You like me, you really like me! I'd like to thank the Acamdemy--never mind. It's time I got back to being serious. And in case you're wondering, I don't have a degree in psychology, nor to I plan to. I honestly don't know how these insights in previous chapters appeared in my head; they just did.
(*Sigh* I hope this chapter goes along well.)
Here we go, brace yourself.
* * * Chapter V: Psychological Pstruggle * * *
Monday, 7/8
A beautiful sunrise appeared over Hinata. Almost the entire town was still asleep. One of the exceptions was a young man sitting on the roof of an apartment complex, looking at the wonderful view.
Sean usually spent early mornings out there, thinking about various things; the events of the past, his plans for the day ahead and his hopes for the future. His mind was so distant, he was unaware of the door thirty feet away slowly opening.
Motoko opened the door to find the caretaker staring into space. She had found him there in days past, and had decided not to disturb him. This time, however, she had things she needed to get off her chest. Noticing him completely unaware to her presence, she decided to get his attention.
Sean was still off in space somewhere, thinking about the lessons for the day, the cleaning schedule and so forth, until a voice jarred him back to planet Earth.
"Sean?" Motoko said, a bit hesitantly.
"Huh?" Sean turned his head suddenly. "Oh. Hey, Motoko."
Motoko started to smile. "You're not planning on jumping off the roof again, are you?"
Sean chuckled a bit. "Nah, I was just thinking about… stuff."
"Mind if I join you?"
"Not at all." Motoko sat down next to Sean, still a bit nervous.
For a little while, they both just looked out over the town in an uneasy silence. Motoko was getting a bit anxious. She knew she had to say something, but she couldn't get her mouth to form words for some reason. Sean ended up being the first to speak.
"Motoko?"
"Yeah?" That was all she could get out.
"I know there's been more bad times between us then anyone else here." Motoko just nodded silently. "I also know that times change and we've been on more friendly terms lately."
"Yes, we've come a long way." Motoko started to feel more comfortable about their conversation.
"We have, but I think there's something getting in the way of us getting any closer as friends."
"Really?"
"Yes. Have you felt the same way?"
Motoko's face turned red. "Actually, that's what I wanted to talk to you about."
Sean raised an eyebrow. "Is that right?"
Still blushing, Motoko slowly nodded. "I've grown to like you since your arrival. I admit that at first I wanted you to leave; I felt that a man had no place in a girls' dorm."
"Completely understandable."
"Since then, you have proven yourself a man of morals, worthy of being around us without our being overly cautious of you trying to… to…"
"Be perverted?"
"Yes. Everyone else has fully accepted you being here, but there is still something in the back of my mind that doesn't want you around. I have tried forcing it out myself, but to no avail. I hoped that with your… knack for solving this sort of problem, you could somehow pry that feeling loose."
"It will take a bit of time, but I'll see what I can do."
"Thank you."
"No problem."
Motoko got up and walked to the door. She felt like a great weight had been lifted off her shoulders. As she opened the door, she looked back at Sean. He was lying on his back, his head resting on his hands. He seemed to be in deep thought. She allowed herself a smile as she left.
Motoko wandered about aimlessly, thinking about her conversation with the resident psychotherapist. She found herself in the kitchen just as the others were gathering for breakfast.
As she sat down to eat, she was still so involved in her own thoughts that she didn't hear the others, at least until physical contact was made.
"Motoko, are you in there?" Suu knocked on her forehead.
"Huh?" Motoko said, realizing in full what was going on. "Oh, hello."
"Are you all right?" Naru asked.
Motoko shook her head a bit. "Yeah, I'm fine. I was just… thinking."
"About what?" Shinobu asked.
"Nothing important."
Breakfast came and went in an eerie silence, Motoko being the target of everyone's stares. Motoko soon finished her meal, thanked Shinobu for it and left, giving the rest a chance to talk about the situation.
"That did not look like the Motoko we know." Kitsune said.
"You're right. There might be something wrong with her." Naru said.
"After I clean up here, I'll go find Sean. He may know how to help." Shinobu said.
"Good idea. In the meantime, the rest of us will keep an eye on Motoko." Kitsune said. With that, they all went their own separate ways.
Sean spent a good while on the roof contemplating Motoko's dilemma. He considered what emotions might be involved and the possible steps to take in removing the wall they may have placed between the true friendship of himself and the troubled swordswoman.
After about an hour, his thoughts were interrupted once again. He glanced over to find one of the girls walking towards him. "Hey Shinobu. How are you this morning?"
"I'm fine, thank you, but…" Shinobu found it hard to look him in the eye.
Sean sat up. "What's wrong? Did someone get hurt or something?"
"No, it's not that, it's just that Motoko has been acting really strange today."
"How so?"
