work by now…?"

"Much." He smiled, eyes following her movements until her gaze met his again and she had to smile as well. "What is it?"

"Something my family makes, we are all rather fair skinned," she explained as she wiped a bit of excess off his nose and rubbed it on his chin. "Sunburns are very common, and while we are taught to endure pain…"

"You're also taught to cure it when you can, so that you can give your best," he finished with a nod. "I remember you telling me about that."

"You will need to reapply another layer before you sleep," she informed him as she gave him a final check over and found his covering sufficient for the moment. "And perhaps even one when you awake in the morning…it depends on how deep the burn goes."

"Last time this happened, I was fine by morning," he replied with an abashed grin. "I was a lot younger, too, though, so we'll have to see."

"You could likely heal yourself with your ki should you wish to," she speculated as she straightened up, studying him with one hand playing with a strand of her hair. "It would not be difficult, merely tiring…it covers a large portion of your skin, after all."

"If that stuff will do it overnight, there's no reason for me to do anything about it." Keitaro reached for his wife, pulling her close even shirtless as he was and his arms only reached to her waist since he was seated and she was standing. "Thanks, I really don't know what I would've done…"

"You would have figured out something," she told him, holding him with her left arm as her right hand ran itself through his hair. "You always do."

"And you give me too much credit," he replied with a blush, letting his forehead rest on her stomach.

"Do I?" She chuckled to herself, continuing to play with his hair as he held onto her waist. "You have done a great deal of good where others would have given up or done only what was best for them, and I do not only mean in the lives of our residents."

"Maybe," he conceded, looking up at her with his ear still against her belly. "But if that's so, that's only because I've had a wonderful wife beside me the whole time."

"Flatterer," she told him, flushing as she did. "The others will be waiting for us, though."

"For their food, maybe, not for us," he replied as he just hugged her tighter. "And sometimes I like to have you just to myself."

"You have me just to yourself every night, especially now that Sarah has taken to sleeping with Su-chan all the time," came the gentle tease.

"Oh, yes," he sighed, rolling his eyes. "All five minutes before we fall asleep and those five minutes when we wake up. Yeah, we have our duties as the managers of Hinata-sou, but sometimes I just wanna set duty aside for awhile…"

"Shh…" Motoko bent over slightly so his head was still cradled on her stomach and she was almost whispering in his ear. "We don't have any duties here these next few weeks other than the time we work in the Tea House, work on the production, and when we take our turn watching our younger tenants. Past that, the rest of the time is for us…and if you don't want to share it with anybody, we don't have to."

Keitaro paused, looking up at her to find his wife staring back with a completely serious look on her face as that thought slowly took hold in his mind. "Ohh…"

"However, right now your Aunt is buying everyone dinner tonight, and unless you wish to pay for it out of your own pocket I would say we need to catch up with them before it is too late." She gave him a peck on the forehead before pulling away and tossing him his shirt. "I will make sure things are locked up while you dress."

"Ok!" Keitaro readily complied, for there had been a promise of more alone time in that kiss, and the sooner he got there, the happier he'd be. Making sure he was presentable, the manger grabbed his wallet and hurried after his wife. Meeting her at the door, they walked hand in hand to the noodle stand where everyone else was waiting for them.

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Naru stood beside Haruka eating hungrily out of her styrofoam bowl, chopsticks poised for another bite as she watched over the younger residents at the picnic table nearby. The elder Urashima, who'd finished in about 30 seconds in the most poised manner Naru had ever seen, just leaned against a post and smoked silently until she made a certain comment after one particularly long draw.

"I hope they're not screwing around right now, it'd be a bout the worst time possible for it to happen."

Naru paused, mouth open and food just about to enter it but for some reason her appetite had fled with the mental pictures those words had called forth. "…what?"

"She's on the contraceptive from home, sure, but it's her one day of the month…"

"How do you know that!" cut in the ronin, shocked almost beyond words though she kept her voice down enough not to attract the attention of the others.

Haruka looked back, as easy-going as ever. "Who do you think taught her about pads and tampons in the first place? Hina, that old fossil, hasn't had to deal with that since…well…maybe the Stone ages, we're not sure but there's definite proof of it. She's been as regular as clockwork since she was fifteen, and considering I used to buy her feminine products when I got my own, I would know."

