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.

16. The Play and More

Chapter 16! Well, I guess I should apologize for the wait, except it's not my fault. I didn't have access from the time I last posted until about a week ago, so really, you can't blame me:P Here's the chapter, though, enjoy!

VNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNV

"Fifteen minutes 'till curtain!"

Haruka stood back stage watching the gathering crowd of kids and parents outside. The performance itself would take nearly the whole day, with two separate acts and one long intermission so the actors could rest and the audience could grab a bite to eat.

Seta came and went, as did the other members of the stage crew and the actors as they rushed about getting their props, costumes, and makeup checked in record time. Everything had (surprisingly enough) gone incredibly well in their last few days, and all they had to do now was wait for the final checks to come through and the show to start.

Su (literally) flew by just then, dropping a clipboard in Haruka's hands before zooming off on her zip line back to the catwalks that were her domain. Haitani swore the wires and plugs had come alive and drove him off when he tried to fiddle with the controls, but nobody really believe him since he'd been a little intoxicated at the time. However, given Su's maniacal grin when asked about it and her new habit of talking to her creations in a low voice as if they understood her, no one was willing to prove him wrong. Su swore it was all harmless, but given Su's definition of harmless that wasn't very comforting either.

"Everything's alright in the back," called Naru as she swept by, already in costume and adding her own check marks to the large-print list on the wall. "Do I really have to wear the metal collar the whole time? I thought you guys were just joking about me 'being in servitude'…"

"Yes, and don't give me that look, I'm not changing my mind."

"Ok, ok…"

"Auu…that's an awful lot of people out there…" a rather pale Shinobu whispered off to one side, having caught sight of the crowds through the small crack.

"You'll be fine," Haruka immediately reassured her, drawing her away from the crack and giving her a gentle shove in Naru's direction. "Go help out back there, ok? It'll settle your nerves. Is everyone one ready to go?"

At this Shinobu smiled with a salute. "Makeup and costumes all done and in place, ma'am!"

"Eh…thanks." Haruka shrugged off the shudder at being called a 'ma'am' and went back to keeping an eye on things, noting a rather intoxicated Kitsune coming towards her. "You'd better be able to do your part, Kitsune! No puking on the stage!"

"Aw, you worry too much! I'm in complete control of myself." Kitsune winked as she disappeared to her place.

"Somehow, that worries me more than if you're drunk," coughed Haruka, a bemused look in her eyes. Nothing the dimmed lights in the audience, she stepped out into the spotlight that appeared. She was, for once, not in her teahouse or beach house work clothes, but in a pair of nice black slacks and a black button down shirt.

The crowd seemed to hang on her every word as she welcomed them to the performance, going through the usual routine of pointing out the exits and citing the intermission time again. Bowing to the polite applause when she was through, everyone held their breath as the entire stage went black, the main curtains lifted, and the lights came up once more.

Show time.

VNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNV

A priest in resplendent robes rode down the path, eyes wise and kind and the face that went with them seemingly too young. The horse that bore him was scruffy, and wandered with a rough gait, but it seemed to be obedient to its master.

Sanzou Kenjou: Koshi

("I'm not scruffy!" Shirai complained inside the horse costume.

Koshi just kicked him in the side with his heal and muttered out of the side of his mouth, "Keep moving, horsie, or I'll promise the little kids they can have all the rides they want on you later."

"Shutting up…")

On he traveled, seeing and learning a great many wonderful things, until one day he came upon the first of many who were to be his companions.

She was a monkey demon, chained to a pillar of stone from which she was not to be released until her crimes of the past had been atoned for.

Goku Son: Naru Narusegawa

("Do you have any idea how demeaning this is?" muttered Naru as she glared at him, already baring her teeth even as the kids cheered for her enthusiastically.

"Really? I think it suits you well. Besides, the kids love it," he replied, getting a growl for his 'kindness'.)

"Good Goku Son, I urge you to join me in my travels," said the priest when he learned of this, a plan forming in his mind. "For I spread goodness to others as I learn and see new things, and if you were to assist me with this you may find yourself released sooner as there is not much atoning you can do sitting here in the shade."

"Bah!" replied the demon, shaking its ears. "I have no such desire to go, as I have done nothing wrong!"

"Oh, little Goku…"

The priest immediately humbled himself as one of the great Kami appeared overhead in the sky. The demon, though, turned away in distain, squinting fiercely to see better in the blinding light.

Sakyamuni: Shinobu Maheara

"You will go with the good priest Sanzou," Sakyamuni instructed the monkey demon gently as her shackles fell from her harms. "And pledge that you will obey and protect him in everything in the time that you travel with him."

"And if I don't wanna?" spat the demon, raising her chin haughtily as she summoned her staff and laid it across her shoulders in a bored manner.

The kami giggled sweetly. "Little Goku…I can always chain you back up for another 3000 years, but I suppose it's your choice…"

("Wow, Shinobu does sweet threats way too well," commented Koshi. Naru agreed with a quick nod.)

"Ok, ok, I'll go," she interrupted with a quick shake of her head. "At least it can't be anymore boring than it is around here. What about the collar, though?" She tugged at the metal piece emphatically.

"Your collar will remain as a reminder of your servitude to the priest, and on the day your full atonement has been reached, it will remove itself."

("Not a word, Koshi, not one word," Naru warned the chuckling 'priest' darkly.

"Who, me? I didn't say a single thing…teeheehee!")

And so the demon Goku Son was released from her imprisonment, and her loyalty and life was pledged to that of the mortal priest.

The pair traveled together for some time, again seeing and learning a great many things. Yet they also left a trail of goodness and joy behind them (though it was often times entirely accidental) that was far greater than perhaps the kami, Sakyamuni, could have imagined.

("See? Good things happen when you're a good, obedient little monkey."

"Shut up, shut up, shut up!")

In their travels they came across two other companions with which to share their journey. Demons, like Goku, though their stories were different, and yet they still pledged their life and loyalty to this mortal priest whose life was no more than a fraction of what theirs would be.

The first was a water demon, young for one of her kind to be alone and that was how it had found itself to be troubled. A mortal of malicious intent had trapped the young thing in a pool of water, leaching off its power for his own purposes. Sanzou, with the help of Goku, had freed the young demon and thus she became a member of their expedition.

Goujo Sa: Sarah McDougal

("I'm not young!" growled Sarah, who had before been assured that those bits had been removed from the script. "Haruka is so gonna die…"

Koshi snicked and Naru hid a grin. "It'd be funny watching you try…")

Their third companion they found quite by accident, stumbling upon the pig demon after it had gotten itself stuck in a fence.

(Su giggled to herself, "Oink, oink! Hehehehe…")

"'Scuse me, wanna help me out here?"

Hakkai Cho, Su Kaolla

She had been running away from some angry villagers, it seemed, who were became upset when the demon had uprooted half their fields for its afternoon snack. Sanzou insisted the demon join them, sure he might learn a way to contain or perhaps even dissipate the creature's voracious appetite. And so they became four, traveling together and learning a great many things until one day…

"Please, Monk Sanzou, you must find a way to save me!"

The Chief's Daughter: Mitsune Konno(Kitsune)

("Oh, I love this part," sighed Kitsune as she leaned forwards a tad bit more, flashing even more cleavage than before as a few guys in the audience suddenly developed random nosebleeds.

"Poor guys…" murmured Koshi.

"Who cares about them? I like doing it for the looks on their girlfriend's faces! Teehee!")

The great demon Gyumaoh, she explained, had began a quest for the most beautiful and pure young woman the land possessed to dine upon her succulent flesh and then gain the immortality possessed by the greater beings. The Chief's daughter was one such pure young woman, and each day she feared would be her last should he discover her presence.

("Is the irony here smacking anyone else upside the head?" coughed Naru, Sarah and Su chuckling along as well though Koshi was a bit too busy stuffing part of his robe up his nose to notice.)

The monk, of course, immediately promise to rid her of the great demon and she responded with her undying gratitude should he succeed.

("And, if you do a really good job, maybe you'll get a taste of something else after the show," she added far too sweetly, causing Koshi to sheepishly stuff more robe up his nose and Naru to nearly shake with the rage that flare up. "Hohoho! I truly am evil sometimes…")

The Chief's daughter warned them of the two lesser demons who had been seen scouting for their Master, Gyumaoh, and would likely try and attack if they realized the party's plans. Thus, Sanzou decided to strike at them first and made plans to travel to the demon's lair and lay a trap.

"You must tread with caution," warned the Daughter tearfully. "For while they have not the power of their Master, their powers are still great indeed!"

"We will be cautious, and return with news of their defeat as well as that of their Master's when we may," he replied gently, quickly taking his leave with his followers into the great forest beyond the town.

("Yeah, you'd better hurry before you need a blood transfusion already," chuckled Sarah, smirking at Koshi's nearly-scarlet sleeve.