"Well, at breakfast, it looked like she was daydreaming."
"Hmm… that does seem a bit strange for her. Have the others noticed this?"
Shinobu nodded. "None of us know what she was thinking about and she wasn't exactly interested in telling us."
"I see. Thank you for telling me."
"Do you think something's wrong with her?"
"I don't know." Sean then started to stand up and leave.
"Where are you going?"
"I'm not sure. Maybe I'll go talk to Motoko and find out what's going on. Then again, I may wait until later if she does not want to be bothered. Either way, I'm going inside before the others start to worry about me too."
Shinobu nodded and the two went in together side by side.
Sure enough, Motoko did not wish to be bothered by anyone, with the exception of Sean, but even he refused to disturb her before he had a suitable solution to her problem. Sean spent the rest of the morning in his room, his thoughts split between Motoko and preparing for class.
After another quiet meal, the students spent their time in class demonstrating the skills they have learned over the last few days. Sean was astonished by the advances they have made, considering it took his twice as long to get as proficient as the girls were now. As each pupil took their turn in performing various tricks, Sean noted how each person added their own personal style to the act.
When it was Motoko's turn, the teacher noticed she seemed only half-focused in her efforts. She hid her hindrance well and cast her spells with relative ease, but she was a bit distracted nonetheless. Luckily, she was the last one and Sean could end the class thereafter and have talk with her.
"Remarkable," Sean began, "That's the best way to describe it. In the last week, you have done as much, if not more than I was able to do in twice the time. Also, in observing you, I have learned much about magic myself. I guess the only thing left to say is that I believe you are no longer in need of my tutelage. You should be able to learn spells on your own, but keep this in mind; I will continue to keep tabs on your progress, the spells you know and so on, and if I find a spell that, for lack of better words, you should not be knowing, I will step in. Thank you for giving me the chance to give you some of my knowledge. May you use your new abilities with skill and, if you use them outside of these walls, extreme discretion."
"I say we celebrate!" Kitsune said. Everyone agreed and started to leave and begin the festivities.
Seeing this, Sean knew if he wanted to talk to Motoko, he had to speak up quickly. "Motoko, could I have a talk with you for a moment?" He caught her attention just before she stepped out.
Motoko heart stopped for a moment when she heard him. She walked over and sat down next to Sean. "Did you think of a solution?"
"Perhaps. I may be wrong, but the idea I've come up with should work to unblock your mind from truly accepting me. I will not tell you the details--not yet. I want you to react to this when the time comes. Meet me on the roof in two hours; try not to be followed. All will be revealed then. For now, go out and party with the others. You have earned it." As an afterthought, Sean added, "And don't drink if you can help it. You will need your full focus."
Motoko tried to hold back tears, but to no avail. "Thank you." Her voice could barely be heard. "Thank you for helping me."
Sean shook his head. "No, I'm helping both of us." He wiped to tears from Motoko's cheeks. "Go. I must make preparations." Motoko slowly got up and walked to the door. She stopped in the doorway and looked back at Sean. He nodded, seeming to reassure her of his confidence in his idea. She then left to join the party downstairs.
The two hours came and went, but for Motoko, it seemed an eternity. Her mind was flooded with thoughts. What is Sean's plan? Will it work? How close will it bring us? She was co consumed by her thoughts, she was unable to enjoy herself.
After the time mercifully passed, Motoko made her way to the roof. When she opened the door, she was shocked by what she saw. Sean sat before her in a samurai gi similar to the one she usually wore except his was light blue. There were two wooden swords at his side.
"What is all this?" Motoko asked.
"I mentioned that I had a plan to get us closer together as friends. I spent a long time racking my brain to think of a way to do it without anyone, especially Naru, suspecting that we may be becoming more than just friends. I finally found that solution; at least I hope it's a solution."
"What are you saying?"
"What I'm saying is this: May I become your student?"
This question knocked Motoko for a loop. This was the last thing she thought he would do. She just stood there, silent.
"Motoko?" Sean asked. Perhaps this wasn't the right idea after all. "Are you alright?"
Motoko snapped out of her stupor. "Yeah, I'm fine. I was just caught off guard by your request."
"I guess it was a bit sudden." Sean smiled, looking at his outfit. "Do I look good in this?"
Motoko chuckled a bit. "You're always trying to cheer us up."
"It's what I do, whether I try to or not."
Motoko walked over and sat a few feet in front of Sean. "Do you realize what it is you're asking?"
"Yes. I have thought it over and I sincerely believe I have what it takes. And in case you're wondering, I will only use magic to recover from any wounds I receive, not for enhancing my agility, my strength or anything like that."
"I admire your honesty. Perhaps you do have what it takes. When did you plan on beginning your training?"
"How about right now?"