"…oh." Naru paused, digesting that bit before she went on. "And about your earlier comment…?"

"It's just what I said." Haruka shrugged impassively. "I know her cycle, today's that day, and given the circumstance and how long they're taking I would just hope she has more sense than that…"

"I thought the point of putting them in the Tea House period was to give them more time alone," interjected Naru slowly. Though plotting about her manager's and friend's relationship had no real interest to her, someone had to be Haruka's confidant in all this, and it certainly couldn't be Motoko for once.

"Per Hina's directions, yeah," she agreed with a nod. "But, here's the zinger, Motoko can't get pregnant yet."

"School?"

"No…but the reason's rather complex, so let's just stick with 'it can't happen', ok?"

"Ok…then why give them their own place?" Naru handed her bowl to Sarah, having completely lost her appetite with the current conversation, and the young American inhaled it instantly. "Why not place them with the others…?"

"Because they need to cement the marriage."

"You mean… 'finish' it?"

"Yeah."

"…but then Motoko might get pregnant."

"Yeah."

"Which is not what we're striving for. You said she absolutely must no get pregnant right now."

"Exactly. But they still need to finish it."

"…Urashima politics suck," decided Naru firmly as she put a hand on her forehead, seeing the said couple approach with smiles on their faces.

"Yeah, and you're only getting an outsiders view, too," replied Haruka as she pulled out her wallet. "Believe me, being in the middle of it is so much worse…"

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Koshi coughed up seawater as he crawled out of the waves, thoroughly exhausted and in the back of his mind combing through the many ways his uncle would slowly die.

"'You've got plenty of gas, Koshi!'" He mimicked in Seta's voice. "'I just checked the engine, everything's a go, just land at the beach airport and follow my directions to the Tea House…spend some time with Sarah-chan' Idiot."

The young man hefted himself up out of the tide line, soaked to the bone and shivering slightly as he stared at the wreckage of the small plane he'd been given. It was just a pile of scrap, now, and he'd be working his butt off for weeks to pay it back. Not that it was his fault, but he'd been the one flying it and he knew Seta didn't have the money to cover it. Looked like his summer off was shot now, and he might as well find out where he'd crashed and how far off he was to his destination. It couldn't be more than an hour at the most, but for all he knew he'd crashed on an island, and even if it was populated it could cause a problem. The lights a ways inland and down the beach testified some sort of intelligent life, and that was good, but he was roughed up and penniless and in no mood to beg from the local folk. Everything he brought had gone down with the plane, and that didn't improve his mood in the least.

Getting up as the last glimmers faded from his wrecked, flaming plane, he carefully stripped off his shirt and while wringing it out took stock of his general well took stock of his general well-being.

"No broken bones," he murmured as he stretched slowly, getting a few tinges in his back. "Ah…a few pulled muscles…a couple a bumps and bruises…ow! I'll be feeling that one in the morning…"

Feeling something warm slide down his forehead, Koshi reached up and ran his fingers along his hairline until it ran into a jagged bit of skin that hurt. "Aahh…gees! Better find a doctor, too, or at least a nurse with a steady hand…probably needs stitches." If a gash like that that wasn't taken care of it might get infected and then he'd really be in trouble.

"Well, that's just damn peachy…I wondered why it didn't crash in the same spot."

Jumping at the sound of another voice, Koshi quickly realized he wasn't alone as he turned to find an older woman standing just a few feet behind him smoking a cigarette.

"I told him that wreck couldn't make another flight, but did he listen? No…a least you're still alive. Your family'd be pissed as hell if you died while under his care."

"…Haruka?"

The woman glance at him, rolling her eyes before looking back over the ocean.

That didn't reassure the young man of anything, and he sat down hard in the sand as he put his head in his hands. "Great…and now I'm hallucinating my uncle's ex-lady friend of my younger years…"

THWAP

"Did you hallucinate that?" she asked as she toed him in the ribs. "Get up, you look alright enough to walk, and I'll stitch that up as soon as we get to the Tea House."