"It's not my fault!" he protested, getting a glare from Naru and laughs from the others in return. "Gees!")

There they traveled into its darkest depths until they arrived at the spot the villager had described.

"We will wait here for them," the monk told his followers as they began to fan out a bit. "And surprise them when they return."

"Fu fu fu! Then you have not long to wait, foolish monk!"

("Get ready, Shirai, it is our time to shine on stage with Naru-san!"

"I know, Haitani!")

Great Lord Kinkaku: Shirai

Great Lord Ginkaku: Haitani

The monk and his followers were shocked as their horse burst into two demonic forms, each brandishing a weapon fiercely. Their position cut the monk off from his companions, seemingly leaving him at their mercy.

"Our cleverness has allowed us to not only elude your trap, but to spring one of our own!" declared the first of their enemies as he adjusted his glasses. "Bow to our superiority, Sanzou the foolish, for here is where your journey ends!"

"You may have gained the upper hand!" replied the monk gravely. "But it is an advantage that will soon be turned against you!"

Sanzou's faithful disciples immediately responded to their Master's summons, and in short order the servants of Gyumaoh were defeated.

("Alas, our time on stage was too short!" murmured Haitani as he was dragged off stage by a vengeful Su and Sarah.

"Toughen up a bit and try to be a challenge, then," replied Sarah as she kicked him in the head for good measure. "That was just plain boring, you guys are such wimps."

"Yep yep, wimps!")

The victorious companions gathered once more and began to celebrate, but it was far too soon.

"Fu, fu, fu…"

"Who goes there?" called Goku, immediately on guard.

"No one of consequence…merely one who is superior to you in every way!"

Gyumaoh: Keitaro Urashima

(Keitaro grinned inside as the kids close to him backed away in awe. Taking measured steps, he made his way through the parting crowd to the stage. What power!)

"You!" cried the water and pig demons as one.

"Yes, me," he replied, walking among their number calmly. Stopping before Sanzou, the great demon paused, a mischievous glint in his eyes as he smiled. "I see you have defeated my cousins, but that is only a small matter, I assure you. They were never worth much to begin with…yes, to be beaten by a lowly monk is a fitting end for them."

("We are SO worth more than that!" called Shirai from offstage, only to get kicked down by Sarah again. "Or not…")

"What game do you play, foul demon?" demanded the monk, flushing in his rage. "Have you come to claim your revenge? Or perhaps to stop us before we can interfere with your nefarious plan?"

The demon just laughed in response, carelessly shrugging as they drew back a few steps in confusion.

"Revenge for those worthless fools? No. And do you truly think your presence worries me? No. You amuse me, monk, and because of that I invite you to a game of sorts…dear?"

("The ONLY time you'll ever hear him call Motoko that in public," snorted Sarah, rolling her eyes. "Pansy…")

"Sanzou!"

Rasetsungo: Motoko Urashima

(Murmurs rippled through the crowds.

"Urashima?"

"You mean she's married now?"

"That sucks…"

"Hey, I'm still taking pictures!"

Mysteriously a dart cracks the said camera

"Noo!"

"Hahah! Sucks to be you!")

Above them another of Gyumaoh's servants appeared from the shadows, a dark temptress of ice. But it was the bound form in her arms that truly caught their attention. The Chief's Daughter cries were silenced as her captor tightened her grasp, the poor young woman fainting dead away to lie there limply.

("Ever thought of loosing weight?" muttered Motoko as she nearly dropped Kitsune. "It is something you might wish to consider…"

"I'm sorry, I'm fainted away right now, so I can't reply," chuckled Kitsune, opening her eyes briefly to wink.)

"You are as prompt as ever, dearest," commented Gyumaoh, taking in their shocked faces with glee.

"She was easy prey," came the cold, emotionless reply as she drew a wickedly curved blade from her back. "Shall I finish, Master?"

("Tell me, do you call him that in private, too?" asked Kitsune slyly.

Motoko tightened her grip ever so slightly. "Captured foxes should not ask dangerous questions."

"Eep!")

"No!" cried the pig demon, hopping up to rescue the maiden only to have her disappear with the demon into the shadows and reappear beside Gyumaoh.

(Su grinned proudly. "Those special effects rock!")

"We will not kill her just yet," said Gyumaoh. "Return with her to our home, and wait for me there."

"Yes, Master."

"Wait!" cried Sanzou, but to no avail for they had vanished from sight.

"Come and amuse me more, monk," taunted the demon. "Come and find my lair, attempt to rescue the young woman before I feast upon her flesh…and until then, farewell." Gyumaoh disappeared in a cloud of black smoke, his laughter ringing through the trees being all that was left.

"What are we to do now, Master?" asked the water demon. "For he is powerful, and his final servant is probably, too!"

"Even should his power be triple that of ours combined, we will press on and meet his challenge fearlessly," replied the steadfast monk. "Come, we must travel back to the Mountain of Fire Elements for there Sakymuni will answer our summons and if any know of the lair of Gyumaoh it will be she in her infinite wisdom."

And so the companions set out on the next leg of their adventure. And what it would bring, none of them could possibly have imagined…

VNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNV

Koshi shed his hat as the curtains fully closed, grinning as Su and Sarah ran by yelling something about Shinobu and the kitchen. Feeling his stomach grumble, he immediately turned and almost ran into Naru as she hopped on one foot fixing a boot.

"Oh, sorry! Good job so far."

"Yeah, you too," she replied as she set her ears aside, pulled off her collar and ran a hand through her hair. "Where're you going? We've got 30 minutes before the next part starts."

"Food. Hungry?"

"I guess, let's go."

"Ok."

Chatting amiably, the pair made their way into the small kitchen they'd set up so they wouldn't have to go all the way back to the café to eat. Finding Shinobu there absorbed in decorating some small cakes, they waited politely for her to raise her head before asking what was ready to eat.

"Oh! Sorry, I was…auu…" She smiled shyly before gesturing to the counter by the portable stove. "Everything finished is over there, and the plates are by the wash tub. Help yourself!"

"Ok, thanks! And great job, by the way."

"Auu, thank you…" The young chef blushed brilliantly, bowing slightly. "You have done well yourselves. Even Sarah and Su-chan…oh!"

"Something wrong?" asked Naru as she began to browse through the pots, plates and bowls.

"Su-chan did something to one of the pots on the left. I'm not sure which one, or what, but you may wish to be careful…"

"We will, thanks."

"Found it, I think," added Koshi was he began to chug water straight from the pitcher. "Super-spicy curry, in the blue bowl…oh my poor tongue…"

"Oh, I'll remember that. Everything else should be safe."

"Here's some more curry, and I don't think she got into this one," commented Naru, tasting it carefully. "It's really good, actually."

"About the second half," put in Koshi was he immediately took a heaping mound of the untouched curry, adding more to his plate from various bowls and platters. "I had a question about the timing in the fight between you and Motoko-san…"

VNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNV

"Our experiment is a success! I especially like the delayed reaction thingy," cheered Su as Haitani lay at her feet passed out, Sarah drawing on his face with a marker. "Where did you find that replied Sarah with a shrug. "C'mon, this dork will wake up in a couple of minutes since we only got that tiny bit in his mouth. Better scoot while he's still out."

"Yeah, Shinobu-chan's got food waiting for us too, and I'm starved!"

The pair raced back to the kitchen area, saying hi to Naru and Koshi before turning to Shinobu who was just getting herself a plate of food.

"Wait!" cried Su when she saw her friend reaching for the pot of curry. "Uh…don't you wanna try this one first?" She offered the blue bowl quickly.

"No, you won't me trick me this time," replied Shinobu with a giggle. "I already know that's the one you messed with, and you know I don't like my food spicy."

"What? I didn't do anything to this one," replied Su, sticking her finger in it for a quick taste. "Mmm…s'good…"

"Say, you guys haven't seen a blue bowl, have you?" asked Seta as he popped his head in the door.

"This it?" asked Sarah, pointing to the one Su held.

"Yeah! That's it, thanks!" Taking it, he disappeared again down the corridor.

"If you didn't touch that one, then which one did you mess with?" asked Shinobu, a feeling of dread quickly growing in the pit of her stomach.

"This pot, of course!" replied Su as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "That's why I told ya not ta eat it, see? There's a note under the lid. We're testing a sleeping powder Sarah got online, and while it may not work fast it sure knocks 'em out once it does."

"Sleeping powerder? Auu! Naru, Koshi-!"

The trio turned quickly to find the pair sprawled on the table, faces in their plates snoring softly.

"Uh-oh…" said Su as Sarah's jaw dropped. "Haruka's gonna be mad…"

VNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNV

"Incapacitated?" Haruka's eyes narrowed considerably. "What the hell's that supposed to mean?"

It didn't take long for Haruka to put everything together, and once she had the result was less than pleasant. Two of their lead characters were incapable of performing, and the number of understudies they had wasn't just limited, it was nearly nonexistent.