"Well, I'm exactly in the right attire for…"
"Not a problem." Sean waved his hands and a wave of energy encircled a surprised Motoko. When the energy subsided, she found herself in her own gi.
"I guess not."
Sean tossed one bokken to her, grabbed the other and stood up. "Are you ready?" Sean asked.
"I had not expected to become a teacher so quickly."
"Neither did I, and you see the job I did. I have confidence that you will do just as well."
"I wonder, why did you decide on this?"
"The way I see it, the emotion keeping us apart is actually a lack a respect. From my perspective, I haven't earned your respect as a warrior. Whenever I've been attacked, I've only made efforts to defend myself, if that. I hoped that if I became your student, I could earn that respect."
Motoko considered Sean's words for a moment. "I think you're right." She stood up, bokken in hand. "I guess I'm ready, but are you?"
"I think so."
"Well then, prepare yourself for battle."
Just as Motoko said that, the door behind her opened.
---
Back at the party, Naru had noticed Motoko was nowhere to be found. She excused herself and set out to find her. After a while, she recalled that she hadn't seen Sean either and went to each of their rooms, but neither of them were there. "Where could they be?" She said to herself. After thinking about it for a while, she figured at least one of them would be on the roof; they tended to spend a lot of time there, though usually not at the same time.
When Naru got closer to the door to the roof, she could hear faint voices. She recognized the voices as the two she had been looking for and opened the door.
"Well then, prepare yourself for battle," Motoko said.
Naru saw the two about to square off. "What's going on up here?"
Both Sean and Motoko looked to the door to find Naru standing there. Sean decided to try to get rid of her.
"This does not concern you, Naru! Don't interfere." Sean said, pointing his wooden sword at her.
"Yes," Motoko confirmed. "He has dishonored me and I must defeat him to regain it."
Sean was surprised by what she said, but he realized she was trying the same thing he was.
"That should not be too hard."
"You would think that because I've never fought back before." Sean turned to his opponent. "Let's get this over with." He readied his fighting stance (if that's what you'd call it) and waited for Motoko to attack, under the circumstances, expecting the worst.
"Wait!" Naru said just before Motoko charged.
"What now, Naru?!" Sean was getting irritated.
"If this is the first time you're actually in a two-sided fight, I want the others here to see it."
Motoko was getting aggravated as well. "If you must, but be quick about it or we'll start without you!" Naru ran inside.
"Well, that could have gone better," Sean said. "I didn't think you could improvise like that."
"Are you saying I can't think on my feet?"
"No, just not that convincingly. Since they will think this is a real battle, we should treat it like one."
"What do you mean?"
"I don't think you should go easy on me."
"I wasn't going to, anyway."
"Oh. Never mind, then."
Naru was out of breath when she got back to the graduation party. Kitsune, pretty inebriated, noticed her come in.
"Hey, waz goin on?"
Naru had to catch her breath a bit. "Sean… and Motoko…"
"Motoko's beating Sean up again?!" Shinobu said, obviously worried.
"No--at least not yet."
"Huh?" Kitsune was trying to figure things out in her head--and not doing too well.
"Motoko… challenged him."
"What?!?" Everyone was shocked by what Naru said.
"Sean doesn't stand a chance!" Shinobu said, still concerned.
"We don't know that, now do we? When have we ever seen him fight?"
"Um, never."
"Exactly. Whatever the case, we should go up there and watch before they start without us." Everyone then rushed up to the roof, with the exception of Kitsune, who was too drunk to walk straight, and Naru, who helped her friend on her way.
---
"So, how long do you think you can last against me?" Motoko asked.
"I don't know. Probably not too long." Sean shook his head. It was apparent he wasn't looking forward to this--exactly which part Motoko could not be sure.
The door burst open and Suu and Shinobu ran out onto the roof, eager to watch Sean fight. Soon after, Kitsune stumbled out, braced by Naru.
"Well," Sean said, looking at Motoko. "I guess we can start now."
"Yes." Both combatants readied their fighting stances, the crowd cheering them on.
"I guess I'll start off slow, to see what skills he has with the sword." Motoko thought. She charged over and made an overhead strike toward Sean.
"Here we go." Sean muttered as he moved his sword to block his opponent's blow. More swings were made and Sean blocked them with little difficulty. "She's just toying with me right now," he thought.
"Hmm," Motoko thought as she observed Sean's movements. "He seems a bit stiff. This won't last long." She continued her assault.
Sean continued to dodge and block, but had a harder time doing it after a while. "I won't win if I just block," he thought. "I just have to wait until she lets her guard down…" When Motoko raised her sword for another attack, Sean saw his chance. He sidestepped her strike and made an attack of his own, his sword making contact with Motoko's head just above the her left ear.