"Tea House? You mean I made it that far? Thank the Kami!" He glomped onto Haruka around the waist, getting whacked on the head several more times with the fan though he refused to let go. "I made it, I made it, I made it! Are the others here? Is Sarah with them? Are they far away? Huh? Huh?"

"Yeah, most everyone's gone to the hotel for the night, but the Tea House is right up the beach…will you let go! I'm this close to-"

"What are we waiting for! Let's go!"

Blinking, Haruka realized she was alone in the sand, Koshi several yard ahead of her whooping and leaping for joy as he ran.

Shaking her head, the elder Urashima followed with a sigh. Sometimes, that boy acted far too much like his uncle for her own comfort. "Wait up, moron! We need to call the…"

A muffled explosion behind her made Haruka pause, turning around to find the sunken plane no more than little bits floating in the water.

"…or not." Frowning, she turned back towards the Tea House as the wheels in her mind turned. This certainly threw a kind in her other set of plans…but she'd manage it somehow.

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Naru was just rolling down the metal grate over the open wall when a figure came running up from the beach yelling incoherently at the top of his lungs. Motoko, who was up on the roof replacing a light bulb, immediately jumped down and traded looks with Naru who paused in her work.

"Do you recognize him?" asked the swordswoman, reluctant to attack if it might be a friend though she took the bokken leaning up against the wall in hand anyways. His features were indistinguishable in the low light, but he didn't seem to be a threat in the happy way he pranced about.

"Well…I don't know." Naru leaned forwards a bit, squinting. "I think he's bleeding from the head though…"

"Hey!" They finally heard clearly over the pounding of the surf. "Hey, it's me! I made it! I can't believe I made it!"

"What's is he talking about?" murmured Naru, still unable to place him. "I swear, I know that voice…"

"Is that Koshi I hear?" asked Keitaro as he stuck his head outside.

"Keitaro!" the figure yelled, immediately recognizing the manager. Dropping to his knees inside the pool of light that surrounded the Tea House, the young man gasped for air and at the same time to continued to ramble on randomly. "Hahah! Idiot uncle…I still made it, though! I have triumphed! Plane crash or no…even with your worst, I have survived and more! Muahahaha!"

DOUBLETHWAP

"Get him inside," said Haruka as her fan strike had finally put the poor guy out of his misery for a short while. Motoko, Naru, and Keitaro (who'd stood around in confusion when he'd started to rant and rave) moved quickly to obey and soon Koshi was laid out on a table, shirtless and out of it with blood still dripping from his forehead. Splashing a cup of water in his face to bring him to, she continued to give instructions as he sputtered his way back to coherency. "Get the first aid kit and some boiled water. A towel, too, we don't want him dripping all over the table…"

hackcoughwheezecoughsputter

"That wasn't very nice," he gasped, glaring up at the older woman though it was futile.

"I don't do nice," she replied simply as she took the first aid kit from Naru.

"So…how'd you get here anyways?" asked Keitaro as he put the towel under Koshi's head, catching the bottle of antiseptic and fresh cloth his aunt threw at him and getting down to work. "You said something about a plane crash…?"

"Yeah…ah!" Wincing, he bit his lip as Keitaro applied more of the antiseptic to his smaller scraps and cuts. Naru worked with Haruka to lay out the necessary items to sew up the gash, Motoko already using the boiled water to sponge away the blood carefully. "My uncle told me to fly in with this old scrapped up wreck…should of just sold it for parts, it barely made it in close enough so I could swim for the beach."

"I didn't know you knew how to fly," broke in Naru curiously, though she was having a hard time keeping her eyes off the young man's bare chest. As much as she scolded him for 'eyeing' girls, she was rather attracted to his well-toned and well-tanned upper half.

"Uh huh, I don't have a license, though." Gritting his teeth as Motoko moved closer to the wound itself, giving it a careful inspection, he waited a few moments before moving on. "I don't know what he was thinking, sending me up in that piece of crap…"

"Do you want me to knock you out, or will you be fine with me sewing it up awake?" asked Haruka as she snapped on a pair of rubber gloves, looking like some evil version of the nurses one might see in an adult film. About to request to be put out, the young man caught sight of Naru watching him carefully and set his jaw as he puffed out his chest a bit.

"I'll be fine awake."