"We can't not finish," said Keitaro, having peeked outside and found the crowds to have grown even more. "One, it'll disappoint the kids, and two, the parents will probably ask for their money back…"

"Which defeats the purpose of doing this in the first place," finished Haruka, sighing in resignation. "Never thought I'd say this one you kids took over, but I guess that means I'm Goku. The extra costume is for a female, and no one else knows the lines or the fight sequences….the only question is, who's playing the monk?"

"I know the part!" offered Shirai eagerly. "I bet I'd make a great monk!"

"Yeah, if he's supposed to be fat, lazy, and stupid," snorted Sarah.

"I'm not stupid!"

"Coulda fooled me…"

"Regardless of that," broke in Haruka with a growl. "He hasn't done the fight scene even once, and his physical abilities are greatly lacking if it has to be done cold."

"What? I'm in great physical condition!" He flexed his arms proudly.

Sarah poked him in the gut, making him double over with a grunt. "You're a tub a lard."

"Seta knows the fight," offered Keitaro, trying to be helpful. "He did work with me and Koshi on it…"

"But I doubt he knows the lines," countered his aunt dryly. "Damn it, guys…"

"Koshi's lines? I know those!" offered Seta as he appeared behind them. "I helped him memorize them. Why would I need t know them, though?"

Haruka paused for a full 30 seconds before she sighed with a shrug. "The show must go on, but I'm confiscating all funds for the Tea House for this. Keitaro, get him in costume and run through the lines and stuff with him. Motoko get out there and apologize for the delay. Shinobu, can you come with me to lace up the back and get the make up done? I'm not quite as good at that as I used to be…"

Everyone scattered on command, Motoko letting Shinobu check her stage makeup before signaling to Su that she was ready. Using a few lighting tricks, Motoko materialized in the center of the stage, the audience falling silent with her arrival.

"Our deepest apologies for the delay," she said, her low-pitched words carrying easily through the audience. "But there have been some unforeseen occurrences…"

A low murmur swept through the crowd, the questions dying out when Motoko raised one hand after a bit.

"The show will continue," she assured them calmly. "But there has been a change in two of our castings. Goku Son, originally played by Naru Narusegawa, will be played by Haruka Urashima, and Sanzou Genjou, originally played by Koshi, will be replaced by Seta." Seeing Seta give her a thumbs up from the wings, she added, "We thank you for your patience, and welcome you to the conclusion of our play. Please enjoy the show."

A giant black cloud billowed up from her feet as she bowed, blocking everything from view as the audience gasped in wonder. The lights dimmed dramatically, and when the cloud had cleared away and the lights came up it was on the next set with the new Sanzou and company stepping out from the winds for the final segment to start…

VNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNV

The brave monk trekked tirelessly to the Fire Elements Mountain, and upon arriving immediately called up the powerful Sakyamuni for her help and guidance. The kami immediately told them where to find the demon Gyumaoh, but with her help came a warning.

"Be wary of Gyumaoh," she said as she faded away. "The Chief's Daughter's life may not be his true aim…tread with caution, Sanzou, for he is not one to be underestimated."

(Seta chuckled lightly. "Never fear! Seta is here! OMPH!"

Haruka shrugged innocently when he looked about to see who could have possibly whacked him in the side. "Keep going.")

With this single warning they set out again, and though their journey was long and perilous the group of heroes never wavered from their goal. Day after day, mile after mile they strode until finally their destination appeared upon the horizon. Weary though they were, they pressed on until they had entered the lair of the demon itself. Finding the rocky caverns unguarded and apparently unoccupied, the noble monk finally loosed his ire.

"Foul demon, show yourself for I know you abide in this evil place!"

"Fu, fu, fu…"

("A tad higher," he murmured to Motoko as she ran a hand along the base of his neck. "Yeah, right there…"

"If you start forgetting your lines, I will be forced to stop," she replied with a satisfied smile."

"I, uh…I won't forget…don't stop…")

A roaring fire sprang to life around the cavern, showing a throne-like pillar atop which the demon Gyumaoh and his lady reclined together.

"So you have come, Sanzou," he greeted the monk lightly, his smile widening to show many sharp teeth. His lady ignored the intruders mutely, continuing to play with a lock of hair at the base of the demon's neck. "It is truly a pity you did not come sooner, for the Chief's Daughter…"

"She is dead, then!" demanded the monk, a grave wave of despair filling his heart.

"No, not dead, for it seems the dear was not nearly as pure as she seemed to be." Gyumaoh chuckled to himself as he turned to his companion. "Rasetsungo?"

As the demon rose, she seemed to sigh in irritation. Neatly leaping from the pillar to the ground, she gestured to the shadows behind herself and from them appeared the Chief's Daughter, now one of the demon's minions and bearing a black crest upon her forehead.

("Wuaah…I'm a zombie…" Kitsune held her arms out in front of her and grinned creepily.

Motoko rolled her eyes. "You are most strange, Kitsune."

"Well of course, I'm a zombie…wuaah!)

"She is still alive, in a sense," supplied Gyumaoh when those opposing him were unable to summon a response. "Although I doubt she would recognize you now, she does obey commands very well…"

With a single word from her new Master, the enthralled young woman began to advance upon the priest with a provocative swing way to her hips. Unsure what their enemies had planned, but unwilling to strike at one they had once protected, his disciples drew back warily and waited to see what would happen.

"Kiss me," the maiden murmured as she leaned towards Sanzou with a seductive smile and a distant gaze in her eyes. "Gyumaoh has promised…if you but kiss me…he will set me free…"

(Kitsune snickered to herself. "Sexy zombie on the loose!")

The monk seemed rooted in his spot, unable to move or even speak as she moved closer and closer. Caught in her spell, it seemed he had lost his wits completely when Goku-son came to his rescue and struck the maiden on the forehead, shattering the seal and at the same her physical existence dissolved away in a blast of dark light.

(Kitsune snapped her fingers in irritation below the stage. "I was this close…"

Haruka stomped on Seta's foot, making him jump and turn towards her. "Pay attention, you were supposed to get out of that one yourself!"

"Yeah, but she…her dress…I mean…uh…I had to, uh, try and set her free!"

"Idiot…")

"It seems your plan has failed," said the monk as he came back to his senses. "And you will not be given a second opportunity. Gojou Sa! Hakkai Cho! Attack!"

("Ready?" asked Su eagerly.

"Yep, let's take her down!"

"Roger!")

Though the two demons leapt forwards willingly at his command, their combined powers were not enough to even touch Rasetsunyo and she dispatched them into the Dark Abyss that is the resting place of all demon-kind with an ease that even made the brave monk pale.

(Sarah snorted off stage, nursing the sore spot on her forehead where Motoko had lightly tapped her. "Two-hit K.O….I want a rematch!")

"Is that truly your best effort?" asked Gyumoah's lady in a chilling monotone. "I expected more of the brave and noble monk Sanzou's disciples. How disappointing."

"What're you talking about? This show's just getting started," put in Goku-son lightly, summoning her staff. "Try me on for size, sweetie…if you're not afraid you'll bore me, that is."

(Kitsune grinned from off stage, cheering quietly. "Cat fight! Cat fight!")

The two demons circled each other warily, the monkey being the first to strike as she sensed her opening and surged forwards. Her opponent blocked easily, but hesitated to complete the counter strike as if unsure of her standing suddenly. The pause, however, only lasted for a few seconds.

("Losing your nerve?" taunted Haruka quietly, sensing that her niece-in-law might be suffering from uncertainties in striking at an elder relative of her husband's. "Or is that the best your 'School of Sword can offer? Maybe I'm not 20 anymore, but I can take both you and your sister with one hand tied behind my back."

Motoko's eyes narrowed even as she smiled slightly. "I severely doubt that…prepare yourself, oba-san!")

What followed was a ferocious blur to those who watched that day, and only the occasional fraction of a pause gave any clue as to what was transpiring. Evenly matched in attack and defense, neither seemed to be able to budge the other when Rasetsunyo suddenly drove Goku-son back and landed a single scratch upon her cheek.

("You let yourself in for that one, dropping your guard like that," commented Seta judiciously.

"Yeah, I know…")

The silence as they both froze seemed to stretch forever, and one could almost feel the tension that began to build as they stared blankly at one another. Calmly, in a 'hmph' that shattered the silence, Goku-son moved into a different position, almost taunting her opponent as she shone with a new sort of determination. "Bring it."

(Motoko sweated slightly, a fleeting touch of panic grasping at her heart. "Why do I feel like this next part is really gonna hurt…?")

Flying around each other in deadly formations, they started back up with twice the intensity, yet Goku pushed it even farther and as the monkey gained the upper hand, Rasetsunyo grew more and more desperate. Finally backed into a corner, she sprang out into one final attack and drove her blade forwards with the last of her strength.