The strike caught Motoko by surprise, not only that he's been able to dodge her swings for this long, but also land an attack of his own.
While Motoko was dazed, Sean continued his attack, rushed behind her and hit her in the small of her back, making her go down to all fours. Sean seemed impressed with himself. "Wow," he thought. "I actually knocked her down." He almost didn't notice he was short of breath.
Cheers came from the crowd.
"You can do it, Sean!" Shinobu shouted.
"I never thought he had it in him." Kitsune said.
Motoko quickly recovered; the blows dealt seemed to do little damage. "It seems I have underestimated you, Sean," she said. "I guess It's time I quit playing around." Motoko noticed Sean's heavy breathing. "If he's exhausted after that," she thought, "he won't stand a chance."
"Great," Sean thought. "This won't end well."
Motoko jumped high in the air, getting ready to deliver the blow that would end the battle. She yelled something, but Sean wasn't listening at the moment. Summoning her ki, she unleashed a wake of energy with a swing of her bokken.
Sean sensed the attack coming and he quickly went through his mind to find a way to counter it. At the last second, he sent his own magical energy into his sword in an attempt to deflect the blow.
When the light pink energy wave contacted the blue energy radiating from Sean's weapon, there was a blinding flash of light. The light quickly subsided to reveal Motoko's attack being absorbed into Sean's sword. The two energies mixed into a sort of lavender color and was sent through Sean's body, causing no small amount of pain.
Everyone was in a shocked silence as Sean's body radiated the light purple ki like he was being electrocuted. Indeed, that was what it felt like for the unfortunate combatant. He seemed unable to contain the power that was threatening to tear him apart from the inside out.
Motoko saw the entire spectacle from her high vantage point and landed moments before Sean screamed in agony and went down to one knee. "Oh, no," Motoko thought, wide eyed. "I think I overdid it." She walked over to her opponent, who's body was giving off energy like a battery with a short. She could barely hear his shallow breathing. Motoko could see the foreign energy flowing through him and his body's feeble attempts to fight it off and she knew there was not much time before his entire body would be consumed.
When Motoko got within a foot of Sean, he raised his head suddenly, looking at her. To her surprise, his eyes had turned the same light purple color as the energy he had taken in. He leapt back on the foot he wasn't kneeling on and landed a few feet away. The next thing Motoko heard would send a chill down her spine.
"You tried to destroy me. For that, you must pay!" Sean's voice had become a mix of both his own and Motoko's, with just a pinch of the inhumane. Sean's body suddenly seemed to thrive off the energy it had once tried to resist. With unnatural speed, Sean ran towards his opponent, sword raised to strike. Motoko was barely able to block the blow before it would have connected with her head. Sean continued his attack mercilessly, Motoko struggling to keep up a defense.
The crowd was on edge. Sean was one of the most nonviolent people they had ever known, yet now it looked like as though he had been fighting his whole life.
"Naru," Shinobu said, tears starting to form, "we have to stop them!"
"No," Naru said flatly. "we can't. It would dishonor Motoko if we interfered."
"I don't care! I don't want to see them hurt!"
"Me either, but--"
Before Naru could stop her, Shinobu ran over to the two fighters. She grabbed Sean's arm in mid swing. "You have to stop this!" She screamed.
Sean turned his gaze to the girl holding his arm. He yanked it out her grasp, grabbed her by the neck and tossed her out of the way. Shinobu landed about ten feet away, rolling a bit before coming to a rest, favoring her left arm. Horrified, Naru, Kitsune and Suu ran over to Shinobu to check on her condition.
Motoko, on the other hand, was angered almost beyond rational thought. Sure, he may hurt her in this battle, but harming others just could not be tolerated.
"That's it!" Motoko said. "This end's here!"
"Bring it on, kendo-girl!"
Motoko summoned as much ki as she could and ran over to deliver the final strike, her blade wreathed in light red flames. She raised her bokken and swung at Sean's head. To her horror, he stopped the attack with one hand.
Sean's face showed an evil smile. "Nice try, girlie, but not good enough. I think it's time you took a nap." Still holding Motoko's sword, he tossed it high into the air, with his opponent still attached. He jumped up after her and made a ki-charged strike, sending Motoko flying down to the ground (not the roof, mind you) at Mach 1. She landed near the hot spring, making an indentation a foot and a half deep in the grass.
Landing on the edge of the roof, Sean looked down at his defeated adversary and let out a laugh that did not sound human. As the adrenaline from his victory passed, his energy left him and he lost consciousness, almost falling off the roof in the process.
* * * End of Chapter V * * *
Wow. I didn't see that one coming. That one left a few questions. Does Motoko survive? Do I survive? How did I become the merciless monster you just witnessed? Do these events bring me and Motoko closer together (provided they both live)? How's Shinobu's arm? These questions will (hopefully) be answered in the next chapter. Please R&R.