Haruak, who rarely missed anything, smirked as Naru's eyes widened in awe as if on cue and Motoko and Keitaro traded skeptical looks. The boy might impress his girl, but it would come at a price. She wasn't about to baby him for the sake of his pride, and he'd better hope he was half as tough as he thought he was or he'd be passed out by the time it was over.

Koshi shuddered at the look in Haruka's eyes, but held firm none the less. Laying there, Motoko and Keitaro braced him on either side as Naru stood on call for anything Haruka might need and the elder woman set her needle and thread up to go. Stitch by stitch she sewed the gash up, taking car so it left as little of a scar as possible until, what seemed like an eternity to the squirming Koshi, she sewed the last stitch and tied off the end knots neatly. All through out the procedure, the young man had proven himself greatly, only whimpering occasionally and for the most part content to bite a hole in his lip and grip the table until he had splinters in his hands.

"Done," she said as she clipped away the excess thread, moving back to toss the needle and wash her hands. "Careful with what you do, I'm not replacing those for you later on."

"Yes ma'am…" Blinking back tears and hoping no one else had noticed, he sat up with a sigh of relief and stretched a bit to loosen his tense muscles. "Glad that's over with."

"Drink this," said Naru as she came up with a drink Haruka had asked her to mix up. "It'll help you sleep tonight."

Taking a careful sip, Koshi gasped as it burned the whole way down and was one again blinking back tears as he panted for air. "Yeah…and give me a hang over in the morning! No thanks!"

"Drink it!" growled Haruka from the back, returning second later with a scowl. "If you drink just that glass you'll be fine in the morning, it'll just loosen you up enough to keep your mind off the pain."

"If you say so…"

"I do."

"Ok." He paused, taking a deep breath before chugging the whole thing in one go. Keitaro's jaw dropped in time with Naru's, Motoko and Haruka just shaking their heads together at the stupid things men did to impress women. Finishing it to the last drop, he set the glass down firmly and panted slightly. "WHOO-hoo! That's gotta kick to it, alright!"

"That's why you're not supposed to drink it all at once," muttered Haruka to herself, resting her forehead in one hand and the other crossed over her stomach. "A perfectly good waste of a drink…"

"S'ok, I still enjoyed it," replied Koshi, giving her a mock salute as the alcohol began to work its way into his system. "S'real good, really. Gotta good taste to it…"

"Let's get him back to the hotel, now, Naru," said Haruka, putting up the rest of the gear. "We still need to sleep before tomorrow, and get this guy a room before our Hotel manager gets to sleep. C'mon, it's only up the road, Koshi."

"Aight!"

Naru, blushing ever so slightly, put one around the still half-undressed Koshi's waist, helping him stand as Haruka took the other side.

"We'll see you in the morning," called Haruka over her shoulder as the maneuvered him out into the night, his steps already taking on a drunken stagger.

"He really has no tolerance, does he?" asked Keitaro as he watched them leave, pulling down the metal grate before securing the tarp over it.

yawn "I suppose not."

Glancing over his shoulder, Keitaro caught himself yawning as well and traded sheepish looks with his wife as they realized they were both exhausted. "Let's just go to sleep," suggested Keitaro, breaking the silence between them. "There's always later."

"Alright."

And so, into their bedroom they went, changing and going to sleep.

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And that, dear friends, is the end of Chapter 14. You really ought to be happy, because I stayed up the night before Spring Break started just so I could finish this before I went on my trip. And it's not like I can sleep while we're traveling either, because I'm the driver. Anyways:

Disclaimer: The song in the middle of the chapter is 'Kiseki no Umi' from Record of Lodoss War, an absolutely awesome anime that's kinda old-school in the way it's drawn and stuff. It's the opening theme of the TV series, and is one of my favorite series-based songs ever. I don't own it, but here's the English translation for those of you who are curious. Why'd I put it in Japanese? Because I think it sounds 1,000 times better in it's original language, and Sakamoto Ma'aya who sings it does an awesome job. That's why.

The dark night sky separates us

to lay bare our hearts as they call out to each other.

Cast off your useless trappings. Some things can only be seen

when you've lost everything. 1

Oh wind, I will stand and face you!