The monkey demon, unable to dodge in time, allowed the blow to strike true and in return struck the foul creature a mortal wound and shattered her physical existence. Though grievously wounded, the brave Goku-son had triumphed against the dark lady and avenged the deaths of their companions.

("Nice finishing touch," commented Seta as he calculated the height of the arc she'd sent Motoko offstage with.

She nodded appreciatively. "I thought so too."

Motoko barely managed to flip herself and land in the rafters high above, sorely winded. "Ach…!")

"Fu…now that is most annoying," rumbled the demon lord Gyumoah, his mouth set in a firm line and eyes glittering darkly. "It seems I must finish this myself…"

"We are finished," replied the monk, a heavy sadness filling his voice. "Two of my disciples are dead, and my dearest friend too wounded to go on…we are through here today, Gyumaoh."

"Ah, there is lies the problem, for you see it was never the flesh of the purest maiden that would gain me immortality, but the flesh of the purest pries!"

Enjoying the stricken look upon the Monk's features as he unveiled the full depth of his dark intention, the demon continued zealously. For, yes, while the tender meat of virgin maidens was most delicious it was not purified in the wisdom that one attains in the lifetime of self-denial and study. And so, he had embarked to draw out the purest monk or priest by preying upon the purest females, for one would rise to defend the other should the need be presented.

"And so, I have lured you here, and here your life will end…to forever preserve mine!"

The wounded Goku tried to rise to her Master's defense as the demon descended upon them, but was unable to do so.

("Not quite as quick as you used to be," commented Seta as Haruka winced visibly.

"Quick enough to kick your butt…")

"Fear not," the monk assured her as he went himself to meet the challenge of the demon, head held high. "For even a mere mortal man can be more than he appears to be, and indeed, I am such."

("Psst, Keitaro!" whispered Seta as he took up his stance.

"What?" replied Keitaro, preparing for his leap.

"I can't remember the fight sequence, so we're gonna make it up as we go!"

"We're WHAT!" Keitaro was already in mid-jump at this point, and he prayed to all the gods above that this night wouldn't see him a full-body cast in the hospital. Seta could be very bad for one's health if he wished to be.)

Gyumaoh gave no quarter as he dove for his prey, but much to his surprise the seemingly harmless monk struck back, robes akimbo to reveal strong arms and legs falling into a well-learned pattern and stance.

"You never could do things the easy way, could you?" commented the demon as they paused for a moment's breath.

"You learn ever so much more taking the longer path in life," the monk quoted simply, smiling.

"Then it shall make my victory that much sweeter in the end!"

The battle was calm, but intense, and a strange energy seemed to envelope the pair even as their steps led them to the top of the pillar upon which Gyumoah had originally sat. Striking back and forth, the monk suddenly seemed to overreach himself and leave his chest wide open. The demon, seeing his chance, immediately thrust forwards but was tripped by the crafty monk and went hurtling over the edge with a well-placed strike to fall to his death below.

(Keitaro got up from the mat below the back of the stage, barely able to breath. "Oww…he didn't have to hit me that hard!")

That was how Sanzou, the noble and pure monk, defeated the vile demon Gyumoah and his minions and went on for many years more to have many wonderful adventures with Goku-son at his side…but those are tales for another time.

VNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNV

Everyone stood on the stage together for their bows, and when the last round of applause had been given and the last flowers thrown on the stage (and the final cries of 'long live the Great Goku-son had died away) they all filed out, changed into their usual clothes, and hurried over to the Tea House for the usual Cast Party.

Drinks, food, a roaring bonfire and lots of good company with sake all around, even Naru and Koshi found it difficult to stay upset after awoke and joined the other later that evening. And in all of this merry making and general hoop-la, Motoko and Keitaro managed to slip away from the rest and make their way up to the roof, watching over their tenants and friends from above unseen.

"As enjoyable as the performance was, especially the way things turned out, I am glad it is finally finished, the swordswoman murmured into her husband's chest as they snuggled together in their small niche.

"So am I," replied Keitaro, sighing into her hair. "And tomorrow the Tea House is closed so we can sleep in as long as we want."

"I do intend to take advantage of that," his spouse chuckled tiredly. "How quickly these last few weeks have flown…the festival will be this next Friday, and a week after that we will be returning to our home. It is strange when it feels like we only just opened the Tea House…"

"Haruka has someone to run it after we leave, right?"

"Of course, though the Tea House loses some of its popularity when we are gone…"

"Oh well. As much as I've enjoyed being here, I don't think I could stand being away from the old Inn for an entire summer. This place just doesn't quite have the same feeling of being home."

"Motoko! Keitaro! Where are you guys!"

The manager bit back a growl as his wife rose reluctantly, casting him an understanding glance. "We have best go before they discover our hiding place."

"Is it selfish of me to want you to myself?" asked Keitaro as he held tight her hand, stopping her in her tracks for a moment.

"No," she replied, with a soft smile. "But we do have a responsibility…"

"I know, I know." Grumbling to himself as they descended the ladder quickly. "I feel like a parent sometimes, with our residents, and the irony of it is it's not even a conceivable possibility…no pun intended…"

Motoko just chuckled at that, giving him a fleeting smile just before they rejoined the others below. The party was in full swing, complete with Seta-thwapping (courtesy of Haruka), a drunken Kitsune (though she had consumed far more sake to get to that point than anyone thought possible), and plenty of the general chaos that seemed to follow wherever they gathered together.

VNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNV

The next week that followed seemed to pass in the wink of an eye, though everyone enjoyed themselves a great deal more with the play done. Their free time was finally theirs again, yet the manager and his wife continued to be frustrated with their inability to find time alone. Haruka seemed to have disappeared into the shadows, and Seta and Koshi were also unavailable as the elder uncle had dragged his reluctant nephew off on a mini-expedition to search for some ruins he'd heard about over sake with some local geezers. With Naru and Kitsune on a clubbing kick to make the most of their soon-ending beach stay, that placed Motoko and Keitaro on a near-constant kiddie watch keeping their younger residents in line.

And while both agreed it was no difficult task to do so, and was for the most part fun, it occasionally grew tiresome with their need to be alone. Things continued like this until the festival, when everyone gathered in their hotel's courtyard in their finest kimono's to head out together.

"Oba-san!" called Keitaro in surprise when they spotted the elder Urashima waiting on a bench looking unusually feminine in a maroon kimono with her hair pulled away from her face. "You look nice, where've you been lately?"

"Out and about on Hina's order," she replied vaguely, ignoring his first comment entirely. "I told you about her renovating the Tea House instead of doing repairs on the Inn, right? Well, she had the guys give it a once over anyways, and came up with a short list of some minor things that could be done."

"We can take care of that when we get back," said Keitaro promptly. "We don't need her to do it, if that's what you're asking."

"No, she just said the list would be left on the 'fridge for you. What I want to know is would you two be interested in heading back a week or so early and getting the repairs done before we get back. A couple of jobs include fixing a window or two in resident's rooms, and I figured it might be easier to do without the others underfoot."

Keitaro looked at Motoko, who had carefully schooled her features into a neutral expression, but even he could not miss the glow of hope in her eyes. Smiling, he nodded as he said, "I agree. You guys will be able to handle things without us?"

"Eh, it'll give me an excuse to work Seta for all the meals he's managed to filch off the Tea House." She shrugged, taking a drag of her cigarette.

"They have returned?" asked Motoko, surprised.

"Of course of we have!" replied Seta cheerfully as he popped up behind them in his usual slacks, button-down shirt, and suspenders. "Wouldn't miss a good festival if my life depended on it!"

"Did you miss us?" asked Koshi jokingly, dressed in a robe and belt similar to Keitaro's with Sarah sitting on his shoulders in a pink, rumpled kimono.

"Of course we did!" cried Sarah, hugging the crown of his head all the tighter. "Didja find anything neat? You didn't tell me earlier!"

"Well, there were one or two things…"

"There's our good traditional girl!" chuckled Kitsune as she sidled up to Motoko's side, patting her back in an irregular fashion. "Were you waiting long?"

"No, we…Kitsune, what are you doing?"

"Trying to figure out if you've still got those puppies all wrapped up…you're supposed to be naked under these things, you know!"

"Kitsune!"

"Hey guys!" called Keitaro as his wife tried to duck behind him out of the foxy one's reach, a desperate note in his voice. "The festival is already started; we'd better get going if we don't want to miss anything!"

"Good point."

"Yep, yep!"

"Let's go! Let's go! I don wanna miss nothing!"

"Au, wait for me!"

"Thank you," said his wife as she slipped back beside him, relief apparent on her face with Kitsune now well ahead of them with the rest.

"My pleasure," he replied with a grin, taking her hand and heading out at a leisurely pace. Though he did glance at Motoko's chest when she was studying a banner above them once, and wondered if perhaps she did have them unwrapped as Kitsune had suggested she do.

Immediately pulling his thoughts back to the 'safe' areas of his mind, Keitaro gave himself a stern reminder that they were in public and to behave himself before settling in to enjoy a peaceful evening of fun.