(*Sigh* I hope this chapter goes along well.)
Here we go, brace yourself.
* * * Chapter V: Psychological Pstruggle * * *
Monday, 7/8
A beautiful sunrise appeared over Hinata. Almost the entire town was still asleep. One of the exceptions was a young man sitting on the roof of an apartment complex, looking at the wonderful view.
Sean usually spent early mornings out there, thinking about various things; the events of the past, his plans for the day ahead and his hopes for the future. His mind was so distant, he was unaware of the door thirty feet away slowly opening.
Motoko opened the door to find the caretaker staring into space. She had found him there in days past, and had decided not to disturb him. This time, however, she had things she needed to get off her chest. Noticing him completely unaware to her presence, she decided to get his attention.
Sean was still off in space somewhere, thinking about the lessons for the day, the cleaning schedule and so forth, until a voice jarred him back to planet Earth.
"Sean?" Motoko said, a bit hesitantly.
"Huh?" Sean turned his head suddenly. "Oh. Hey, Motoko."
Motoko started to smile. "You're not planning on jumping off the roof again, are you?"
Sean chuckled a bit. "Nah, I was just thinking about… stuff."
"Mind if I join you?"
"Not at all." Motoko sat down next to Sean, still a bit nervous.
For a little while, they both just looked out over the town in an uneasy silence. Motoko was getting a bit anxious. She knew she had to say something, but she couldn't get her mouth to form words for some reason. Sean ended up being the first to speak.
"Motoko?"
"Yeah?" That was all she could get out.
"I know there's been more bad times between us then anyone else here." Motoko just nodded silently. "I also know that times change and we've been on more friendly terms lately."
"Yes, we've come a long way." Motoko started to feel more comfortable about their conversation.
"We have, but I think there's something getting in the way of us getting any closer as friends."
"Really?"
"Yes. Have you felt the same way?"
Motoko's face turned red. "Actually, that's what I wanted to talk to you about."
Sean raised an eyebrow. "Is that right?"
Still blushing, Motoko slowly nodded. "I've grown to like you since your arrival. I admit that at first I wanted you to leave; I felt that a man had no place in a girls' dorm."
"Completely understandable."
"Since then, you have proven yourself a man of morals, worthy of being around us without our being overly cautious of you trying to… to…"
"Be perverted?"
"Yes. Everyone else has fully accepted you being here, but there is still something in the back of my mind that doesn't want you around. I have tried forcing it out myself, but to no avail. I hoped that with your… knack for solving this sort of problem, you could somehow pry that feeling loose."
"It will take a bit of time, but I'll see what I can do."
"Thank you."
"No problem."
Motoko got up and walked to the door. She felt like a great weight had been lifted off her shoulders. As she opened the door, she looked back at Sean. He was lying on his back, his head resting on his hands. He seemed to be in deep thought. She allowed herself a smile as she left.
Motoko wandered about aimlessly, thinking about her conversation with the resident psychotherapist. She found herself in the kitchen just as the others were gathering for breakfast.
As she sat down to eat, she was still so involved in her own thoughts that she didn't hear the others, at least until physical contact was made.
"Motoko, are you in there?" Suu knocked on her forehead.
"Huh?" Motoko said, realizing in full what was going on. "Oh, hello."
"Are you all right?" Naru asked.
Motoko shook her head a bit. "Yeah, I'm fine. I was just… thinking."
"About what?" Shinobu asked.
"Nothing important."
Breakfast came and went in an eerie silence, Motoko being the target of everyone's stares. Motoko soon finished her meal, thanked Shinobu for it and left, giving the rest a chance to talk about the situation.
"That did not look like the Motoko we know." Kitsune said.
"You're right. There might be something wrong with her." Naru said.
"After I clean up here, I'll go find Sean. He may know how to help." Shinobu said.
"Good idea. In the meantime, the rest of us will keep an eye on Motoko." Kitsune said. With that, they all went their own separate ways.
Sean spent a good while on the roof contemplating Motoko's dilemma. He considered what emotions might be involved and the possible steps to take in removing the wall they may have placed between the true friendship of himself and the troubled swordswoman.
After about an hour, his thoughts were interrupted once again. He glanced over to find one of the girls walking towards him. "Hey Shinobu. How are you this morning?"
"I'm fine, thank you, but…" Shinobu found it hard to look him in the eye.
Sean sat up. "What's wrong? Did someone get hurt or something?"
"No, it's not that, it's just that Motoko has been acting really strange today."
"How so?"
"Well, at breakfast, it looked like she was daydreaming."
"Hmm… that does seem a bit strange for her. Have the others noticed this?"
