AN: The equation used in this chapter comes from my geometry teacher in freshman year, who made us remember it to the tune of pop goes the weasel, and thusly it will forever remember in the filing cabinet of useless information I cannot forget.

Chapter 7: Motoko's Dream

Keitaro got out of his little bathtub, drying himself off. He was getting slightly worried about the girls. Everything had been pretty good while the group was on their summer break. However, summer was drawing to a close, and with it, the sanity they'd all gained might just run out the door. He got dressed, and saw that Shinobu was hanging laundry on the roof.

We really haven't got a chance to talk since the seaside restaurant, he thought.

Shinobu was one of the few girls in the place that had liked him from the start, and that meant she and he had a closer relationship. He wanted to make sure she was doing ok, so he took the winding trip that eventually wound up on the roof.

"Hey there, sempai!" she called, smiling as she saw him. "Are you doing laundry too?"

"Hey Shinobu. I was just checking to see how you were doing."

"I'm… I'm just busy with my class work."

He nodded.

"I feel what you mean on that," he said. "I'm still trying to catch up from my break in studies, and Motoko has me out everyday at dawn learning to fight."

"Did you beat her yet?"

"Not even close, but I'm doing better. Give me some time, and I'm sure I can get one over on her."

Shinobu smiled and excused herself. Keitaro decided it would be about time for Naru and he to kick up their studies. And so began the endless exercise of trying to learn from textbooks and an angry brunette. Today's method of torture: quadratic equations!

"I don't understand," he said, after an hour. "Who the hell actually needs a formula so long? You could practically make this into song lyrics!"

"It's not hard!" shouted Naru for the fourth time "Say it! X equals negative B, plus or minus the square root of B squared minus four A C all over two A."

"X equals B minus the square root of B squared times four over two A!"

"You are hopeless!"

"This formula is pointless!"

"Well that's not the way the test sees it. Now come on, try yet again."

There was suddenly a lot of thudding that could be heard downstairs, followed by the sound of, "What is this unearthly golem?!"

"That doesn't sound good," said Naru.

"No it doesn't," Keitaro agreed. "If it's all the same to you, she's already kicked my ass for the day, so I'd rather keep out of whatever that is for now."

"Fine, we'll just keep tackling this."

"…Dammit!"

The next several hours became a dull blur as they moved deftly from mathematics to English to geology to law, which was ironically the only one where Keitaro outclassed Naru.

"Ok," she said, leaning back. "I don't know about you, but I sure could use a break!"

"Me too, and I'm starving."

"Ok, let's meet back in about half an hour."

He nodded and opened Naru's door only to see little Shinobu standing there.

"Oh, hey there!" he said brightly.

"Sempai! Were you both studying all day again?"

"Yeah, it's almost time for classes to kick up again, so we're really hitting the books. What's up with you?"

"Nothing!" she said nervously. "I'm fine!"

"…Well if you do need to talk," he said. "Just remember, we're here for you."

"Of course," Naru said, kindly.

"Well," said Shinobu, blushing deeply. "I was wondering… have you two kissed anyone?"

Keitaro jumped back, shocked by the question, and unbidden the memory of the trip to Okinawa flashed in his mind.

"Of course not!" shouted Naru. "Who would kiss this loser?"

"I have so!"

"A kiss is sort of soft like a marshmallow, and kind of like a lemon!" Naru explained.

What the hell kind of answer is that? A kiss is nothing like a marshmallow.

"Well mine was salty."

Naru punched him across the face.

"You're ruining it for her!" she hissed angrily.

"I didn't say it was bad! It was just salty! Anyway, Shinobu, when you kiss someone, you'll want it to be someone that you love, you know?"

She nodded.

"Thank you sempai."

"Anytime. Hey wait."

He looked at her face and could tell she looked different. She had added a touch of lipstick. Of course, Keitaro had always thought her natural kept a look of innocence about her, but he knew better than to say that. Girls always appreciated when you noticed a difference in their look, so he decided to compliment her on it.

"You added some lipstick, huh? It looks good."

He saw her brighten and smiled back at her. If he could brighten up someone's day, then it was worth it.

"I should be getting back to work, or Naru's gonna start throwing my books into the springs or something, see you around Shinobu."

As Keitaro turned around to head back inside, he saw Motoko sleeping on the roof. This was very unusual for her. Motoko was always punctual about her sleep and almost never slept during the day, and never outside. He decided to see what was going on, and noticed her eyes darting around under her lids.

She was shivering and mumbling. It seemed like she was having a true nightmare. He went to her and shook her gently to wake her up. After a moment, she sat up suddenly. He smiled brightly at her.

"Hey!" he said. "You were having a nightmare. Is everything ok?"

He heard the tell-tale sound of Motoko's blade escaping it's sheath.

"It's none of your business!" she shouted, swinging at him.

He dodged the attack swiftly. Had Motoko been focused, or had he not been trained by her, he would never have been able to avoid it, but with her still groggy and unfocused, he actually had an upper hand.

"Hey!" he called. "I just want to help you!"

Motoko moved forward, swinging several times.

"Isn't it bad enough you haunt my dreams!" she shouted. "What is it you have against me?!"

Haunt her dreams? I thought we were friends now, right?

"What?! What are you talking about?"

She struck at him again and he was forced to retaliate. He grabbed her wrists and plunged her blade into the deck, forcing her to drop the weapon. For a moment, it seemed like she would keep attacking him anyway. However, she seemed to control herself and pulled the blade out of the wood before retreating downstairs.