Sarah, having jumped off her cousin's shoulders, had immediately grabbed Haruka's hand as well as her father's, and the result was an interesting competition of sorts that lasted the rest of the evening. And the fact that it wasn't even hinted at, ever, was the most interesting part of all.

Su skipped along at the front of the group, crying out excitedly when she spotted a stuffed banana as one of the prizes for a game. "Ooh! Looky, looky, looky!"

Sarah slipped away from the two adults to join her, dragging along Shinbou to 'Ohh!' and 'Ahh!' at the various prizes.

"Look at me! Bam! Bam!" giggled Su as she picked up the gun the game was played with. "Too hard for me, though. Haruka! Will you win it for Su? Please? Please?"

"Yeah, I guess," said the elder Urashima with a shrug, taking up the faux weapon. "Motoko's not around, so I'm the next best one, huh?"

Su giggled as Shinobu hid her shy grin. "Yep yep!"

"Win me somethin' too, Papa!" said Sarah, giving him the puppy dog eyes he could never resist.

"Sure thing!"

Taking up the spot beside Haruka, the pair took mirror image stances, twirling the guns on their fingers before snapping them into position and firing off their five shots as one. Ten little stuffed animals feel to the ground, and the three younger girls cheered as they received their prizes.

Kitsune and Naru exchanged odd looks, Koshi letting out a whistle at the same time.

"That looked strangely rehearsed."

"I know what you mean, you don't they've done that before, do you?"

"I dunno…"

And so, with Sarah cheering on her papa and Su and Shinobu rooting for their ex-dorm mom Haruka, the score seemed to remain tied through rounds of tossing rings at cups, darts thrown at balloon, baseballs used to break plates, and beanbag tic-tac-toe. Koshi, Kitsune, and Naru, who had followed them simply because it was so amusing to watch, observed and chuckled (and in Kitsune's case, took notes in case any bit of info might come in handy later) and enjoyed themselves greatly.

Finally, at the last game they had yet to try, both took up rifles and, with fifteen shots, began to systematically, take down the 30 small targets set up inside the stand. Again and again they shot, each seeming to become more and more intense until they finally worked their way to the final target at the far, far back of the space. Pausing just fore a breath, they both pulled the trigger…and only Haruka's went down.

"Must'a slipped," said Seta with a shrug, turning towards Haruka to grin good-naturedly. "Good shot."

She snorted, though her head dipped slightly. "I'm sure, and thanks."

All in all, a most enjoyable and informative evening.

VNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNV

Motoko and Keitaro enjoyed themselves as well, though in a very different manner than they or anyone else might have guessed. While wandering around looking for a place to eat, the couple had stumbled upon the local Martial Arts Exhibitions that were taking place. Motoko had seen it many times in the past, and had been asked to participate a few times in her younger years, but the program had expanded quite a bit since then and the result was more impressive.

In the time spent with Seta as his teacher, Keitaro had become a fair judge of unarmed combat, and of course Motoko had been able to sense such things since she'd been very young, so the two seated themselves in the stands and began to take 'bets' with each other over who would win each round in the freestyle ring. Taking turns over who got to choose first, and keeping score of whom was right the most often, a good three hours passed this way unnoticed.

"He has a greater reach than the first boy," Motoko was pointing out when the first fireworks went off overhead, startling the couple into looking at the nearest clock.

"We were supposed to meet the others 30 minutes ago!" cried Keitaro as he quickly rose to his feet, Motoko following with a wry smile.

"They will not worry unless we fail to show at all tonight," she assured him calmly as she took his hand, weaving through the milling crowds. "Though I do not believe that this is quite what they meant by an evening alone…"

"So much for a romantic evening," added Keitaro. "Sorry it wasn't quite what you were expecting."

"I enjoyed myself a great deal, and I suspect you did as well," she replied with a smile. "That is all I require in spending time with you."

He grinned, blushing sweetly. "I'll keep that in mind."

Heading over to the pier where the others were, they arrived just in time to catch the grand finale. When it finished, and the last glowing bloom had died away, their younger residents spotted them and immediately swamped the pair showing them their new prizes and exclaiming about Haruka and Seta's great success.

"It was totally wicked!" Sarah was saying when the rest came up. "They were like 'Bam! Bam! Bam!' and at the exact same time too!"

"Enjoy your evening off?" called Naru, toting a stuffed animal of her own that Shinobu had given her.

"And will we see any results of it later on?" asked Kitsune with a wink.

"We did enjoy ourselves, thank you," Motoko calmly, ignoring Kitsune as usual as Keitaro and Koshi exchanged knowing looks.

"Where didja go?" asked Su as she latched onto her long-time climbing pole, eyes wide with wonder. "We didn't see ya at all, and we went everywhere!"

"A place I used to visit in my youth," replied Motoko, feeling the rings were perhaps a bit too violent for the younger residents. Some of the participants had been carried out on stretchers, and Shinobu especially was not well-disposed to the sight of blood. "Perhaps you will have a chance to visit it in later years, it can be quite fun."

"Is that so, sugar?" asked Kitsune as she sidled up alongside the swordswoman, grinning coyly. "It wouldn't be one of my kind of places, would it?"

Motoko and Keitaro glanced at each other in confusion for a moment, then to everyone's surprise began to laugh loudly. Occasionally they would pause, then glance at each other and the laughter would start all over again.

"I do not think so," she replied some time later as she wiped the tears from her eyes. "Goodness…"

"I think that's it for tonight, kids," broke in Haruka as she dropped her dying cigarette to on the sand and ground it out with her heal. "Motoko, Keitaro, are you two going tomorrow or on Wednesday? Those are the only two trains heading your way back before next weekend, and you'll want more time than two days."

The two looked at each other before Keitaro shrugged. "Tomorrow I guess," he said lightly. "No time like the present, right? And I might find a few other things that need fixing, so the extra time won't go to waste…"

Haruka chuckled, ducking her head as she turned away. "I'm sure…just don't sleep too late, then, the train leave at 9:00 sharp and your next shot won't come for another two days. Good night, and have a good trip."

"Thank you, oba-san."

"Yeah, yeah…just make sure the work gets done."

"We will!" Keitaro turned back to Motoko, walking towards the Tea House arm in arm. "I mean, it's not there's much else to do, right?"

Motoko nodded dutifully, even though her heart sank for some reason. "It is as you say." Unbeknownst to her, Keitaro's did the exact same thing.

VNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNV

Kanako surveyed the old Inn with abject disappointment, absently petting the long-eared feline perched on her shoulder as she mused to herself. She had kept her promise to Hina and had not explored the Inn, or found her brother's room, yet she'd had little choice otherwise for the crafty had had kept her busy every waking hour of the day and shared the bedroom with her every night. Only the workers Hina had sent to inspect the place were allowed to roam about freely, and when she questioned them later they were unable to tell her anything of even the mildest interest about the room. Why cared if one of the residents had trees everywhere? They were probably fake and musty anyways. And what good did it do for her to know only one of the residents had a double bed? It probably meant the person was a restless sleeper, and had need of the extra room. Not that it mattered, she'd never be sharing a bed with them anyways.

Thoroughly discouraged for the first time in awhile, she came reluctantly when Hina called her to from a car in the street, their belongings already packed and stowed away.

"You still will not let me stay?" she asked one last time as she sat across from her grandmother, the cat settling itself in her lap.

"You will understand someday," replied the old woman with a low chuckle. "And while you may not thank me for it, it is necessary. I assure you, you will see Keitaro again soon, m'dear, just not today."

"Yes, oba-san."

Closing the door, the vehicle pulled away from the curb and as the building vanished from sight around the corner, Kanako swore she would make the 'old bat' let her see her big brother some day.

Glancing at Hina, the old woman as unreadable as ever, she sighed and immediately gave up. Hina got what Hina wanted, and if it was in her plans to keep her and Keitaro apart, that is the way things would be. She just hoped it wouldn't be too much longer.

VNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNV

Motoko woke at dawn as usual, finding Keitaro up and out of the room. Quickly changing into the shorts and t-shirt she was to travel home in, the swordswoman slipped into the hallway and called her husband's name inquiringly.

"In the kitchen!" he replied, a cheerful note in his voice. "Sleep well?"

"Yes, thank you," she said with a smile. "What are you making?"

"An omelet and toast for breakfast, and then I'm packing sandwiches for lunch. The train ride is a long one, and even if we don't eat them before we get back at last we'll have something to eat later since there's nothing left at Hinata. We'll have to go grocery shopping…"

"Hina-san has always refreshed the food supplies before we returned," Motoko informed him as she slipped around his side, sneaking a piece of ham meant for the omelet.

"You're right…hey, I'm using that!"

"I know," she replied as she nabbed a few more bits of vegetables from the bowl before heading towards their room. "But my stomach demands some sustenance and the meal will not be ready for some time. I will start packing, is there anything you want left out?"