Shinobu nodded. "None of us know what she was thinking about and she wasn't exactly interested in telling us."
"I see. Thank you for telling me."
"Do you think something's wrong with her?"
"I don't know." Sean then started to stand up and leave.
"Where are you going?"
"I'm not sure. Maybe I'll go talk to Motoko and find out what's going on. Then again, I may wait until later if she does not want to be bothered. Either way, I'm going inside before the others start to worry about me too."
Shinobu nodded and the two went in together side by side.
Sure enough, Motoko did not wish to be bothered by anyone, with the exception of Sean, but even he refused to disturb her before he had a suitable solution to her problem. Sean spent the rest of the morning in his room, his thoughts split between Motoko and preparing for class.
After another quiet meal, the students spent their time in class demonstrating the skills they have learned over the last few days. Sean was astonished by the advances they have made, considering it took his twice as long to get as proficient as the girls were now. As each pupil took their turn in performing various tricks, Sean noted how each person added their own personal style to the act.
When it was Motoko's turn, the teacher noticed she seemed only half-focused in her efforts. She hid her hindrance well and cast her spells with relative ease, but she was a bit distracted nonetheless. Luckily, she was the last one and Sean could end the class thereafter and have talk with her.
"Remarkable," Sean began, "That's the best way to describe it. In the last week, you have done as much, if not more than I was able to do in twice the time. Also, in observing you, I have learned much about magic myself. I guess the only thing left to say is that I believe you are no longer in need of my tutelage. You should be able to learn spells on your own, but keep this in mind; I will continue to keep tabs on your progress, the spells you know and so on, and if I find a spell that, for lack of better words, you should not be knowing, I will step in. Thank you for giving me the chance to give you some of my knowledge. May you use your new abilities with skill and, if you use them outside of these walls, extreme discretion."
"I say we celebrate!" Kitsune said. Everyone agreed and started to leave and begin the festivities.
Seeing this, Sean knew if he wanted to talk to Motoko, he had to speak up quickly. "Motoko, could I have a talk with you for a moment?" He caught her attention just before she stepped out.
Motoko heart stopped for a moment when she heard him. She walked over and sat down next to Sean. "Did you think of a solution?"
"Perhaps. I may be wrong, but the idea I've come up with should work to unblock your mind from truly accepting me. I will not tell you the details--not yet. I want you to react to this when the time comes. Meet me on the roof in two hours; try not to be followed. All will be revealed then. For now, go out and party with the others. You have earned it." As an afterthought, Sean added, "And don't drink if you can help it. You will need your full focus."
Motoko tried to hold back tears, but to no avail. "Thank you." Her voice could barely be heard. "Thank you for helping me."
Sean shook his head. "No, I'm helping both of us." He wiped to tears from Motoko's cheeks. "Go. I must make preparations." Motoko slowly got up and walked to the door. She stopped in the doorway and looked back at Sean. He nodded, seeming to reassure her of his confidence in his idea. She then left to join the party downstairs.
The two hours came and went, but for Motoko, it seemed an eternity. Her mind was flooded with thoughts. What is Sean's plan? Will it work? How close will it bring us? She was co consumed by her thoughts, she was unable to enjoy herself.
After the time mercifully passed, Motoko made her way to the roof. When she opened the door, she was shocked by what she saw. Sean sat before her in a samurai gi similar to the one she usually wore except his was light blue. There were two wooden swords at his side.
"What is all this?" Motoko asked.
"I mentioned that I had a plan to get us closer together as friends. I spent a long time racking my brain to think of a way to do it without anyone, especially Naru, suspecting that we may be becoming more than just friends. I finally found that solution; at least I hope it's a solution."
"What are you saying?"
"What I'm saying is this: May I become your student?"
This question knocked Motoko for a loop. This was the last thing she thought he would do. She just stood there, silent.
"Motoko?" Sean asked. Perhaps this wasn't the right idea after all. "Are you alright?"
Motoko snapped out of her stupor. "Yeah, I'm fine. I was just caught off guard by your request."
"I guess it was a bit sudden." Sean smiled, looking at his outfit. "Do I look good in this?"
Motoko chuckled a bit. "You're always trying to cheer us up."
"It's what I do, whether I try to or not."
Motoko walked over and sat a few feet in front of Sean. "Do you realize what it is you're asking?"
"Yes. I have thought it over and I sincerely believe I have what it takes. And in case you're wondering, I will only use magic to recover from any wounds I receive, not for enhancing my agility, my strength or anything like that."
"I admire your honesty. Perhaps you do have what it takes. When did you plan on beginning your training?"
"How about right now?"
"Well, I'm exactly in the right attire for…"
"Not a problem." Sean waved his hands and a wave of energy encircled a surprised Motoko. When the energy subsided, she found herself in her own gi.