I will go to the sea of anguish,

though bonds cut my chest,

and the crushing waves are endless

What does everyone seek by fighting?

Does spilled blood cause flowers to bloom?

Until the precious tomorrow is in my hands...

Until the day we meet...

Oh wind, I will stand and face you!

I will go and head for the brilliance.

Embracing prayer to my heart,

I wander the seemingly dark future.

Oh wind, I am not afraid!

Love is the miracle I have found!

It's my joy to believe in you.

The storm blows so that we might realize our love.

That's it, down to the last word. Beautiful song, if you've ever heard it, and if you haven't I'd suggest getting it from Gendou, if you know what I'm talking about, he's got it there for you to download. One more disclaimer, incase anyone case, I don't own Azumanga Daioh, it just strikes me as something those younger girls would watch and enjoy. And now onto everyone's favorite part, the Author's Notes!

Author's Notes:

#1. Thank you, as always, for the many, many wonderful reviews I get from you guys! You're all so nice…really, I don't deserve a fan base half as nice as you guys are, so I'll keep on getting out the chapters as quick as I can so long as you keep reviewing! Motivation is a wonderful thing.

#2. Addressing the long or short chapters issue: Most of you voted long. So therefore, they will stay long. Yes, the wait is longer, but you seem to prefer it that way and so I won't change it a bit.

#3. Again, for likely the 14th time in a row, I know there are some spelling and grammatical errors. I try to catch them, I really do, but spell check only goes so far and at early hours of the morning I'm more focused on getting this completed rather than checking for each and every minor detail. It's gonna happen in stories like this, and so long as it's still legible and rather easily read, please just bear with it and move on. That's not about to change.

#4. Ok, someone mentioned that there were many, many characters on board right now and poof suddenly Ami and Austin are off on some trip back home to American with absolutely no explanation what so ever! Was this a direct result? No. Does it have plot-importance? Yes. I'm sure some of you are itching with curiosity, but all I can say is be patient, everything will be explained in time with the line of the story. You'll understand eventually, just wait and see.

#5. Yes, there are a lot of characters period, but I don't bring in characters that don't have a purpose. See explanation above and apply.

#6. You asked for more and I gave it. And Motoko and Keitaro forever!

#7. Yes, yay for hobbies for they keep us poor college types from simply diving off a cliff or tall building somewhere! Mine is this current story. : ) Gotta love it.

#8. Yes, Tama-chan is now a permanent fixture of Hinata-sou! Sorry guys, that he didn't come to the beach, but that has its own purpose as well and one you may understand if you pay close attention to the present. Yeah. Anyways, we're glad he's (she's?) around!

#9. You asked about Keitaro's fighting abilities coming into play and if his ki abilities will play a roll in that. It seems a little silly to give him those abilities and then not use them, right? Don't worry, all will work out for the good of the story, for I am the writer and none may usurp me. Except for those chocolate-covered bunnies…they're tricky fellas sometimes.

#10. I'm honored that someone would give their first review ever to me, and that it's positive one at that! Take it from an expert, you can't fail at reviewing, you just may suck at giving advice about how to run a story. So as long as you're not trying to be critical and be wrong, you're fine! I hope you do read other Motoko/Keitaro fics, they're wonderful things indeed.

#11. Awww…I'm sorry you got mocked for crying! Really, I know what that's like, but some people just can't understand what a really good story will do to a person… I hope you find my other works satisfactory, though I warn you! Some of it's from my 'early years' in writing and I can tell you now I can't believe how poorly written it is in contrast to ADL or even SSS or TTT, the gap between them is simply to big to even describe. Yeah…so don't expect to much if you notice the last update was more than a year or two ago, you never know what those old fics might hold…

#12. You're welcome!

I guess that's it guys, and our quote today comes from a longtime friend and fellow writer on I have no idea where he got it, but he's finally gotten back on track and is gonna catch up reading so he'll be right up there with the rest of us and so this chapter is for him. Let's see how long it takes him to get to this point and let me know what he thinks, hm? Lol…it amuses me, anyways, and that doesn't take much at 2 a.m. in the morning. Until next time.

crosseyedbutterfly

'No one is as they seem'

unknown