"Just my sketch case, the rest can go in the bags."

"Very well."

Separating, the couple met an hour later with their tasks finished and ready to sit down to a leisurely breakfast. Greeting the others as they straggled in one or two at a time, the announcement of their plans to those who hadn't heard the night before were met with surprise but well wishes for the trip ahead and soon it was time for Haruka to drive them to the station and send them off.

"You do realize what you're doing, right?" asked Seta, who'd volunteered to come along out of the blue. The married young ones were already on board, getting settled in their seats for the ride. "Hina gave me a call the other day, asking questions…things could avalanche if you're not careful.

"It'll happen eventually, and better that it's a week alone in their own home than a few hours in some hotel," replied Haruka with a shrug. "Besides, the walls are so thin they won't be able to keep it up after we get back, or at least not easily."

"Doesn't it bother you to discuss your nephew's sex life? Or should I say usual lack there of…"

Haruka rolled her eyes, giving the train one last look before she headed towards the van they'd driven. "After acting as Hina's match-maker for so long…well, whatever happens it's too late to change now and Hina can mop it up later if it all goes to hell. Fire and brimstone couldn't tear those two apart so I'm not worried."

"Such a beautiful young love…remember when we were young and-"

THWAP

"Shut up, Seta."

"Ok, ok…"

VNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNV

Shoji spoke with the doctor in quiet tones as his father replaced his clothes in the adjoined room, grumbling darkly.

"He has no more than a year, it eats too quickly at him," the old physician said, packing his tools and turning towards the door. "You do not need to call for me again, for there is nothing more I can do. Try to keep him active, but rested, and eating the prescribed foods as much as possible. That is the best advice I can offer. Good bye."

"What did he say?" the Master demanded as soon as the door was closed, sitting calmly in his chair in an attempt to mask his weariness.

"You are well, but fragile," his son hedged carefully. "You would be advised not to overextend yourself for the next few months. The doctor also said there is nothing he can do besides prescribe rest for you, and so it is merely a waste of your precious time to call upon him again."

"Is that all?"

"Yes, Father."

"Very well."

VNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNV

Motoko leaned on Keitaro's shoulder, dozing fitfully as he idly flipped through the several sketches he'd made while staying at the Tea House. Occasionally pausing to clean one up, or add a detail or two that came to mind, he didn't notice when his wife opened her eyes and watched him silently.

"You should lengthen her bangs," she said quietly after a time, one hand barely brushing against the forehead of a sketch of Kitsune. "They have grown as of late."

"You're right," he replied as he added the said detail. "Better?"

"I believe so, yes."

"What do you think of this one?" He pulled out one of Su and Shinobu poking at a sea urchin, with Koshi running in the background after Sarah for putting one down his shirt.

"It fits them all perfectly," she replied, giving him a proud smile. "You have such talent with your sketches…have you ever thought doing something with it for a career?"

"I could ask you the same," he replied as he pulled out a battered notebook from his sketch case, a rough cobbling of an idea she'd had that she'd let him have a look at. "I think this is wonderful…"

"It is not practical, and I have been training all my life to lead my family dojo when I am of age and skill…I will someday have to set my writings aside for the duty of my family, and I understand that."

"My family would say the same about my drawings," replied Keitaro with a shrug. "Technically, since I own the Inn, I don't even have to complete college. If I take care of it right, it'll support the both of us for the rest of our lives. But I want to do more with my life than just keep up the Inn."

"Take the art course at Toudai," she offered quietly with a shrug. "I am locked into my life, and it is a life I am more than willing to partake of. But you have a chance to follow a talent of yours to whatever end it might lead you."

"Probably to some manga company," he replied with a chuckle. "Although that would be pretty neat, to be the artist of a well-known comic."

"Then do so, if that is your dream."

"I guess I could take a few art courses at Toudai," he said with a note of hope in his voice. "I have a few gen-ed things to get out of the way first, but I think I can squeeze in one or two that I wanna take on the side."

"That sounds like an excellent idea."

The rest of their trip was relatively uneventful as Motoko drifted back off to sleep, waking moments before their platform was called and after a slow walk home the owners regarded their Inn with a mix of pride and relief.

"It's good to be back," said Keitaro as he set his bags down and picked up the list left on the living room table.

"Yes, it is," replied Motoko with a slight smile, glancing at the paper over his shoulder. "That is not too formidable of a job. If we did not take long breaks, we might even have it finished by tomorrow evening…provided we work late tonight and rise early in the morning."

"Let's just get started and go from there," stated Keitaro as he moved to the supply closet, leaving his bag by the couch. "We have all week after all, no use killing ourselves to finish it in record time."

"That is very true."

Motoko was sent to the roof to reattach the weather vane as Keitaro moved through the rooms listed, patching up drafty windows and fixing the latch on a few of the closet doors.

Together they had an early dinner a few hours later on the upper deck, watching the storm clouds gather overhead.

"Looks like we're in for a big one," said Keitaro as the wind picked up, whipping his short hair back and forth.

"Yes, and we will want to turn off the upper level lights and hot springs regulators in case lightning strikes," replied Motoko thoughtfully. "We are one of the highest points in the area."

"Good point. Better go 'batten down the hatches', then, when it breaks it's gonna pour."

Even hurrying down the stairs and working as quickly as they could, both young people got caught out in the initial downpour that came with the lightning and thunder. Soaked to the bone, they took shelter in the kitchen as the sky shook and cracked in the intensity of the storm.

"Freezing cold," shivered Keitaro as he wrung out his shirt in the sink, his wife doing the same with her hair before tying it up off her neck.

"We can turn down the air-conditioning," she said as she smoothed back a few stray strands that had escaped her hair tie. "And a change of clothes will help. The dryer should finish with our laundry shortly…"

crack-a-BOOM

zzzpt

whiirrr…rrr…rr…

"So much for that…" Keitaro sighed as he dug out a candle, lighting it carefully. Motoko just looked back at him in the candlelight, waiting patiently for him to decide what to do. Her skin was pimpled with gooseflesh, and she kept her teeth firmly held together to hide their chattering, but even as cold as she was she would wait for him to make the first move like any good wife.

"Here," he said as he reached for her hand. "There's some dry…kami, you're cold!"

She smiled wanly as he set down the candle and ran his hands down her arms, though being cold himself he was unable to contribute much to her warmth. "I know."

"You need to get out of those clothes, even if we don't have dry ones, I don't want you to catch cold," he said as he walked into the living room, handing her a blanket from the couch.

"As do you," she replied as she gave him a knowing look, chuckling softly as he attempted to suppress and shiver and failed. "I am sure you will find a way to warm us both…"

"You have more faith in me than you should," he said as he hugged her tightly, wrapping the blanket about them both.

"No," she murmured as she pulled back ever so slightly, looking him in the eyes. "I trust you exactly as I should with everything that I have and am." In that moment, the husband in Keitaro realized what his wife was offering to him: herself. And as her husband, there on the couch in their home, he took what she offered with the gentle love shared between them even as the storm raged outside.

"You're wonderful," Keitaro whispered when they had finished, running a finger over her cheek. "I…it didn't hurt too much…did it?

"No," she replied, kissing his nose. "Thank you."

"Personally, I think that should be the other way around," he yawned, burrowing under the blanket as he snuggled into her neck. "Sorry…just so tired…"

"Go to sleep, then," she told him as lightning flashed over head, the thunder that followed seeming to shake the very foundations of their building. "I will still be here in the morning."

"I hope so," he said as his eyes drifted shut. "I plan to make it up to you in the morning…"

VNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNV

A man of his word, Keitaro woke at dawn, waking his wife with a most pleasant 'make-up' that neither moved from the couch for several hours. It wasn't until one mentioned a bath and the other food that they decided to do both, together.

The bath took longer than anticipated (the hot springs provided a new tempting set of diversions) and by the time they were both dressed, and making something to eat, the sun was once more beginning its descent in the sky.

"You know," commented Keitaro as he glanced over the list Hina had left them. "If we get up early, we could finish all of this before lunch tomorrow which leaves the rest of the week open…"

He let the sentence hang there, glancing shyly at his wife who looked back with a blush.

"I agree," she replied as she reached for his hand. "Some time to ourselves is a blessing we do not often get."

"Then we'll make the most of it," he said as he rose, cleaning up their dishes. "We're almost out of clean clothes, though…"

"I will start our laundry while you clean this up, then," she replied as she rose, waving at the dirty pots and pans lying around. "Shinobu-chan would die if her precious kitchen was left like this."

"And Naru would die if she knew about the couch," he laughed, even as his cheeks heated up. "I suppose there's a lot we won't be able to talk about when the others return…"

"Kitsune would be unable to be lived with if she ever so much as suspected," agreed Motoko.

"They will know eventually, though," stated Keitaro as he caught her arm, drawing her into a close embrace. "Not for a few years…but, eventually, I want us to have kids."