"I guess not."
Sean tossed one bokken to her, grabbed the other and stood up. "Are you ready?" Sean asked.
"I had not expected to become a teacher so quickly."
"Neither did I, and you see the job I did. I have confidence that you will do just as well."
"I wonder, why did you decide on this?"
"The way I see it, the emotion keeping us apart is actually a lack a respect. From my perspective, I haven't earned your respect as a warrior. Whenever I've been attacked, I've only made efforts to defend myself, if that. I hoped that if I became your student, I could earn that respect."
Motoko considered Sean's words for a moment. "I think you're right." She stood up, bokken in hand. "I guess I'm ready, but are you?"
"I think so."
"Well then, prepare yourself for battle."
Just as Motoko said that, the door behind her opened.
---
Back at the party, Naru had noticed Motoko was nowhere to be found. She excused herself and set out to find her. After a while, she recalled that she hadn't seen Sean either and went to each of their rooms, but neither of them were there. "Where could they be?" She said to herself. After thinking about it for a while, she figured at least one of them would be on the roof; they tended to spend a lot of time there, though usually not at the same time.
When Naru got closer to the door to the roof, she could hear faint voices. She recognized the voices as the two she had been looking for and opened the door.
"Well then, prepare yourself for battle," Motoko said.
Naru saw the two about to square off. "What's going on up here?"
Both Sean and Motoko looked to the door to find Naru standing there. Sean decided to try to get rid of her.
"This does not concern you, Naru! Don't interfere." Sean said, pointing his wooden sword at her.
"Yes," Motoko confirmed. "He has dishonored me and I must defeat him to regain it."
Sean was surprised by what she said, but he realized she was trying the same thing he was.
"That should not be too hard."
"You would think that because I've never fought back before." Sean turned to his opponent. "Let's get this over with." He readied his fighting stance (if that's what you'd call it) and waited for Motoko to attack, under the circumstances, expecting the worst.
"Wait!" Naru said just before Motoko charged.
"What now, Naru?!" Sean was getting irritated.
"If this is the first time you're actually in a two-sided fight, I want the others here to see it."
Motoko was getting aggravated as well. "If you must, but be quick about it or we'll start without you!" Naru ran inside.
"Well, that could have gone better," Sean said. "I didn't think you could improvise like that."
"Are you saying I can't think on my feet?"
"No, just not that convincingly. Since they will think this is a real battle, we should treat it like one."
"What do you mean?"
"I don't think you should go easy on me."
"I wasn't going to, anyway."
"Oh. Never mind, then."
Naru was out of breath when she got back to the graduation party. Kitsune, pretty inebriated, noticed her come in.
"Hey, waz goin on?"
Naru had to catch her breath a bit. "Sean… and Motoko…"
"Motoko's beating Sean up again?!" Shinobu said, obviously worried.
"No--at least not yet."
"Huh?" Kitsune was trying to figure things out in her head--and not doing too well.
"Motoko… challenged him."
"What?!?" Everyone was shocked by what Naru said.
"Sean doesn't stand a chance!" Shinobu said, still concerned.
"We don't know that, now do we? When have we ever seen him fight?"
"Um, never."
"Exactly. Whatever the case, we should go up there and watch before they start without us." Everyone then rushed up to the roof, with the exception of Kitsune, who was too drunk to walk straight, and Naru, who helped her friend on her way.
---
"So, how long do you think you can last against me?" Motoko asked.
"I don't know. Probably not too long." Sean shook his head. It was apparent he wasn't looking forward to this--exactly which part Motoko could not be sure.
The door burst open and Suu and Shinobu ran out onto the roof, eager to watch Sean fight. Soon after, Kitsune stumbled out, braced by Naru.
"Well," Sean said, looking at Motoko. "I guess we can start now."
"Yes." Both combatants readied their fighting stances, the crowd cheering them on.
"I guess I'll start off slow, to see what skills he has with the sword." Motoko thought. She charged over and made an overhead strike toward Sean.
"Here we go." Sean muttered as he moved his sword to block his opponent's blow. More swings were made and Sean blocked them with little difficulty. "She's just toying with me right now," he thought.
"Hmm," Motoko thought as she observed Sean's movements. "He seems a bit stiff. This won't last long." She continued her assault.
Sean continued to dodge and block, but had a harder time doing it after a while. "I won't win if I just block," he thought. "I just have to wait until she lets her guard down…" When Motoko raised her sword for another attack, Sean saw his chance. He sidestepped her strike and made an attack of his own, his sword making contact with Motoko's head just above the her left ear.
The strike caught Motoko by surprise, not only that he's been able to dodge her swings for this long, but also land an attack of his own.