Keitaro wanted to follow her. He wanted to talk, and help her through whatever this was. However, Motoko was a warrior, and very proud. She would need time and some space for now. So, while the Hina girls were eating dinner, he decided to go back and study with Naru.

After a full evening of study, he finally got to go to bed, and passed into fitful dreams. He tossed and turned, and woke gasping in a cold sweat. He groaned and checked the clock. It was almost five… time to get up for training. Maybe he could at least talk to Motoko and see what was going on with her.

He got dressed in his gear and walked outside, but couldn't see her anywhere.

"She must be running late," he said softly. "But Motoko is never late… ever."

He dismissed the thought, and slowly practiced his forms. He expected to see her walking towards him, just as she usually did, but that never happened. Finally, after their training would usually be coming to a close, he went inside, growing worried.

There sat Motoko and all the other girls. Motoko had a traveling bag on the table and was fully dressed.

"Urashima," she said, not opening her eyes.

Here I thought we'd made it to Keitaro.

"Motoko?"

"I'm leaving today."

"Leaving? You have a trip?"

"It's been good to know you all, farewell."

And with that, she got up and walked out the door. It took Keitaro a full ten seconds to accept what had just happened. The stable foundation of his friendship had just been broken into rubble.

"Well?" asked Naru.

"Well what?"

"You're our manager, go and get her back."

"Oh, right…"

Keitaro knew he should go, and he wanted to get her back. However, he felt off, something here was very wrong. It was like a dream or something. He followed her tracks until he caught up with her, but stayed his distance. He wanted to see what it was Motoko needed so badly that she could just leave everyone like that.

Eventually she came to a waterfall and set her pack down, going through her forms of swordsmanship. She was graceful, as ever. Her power and speed were actually as they had always been, if not better.

"I like the nature," he heard her mutter. "It hones my senses. It's getting time for dinner too. Maybe I should catch a fish or two…"

"Your footing is excellent," he said standing up.

"What?!" she called, jumping back. "How did you find me?"

"I went after you," he said. "Motoko, I don't know what it is that's bothering you, but if it's anything I've done, I apologize for it."

"It's not you," she muttered. "I want to train in solitude. Alone, I would never have defeated Seta that night."

"So what?" Keitaro said. "He's an expert and has had years more experience than you or I. If you could beat him alone I'd be astounded, even more than I usually am."

"IT'S A MATTER OF HONOR!" she shouted. "I have to challenge anyone who defeats me, except my sister."

She's never mentioned her sister, he thought.

"I didn't know you had a sister… Come on, we can eat something together and we can talk through this. I'll catch us something."

"I don't want to be fed by you."

"What is your problem with me?!"

"You are my problem!" she said. "I never cared at all if I was approachable, or womanly. I was a warrior and I was proud of it!"

"You are a warrior, and you're proud past the point of damn stubborn!"

"It's been you! Since you came to the apartments, it's been you! I haven't actually beaten you once!"

"Bullshit!" he said. "You've beaten me almost every single day this past month."

He didn't usually swear, but this was seriously getting on his nerves. Motoko wasn't making any sense. It seemed like she was losing it.

"I challenge you to a duel to the death!"

Ok, she had lost it.

"Stop this! You're being crazy!"

"Steel slicing flesh!" she called, swinging her blade.

Keitaro dodged the attack swiftly. He didn't want to fight Motoko, not for real, but she wasn't going to be pulling punches. Ironically, something she'd taught him went through his mind.

Emotions can fuel your attacks, but at the price of precision. Never let your heart rule your head in battle.

She'd completely lost her tact and technique. That would be his advantage. She took a double step and stabbed out at him. He caught her shoulder and hit her in the sternum with a palm strike.

"I would never recognize you now!" he said clearly. "Horrible footwork!"

A storm crackled overhead and rain began pouring down on them. Ironically, this suited Motoko's character. She was always one for dramatics.

"I have to kill you Urashima!"

"Distancing yourself won't help you!" he shouted. "You know better than that. We're friends! You and I both know it."

Keitaro briefly considered why he knew what vocal distancing was… apparently some psychology had stuck in his head.

"Shut up!" she yelled angrily. "Shut up! Shut up! You deserve this!"

She flew at him, blade held high over her head. Keitaro struck her once in the stomach and then twisted her wrist hard enough to make her drop the weapon. He grabbed her other wrist too and leaned in close.

"Now," he said softly. "Talk to me Motoko. I'm your friend and I've been away all day just you help you, and you know I'd do it again and again if you needed it. Talk to me."

However, all she did was pass out, and slump into him. Keitaro sighed, and carried her into a nearby shack that looked like it was some kind of summerhouse for rich couples. He started up a small fire and brought her blade in to clean it. He noticed that he'd managed to get soaked to the bone in their fight and found a couple of bath robes in the bathroom.

Once he was changed and dry, he sat in a large chair, relaxing quietly. Then something occurred to him.

"Motoko was out in that storm too… If she stays in those clothes, she's going to have one nasty cold…"

Keitaro's desire not to be thought a pervert was battling his desire to help her out, and decided he had no real choice. Doing his absolute best not to look at her anymore than was strictly required, he took off her training gear and put one of the robes on her before covering her in a thick blanket.

"Hopefully she doesn't wake up and start attacking me again. I just wish I knew why she's so upset…"

"Teach me," Motoko mumbled.

"Huh?" he looked over at Motoko confused.

"Teach me how to do it too.'

"She's talking in her sleep?"

Keitaro shrugged to himself softly, and curled up in the chair, falling asleep to the sound of a crackling fire. Hopefully in the morning she could talk to him like his friend.