"And I am eager to bear them," she replied warmly. "But we will not be ready for some time, I think. We will have to be very careful until then, and I will be on a double dose of my family's contraceptive from now on to make sure things stay the way they are now."

"I know, but someday…"

They parted to complete their tasks before heading off to bed for a bit more sport and then a good night's sleep. The couple was up with the sun, throwing themselves into the jobs and finishing in record time to spend the rest of the day much as they had the day before. In fact, every day that week was filled with such activities (with the occasional break for naps, baths, and meals) much to the married ones' enjoyment.

However, their break from reality could not last for ever, and that came in the arrival of their aunt and tenants…

VNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNV

Kanako sat in Hina's office, raising on brow in questioning when the old woman burst out into a cackle over a fax she'd just received.

"Something I need to know?" she asked when the laughing didn't end.

"Just an old woman's plans coming to fruition," replied Hina with a chuckle. "Don't worry my dear, you will know eventually. For now, go and pack your things. We are off to Africa to see about that new hot spring!"

"Yes, oba-san."

VNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNV

Keitaro was at the top of the stairs when the rest of the residents pulled up, Su and Sarah running by with their bags on their heads first with yelled greetings over their shoulder.

"Was the drive ok?" he asked Naru as Haruka and Seta finished unloading the gear before driving the vans behind the Inn.

"Tiring, but we didn't hit much traffic," she replied with a shrug, nudging Koshi who stood beside her half asleep. "Keep moving, your bed's inside."

"Mmphr…"

Keitaro chuckled as Koshi only made it as far as the couch, falling forwards on it face down. "What's he so tired for?"

"Sarah and Su stayed up watching a horror flick last night and had nightmares, so Seta sent them to Koshi's room," explained Kitsune as she staggered in, bottle of sake in hand. "Blessed inebriation, here I come!"

"I'd say you're already there…"

"Did you get the list done?" asked Haruka as she came trudging up, dropping some bags at his feet.

"Done and double checked," replied Keitaro with a grin. "Have you seen the Tea House yet?"

"No, and I don't much care to until I've had some sleep. Be useful and carry these, will you?"

Keitaro grinned as Haruka yawned, obviously exhausted. "Yes, oba-san."

"…I'll smack you for it later. C'mon."

The aunt and nephew spoke quietly about the trip in as they took the back pathway to the Tea House, Haruka flipping out her keys once they reached the door.

"Looks like they cleaned up a bit for you," commented Keitaro as he observed the fresh coat of pain and newly-varnished deck. "It looks nice."

The elder Urashima rolled her eyes. "This better be the only part she cleaned up. I warned that old bat…damn."

Keitaro raised his brows in surprise as he walked into Haruka's completely remodeled apartment, the dusty and worn rooms transformed into a completely modern look that seemed to be right out of a magazine.

"It looks nice," he offered hesitantly as he noted the new L-shaped couch that replaced the old one, a nice flat screen TV on the opposite wall, and the modern art that covered the walls instead of her old pictures of friends and past trips.

"It's a load of crap," she replied in a low growl. "Let's see what she did to the rest of it…"

The kitchen, they soon realized, had been completely redone with new appliances and fixtures, and expanded to accommodate a new table that could hold 6 to 8 people. The bathroom was perhaps the least-touched area, receiving only new tiling and some touch-ups with the paint job. Two entirely new rooms had been added at the end of the hallway, an entire craft room set up so Haruka could work on her fans (which she was pleased with, even if she refused to say so out loud) and a bedroom with a child-like theme to it.

"Well, if that isn't the biggest hint in the world, I don't know what is," she muttered as she headed towards her bedroom, Keitaro hanging back to survey the work. It was truly very nice, and he hoped he might be able to provide such a room someday for a child of his own. "Oh, HELL no...!"

"What's wrong?" he asked as he backtracked towards her, his aunt's eyes open wider than he'd ever seen them, and jaw nearly between her knees.

"My…my room…"

Looking over her shoulder, he was surprised to see her old futon traded out for a brand-new queen size with new silk sheets on it and silk curtains hanging from the ceiling around it. Candles had been placed everywhere, and guessing by the 'his' and 'her' theme that seemed to prevail with the clothes and shoes situation, Hina's hint could indeed be more blatant than it had been previously.

Haruka sighed, rubbed her forehead, and turned away resolutely.

"Where are you going?" asked Keitaro as she dropped her bag in the hallway, snagging a blanket out of the closet on the way.

"The couch. I'm too tired to fix it right now, and I'm not sleeping in there with it like…that."

"Oh, ok."

"Lock the door on your way out."

"Yes, oba-san."

Leaving quietly, Keitaro chuckled to himself the whole way up to the Inn. Motoko was going to love hearing about this…

VNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNV

Naru found Motoko in the kitchen, cleaning up the few dishes from the couple's lunch and humming quietly to herself.

"Looks like you took full advantage of your stay away from the rest of us," she commented as Motoko glanced at her with a welcoming smile. "Sleep and train a lot?"

"…mostly, yes," came the chuckled reply, the swordswoman just barely managing to keep her blush under control. "How was your final week at the Tea House?"

"Busy, but good. The new crew came in and worked with us for a couple of days to get a feel for how things worked, and then we pulled out for the last two days just to relax a bit. Koshi and Seta went rock climbing on the cliffs, and Haruka disappeared for a day on 'business'. Kitsune's been three sheets to the wind since we stopped working, and Shinobu, Sarah and Su played in the ocean for the most part. Oh, thanks." Naru paused long enough to sip the coffee Motoko had set in front of her, taking in the much needed caffeine before plowing on. "The drive in was good, but Haruka had me help her with the map so I wasn't able to sleep the whole way."

"Yes, that was usually my job on the trip home," put in Motoko with a nod.

"Yeah, and you're welcome back to it next time. I'd rather sleep!"

"Well, go to your room and sleep or drink enough of that to keep yourself awake until tonight. Either way, I must go and take down our laundry so you will all be able to do yours." With a parting smile, the two went their separate ways in the Inn to either keep awake or finish a chore.

Reaching the roof, Motoko found her husband talking quietly to Shinobu as he folded their laundry with Su and Sarah asleep in the sun, drooling unrepentantly on each other.

"How are you, Shinobu-chan?" she asked as the younger resident gave her a beaming smile and a gentle hug. "It looks like you were out in the sun a lot after we left."

"Yes, Haruka-san gave us all sorts of time off," she replied with a giggle. "It was fun, and nice not to have to cook so much. I love to cook, but sometimes you need a break from the things you love."

"Sometimes," agreed Keitaro with a nod. "But you always end up missing it shortly after if you truly love it. Would you like to make dinner tonight, or should we?"

"May I? It'll be nice, just cooking for a few…"

"I never thought of our 10 or so residents as a few, but I guess after cooking for a couple hundred a day it would seem so. Certainly, you're more than welcome to do so if that's what you want."

"Thank you! I'd better go see what we have…"

"Tell us if you require anything!" Motoko called after her, reaching to unclip a shirt from the line. "I worried our home would seem crowded after having it so empty for a week, but it only feels…comfortable."

"Like a glove that fits perfects," added Keitaro with a grin.

"Yes," murmured his wife with a tiny little grin. "Like a…glove."

Keitaro's brows raised as he caught the gleam in her eye, a similar smile forming on his lips. "You don't think we could…"

"Motoko-chan!"

The two glanced over to see Su and Sarah waking up, happy grins on their faces as they rushed one their favorite climbing toys. 'Later' Motoko mouthed just before she was hit, swinging both up on her shoulders easily.

'Tonight' he replied just before leaving and carrying the basket with their clothes away with him. Suddenly, he couldn't wait for the sun to go down.

VNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNV

The rest of the day was spent napping, chatting, wrestling, and playing together in a relaxed way as they settled back into their home and routines. Shinobu turned out a wonderful meal for their first night home, and before they knew it everyone was washing up together either in the showers (the guys) or the hot springs (the girls) before getting ready for bed. Motoko relaxed in the steaming water as her companions talking animatedly about the final days of their trip and how happy they were to be home.

"I wish you could've stayed for the fireworks," put in Shinobu as she rinsed out her hair. "They were really cool!"

"Yeah, and maybe Keitaro wouldn't have almost set fire to the Tea House the way Seta and Koshi did," added Naru, rolling her eyes. "Haruka almost killed them…"

"Aww, c'mon, lighten up! Seeing them almost murdered was half the fun," put in Kitsune as she sipped her sake slowly. "Speaking of fun, I think someone else's fun will soon be starting…"

Motoko carefully controlled her features as she looked up, raising her brows in faint surprise. "And who would that be?"

"Haruka! Did you see the way Hina decked out her rooms behind the Tea House? I'll bet she's closer to hooking up to Seta or some other poor sap than the rest of us realize."

"Who else could she possibly be getting close to?" asked Naru, an incredulous look on her face. "She's with us all the time!"