While Motoko was dazed, Sean continued his attack, rushed behind her and hit her in the small of her back, making her go down to all fours. Sean seemed impressed with himself. "Wow," he thought. "I actually knocked her down." He almost didn't notice he was short of breath.
Cheers came from the crowd.
"You can do it, Sean!" Shinobu shouted.
"I never thought he had it in him." Kitsune said.
Motoko quickly recovered; the blows dealt seemed to do little damage. "It seems I have underestimated you, Sean," she said. "I guess It's time I quit playing around." Motoko noticed Sean's heavy breathing. "If he's exhausted after that," she thought, "he won't stand a chance."
"Great," Sean thought. "This won't end well."
Motoko jumped high in the air, getting ready to deliver the blow that would end the battle. She yelled something, but Sean wasn't listening at the moment. Summoning her ki, she unleashed a wake of energy with a swing of her bokken.
Sean sensed the attack coming and he quickly went through his mind to find a way to counter it. At the last second, he sent his own magical energy into his sword in an attempt to deflect the blow.
When the light pink energy wave contacted the blue energy radiating from Sean's weapon, there was a blinding flash of light. The light quickly subsided to reveal Motoko's attack being absorbed into Sean's sword. The two energies mixed into a sort of lavender color and was sent through Sean's body, causing no small amount of pain.
Everyone was in a shocked silence as Sean's body radiated the light purple ki like he was being electrocuted. Indeed, that was what it felt like for the unfortunate combatant. He seemed unable to contain the power that was threatening to tear him apart from the inside out.
Motoko saw the entire spectacle from her high vantage point and landed moments before Sean screamed in agony and went down to one knee. "Oh, no," Motoko thought, wide eyed. "I think I overdid it." She walked over to her opponent, who's body was giving off energy like a battery with a short. She could barely hear his shallow breathing. Motoko could see the foreign energy flowing through him and his body's feeble attempts to fight it off and she knew there was not much time before his entire body would be consumed.
When Motoko got within a foot of Sean, he raised his head suddenly, looking at her. To her surprise, his eyes had turned the same light purple color as the energy he had taken in. He leapt back on the foot he wasn't kneeling on and landed a few feet away. The next thing Motoko heard would send a chill down her spine.
"You tried to destroy me. For that, you must pay!" Sean's voice had become a mix of both his own and Motoko's, with just a pinch of the inhumane. Sean's body suddenly seemed to thrive off the energy it had once tried to resist. With unnatural speed, Sean ran towards his opponent, sword raised to strike. Motoko was barely able to block the blow before it would have connected with her head. Sean continued his attack mercilessly, Motoko struggling to keep up a defense.
The crowd was on edge. Sean was one of the most nonviolent people they had ever known, yet now it looked like as though he had been fighting his whole life.
"Naru," Shinobu said, tears starting to form, "we have to stop them!"
"No," Naru said flatly. "we can't. It would dishonor Motoko if we interfered."
"I don't care! I don't want to see them hurt!"
"Me either, but--"
Before Naru could stop her, Shinobu ran over to the two fighters. She grabbed Sean's arm in mid swing. "You have to stop this!" She screamed.
Sean turned his gaze to the girl holding his arm. He yanked it out her grasp, grabbed her by the neck and tossed her out of the way. Shinobu landed about ten feet away, rolling a bit before coming to a rest, favoring her left arm. Horrified, Naru, Kitsune and Suu ran over to Shinobu to check on her condition.
Motoko, on the other hand, was angered almost beyond rational thought. Sure, he may hurt her in this battle, but harming others just could not be tolerated.
"That's it!" Motoko said. "This end's here!"
"Bring it on, kendo-girl!"
Motoko summoned as much ki as she could and ran over to deliver the final strike, her blade wreathed in light red flames. She raised her bokken and swung at Sean's head. To her horror, he stopped the attack with one hand.
Sean's face showed an evil smile. "Nice try, girlie, but not good enough. I think it's time you took a nap." Still holding Motoko's sword, he tossed it high into the air, with his opponent still attached. He jumped up after her and made a ki-charged strike, sending Motoko flying down to the ground (not the roof, mind you) at Mach 1. She landed near the hot spring, making an indentation a foot and a half deep in the grass.
Landing on the edge of the roof, Sean looked down at his defeated adversary and let out a laugh that did not sound human. As the adrenaline from his victory passed, his energy left him and he lost consciousness, almost falling off the roof in the process.
* * * End of Chapter V * * *
Wow. I didn't see that one coming. That one left a few questions. Does Motoko survive? Do I survive? How did I become the merciless monster you just witnessed? Do these events bring me and Motoko closer together (provided they both live)? How's Shinobu's arm? These questions will (hopefully) be answered in the next chapter. Please R&R.