"Which means it must be Seta!"

"Kitsune, I think you worry far too much about others love-lives in place of your own lack of one," sighed Motoko as she rose out of the water, taking a dry towel from the stack. "Good night."

"You know you're curious, sword girl!" called Kitsune after her with a smirk. "Don't worry, I'll charge my usual fee if you come and ask later on!"

"She is Haruka's niece, even if it is by marriage," commented Naru as she got out of the bath as well. "She may know something you don't."

Kitsune perked up at that, her usual sly smile taking its place. "Ohhh, good point! I shall have to research that farther…"

VNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNV

Motoko closed their bedroom door firmly behind herself, locking it as she felt Keitaro capture her about the waist.

"We really do never get a moment to ourselves when they're around," he whispered as she turned around, melding into his embrace.

"You are still mine at night, and always will be," she replied with a long kiss, drawing towards the bed. "Come, Keitaro it is time for bed…"

He smiled as he dropped his robe and followed her eagerly. "I come, dearest wife."

The two savored their time together, arousing each other unhurriedly when there was a loud knock on the door, Su's voice ringing out.

"Motoko? Keitaro? You ok?"

"Y-yeah," replied Motoko unsteadily, unwillingly removing herself from her husband as she reached for a robe and threw it on. "Why? Is something wrong?"

"No, we just heard something weird…"

Keitaro dove under the blankets completely, pretending to be asleep as Motoko opened the door a bit, covered decently at last.

"Shh, Keitaro is…resting," Motoko told them as she slipped into the hall and slid the door mostly shut behind herself. "Can I help you with something?"

"We were just gonna build a huge mecha t-…toy, an' we heard something coming from your room," explained Sarah, ducking her head with a shrug. "Thought maybe someone was havin' a bad dread or somethin'…was sorta like moanin'…"

"Keitaro sometimes mumbles in his sleep," admitted Motoko, casting her eyes to the side and hoping the two wouldn't notice her blush. "I assure you I will try and quiet him more in the future…"

"Oh, s'ok, as long as nobody's hurt or nothin'…"

"No, we are fine."

"Motoko, why are ya wearin' Keitaro's robe?" asked Su suddenly as she latched onto her friend's waist.

"Because…his is warmer than mine," she replied quickly, patting the young girl on the head. "And mine is dirty. Now I must be off to bed, and so should you. Good night, Su-chan. Goodnight, Sarah-chan."

"Night, Motoko!" They chorused together before disappearing into Su's room admits squealing giggles.

"Everything alright?" asked Naru as she appeared in the hallway, already in her pajamas and ready to sleep.

"Yes, why?" replied Motoko, looking up in surprise.

"You look kinda miffed," came the yawned reply. "Like…your sword got taken away or something…night…"

"My sword got taken away alright," muttered Motoko to herself as she waved goodnight and went back in their room, locking the door behind herself with a sigh.

"Are they ok?" asked Keitaro, peeking out from under the covers.

"They heard us," she replied quietly, coming to sit on the edge of the bed. "Unfortunately, or perhaps thankfully, it was Su and Sarah…they thought someone was hurt or having a bad dream.

"…oh." He laid back on his pillow for a moment digesting that before glancing over at her. "That puts a damper on things, doesn't it?"

"Yes, I believe it does." The strain in her voice was obvious as she laid next to him, trailing a finger down cheek. "I…want you. But I never realized…"

"We'll have to wait until the next time rent comes in to save enough to sound proof the walls," he sighed, rubbing a hand over his eyes. "I never thought…"

"I knew our walls were thin, I did not realize how thin," his wife murmured. "Do you think…?"

"We could wait until later tonight…but even then, Kitsune wanders the halls sometimes, and wouldn't she love to have proof…" Keitaro put his arms around her, snuggling her close. "We won't be sure until we can install some new paneling in here that our residents won't hear."

"We shall have to wait, then," she muttered, slipping off the robe and under the covers.

"Well, misery loves company," he chuckled lamely. "Try to sleep, maybe we can find a time to ourselves tomorrow…"

"Maybe," she replied as she settled in for what they both knew would be a sleepless, restless night.

VNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNV

Haruka came up to the Inn in time to see Motoko pick up the mail the next day, sorting through it in a mindless fashion with her thoughts clearly elsewhere.

"Anything for the Tea House?" she asked one she was beside her niece, getting the rare satisfaction of seeing Motoko jump in surprise for once.

"Oba-san! I apologize, I was not paying attention…"

"No harm done, and it's good to sneak up on you sometimes, keeps you on your toes," chuckled the elder Urashima wryly, pulling out a cigarette as she did. "Care to share where you were?"

"Where I…? Oh, no." The swordswoman averted her eyes slightly, a note of frustration becoming apparent in her voice. "Just a…problem that will require some time to solve."

Haruka shrugged, rolling her eyes. "If Keitaro's being an idiot, let me know ok? I'll bash some sense into him for you. Especially if he went shy or something all of a sudden…"

Motoko turned red from the neck up, eyes as big as saucers. "Haruka!"

"Sorry, sorry…it's not my business, I know. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed the break you guys got, at least. I asked you before if there was any mail for the Tea House."

Shuffling through the stack quickly, and glad to have something else to focus on, Motoko came up with a few envelopes and quickly handed them over. "These are yours."

"Thank you…what's this?"

Kendo girl paused as her aunt slit open one of the letters in particular, drawing out a few sheets of paper and a picture that she scanned in puzzlement. "No way…"

"What is it?" asked Motoko drawing closer hesitantly.

"Ami and Austin got married, and she's pregnant! Something about enough money to keep them settled for awhile…they're settling back in America, would we please box up their things and send them to the address here, and they'll come visit for Christmas, maybe. Of all the things…" Haruka pulled out a wad of yen left in the envelope, enough to cover the shipping charges and more. "Well, I guess this is for you and Keitaro."

"No, we cannot take what she has given to you," replied the niece automatically.

"It's for shipping the things, and I sure as hell ain't doing it. Therefore it's yours." Haruka shook her head in amazement as she scanned the letter once more before shoving it all back in the envelope and heading for her Tea House. "I don't reopen for a week or so, but I need to learn how to work a few of the machines Hina got me. Later."

"Until next time."

VNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNV

Motoko was counting the money and calculating how much they would need to send the boxes overseas in the kitchen with a cup of tea when Keitaro appeared, giving the area a quick glance to make sure it was empty before wrapping her in a passionate embrace that almost left her unable to stand and both of them breathless.

"You should not do that when I cannot have more of you later on," she chastised him teasingly when she was able to speak again, nuzzling his neck.

"Can I help it that I find you just that desirable?" he replied sheepishly with a shrug. "The house is relatively empty, everyone out shopping…maybe we could…"

"We're home!"

Keitaro immediately let go and headed for the stairs with a sigh.

"Cold shower," he called over his shoulder, disappearing just before the girls burst into the kitchen, gabbing gaily over their purchases and the wonderful sales they'd found.

"You should've come with us, auu," said Shionbu brightly as she poured tea for everyone else, passing the cups around. "It was so much fun!"

"Regardless, your mail is waiting for all of you out in the main room," replied Motoko with a shrug, maintaining a pleasant smile that she didn't entirely feel like wearing.

"Any interesting news or packages come in?" asked Kitsune, a sly gleam in her eyes.

"Yes, actually, Ami and Austin were married in the Americas, and are soon to have their first child," replied Motoko with a nod. "They requested their things be mailed to them, and they may be around for a visit come Christmas."

"Wait, what?"

Motoko waited patiently to be gleaned of every detail that she knew before they all headed for the Tea House to pick the rest out of Haruka, and when they were finally gone she headed upstairs for the two rooms the couple had once occupied right next to each other for the few months they'd been around. Clothes, books, and weapons seemed randomly interspersed through both, and she immediately headed for the attic where they cardboard boxes were stored. No time to start like the present and it would help keep her mind off other matters that seemed to be invading her thoughts often as of late.

VNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNV

Well, my friends, that's it for Chapter 16. Not bad, eh? Look for Author's Notes to be posted on my profile as we're no longer allowed to reply to reviews in the chapters itself. (If that's changed, someone please let me know!) A few quick matters, though:

I don't know if is an actual site or anything, it just seemed like a good line at the time. If it is, I'm not affiliated with it or anything, it doesn't belong to me, and they didn't give me anything to stick it in there. So there.

Also, I know the play they do in the manga is based off a true Japanese myth of some sort, but I couldn't find any direct references to it anywhere, so I went and made it what I needed it to be. I hope no one was offended!

One last note, I realized all my 'chapter breaks' were deleted in downloading it, so I went back and added what I remembered. If there's a place where there isn't one and there should be...that's probably it. Sorry:)

Until next time, and don't forget to check on the Profile for any question you might have had!

CB

"Sarcasm: One of the many services I offer for free."

-Unknown