They had started out at first light to a clearing that Mutsumi had sworn was magic. Naru had given her a humouring smile as she agreed, not realising just how many miles she'd volunteered to walk. It was noon by the time they reached the clearing. It was beautiful. Everywhere around them, the trees rang with birdsong and a cool rush of air through the trees did away with the humidity. But she was too tired to really enjoy it. Mutsumi too seemed to have overestimated herself, because she had fainted the moment they arrived at the clearing. In a flash, Naru had been by her side, trying to rouse the girl from her state.

"Come on, Sumi." Naru fanned her with a handkerchief. "Wake up."

"Don't want any," was the dreamlike reply. "Put it over there, next to the chocolate sauce."

Well, she was talking at least. So, she would be all right; but it wouldn't do for them to stay here too long.

"Okay, Sumi, let's go." She bent down and hoisted the girl with all her might and began struggled back through Mutsumi over her shoulder. All that Kenpo training in high school had given her more than enough strength, though she fought to suppress her jealousy when she felt the girl's ample breasts pressing against her back.

From her place beside her, Yumi Ichihara chuckled. She was wearing the same pink blouse and black skirt, fresh as the day they were made. A baby was cradled in her arms, wrapped in a red blanket. "Well this is quite the mess you've gotten yourself into."

"Your fault," Naru shot back. "If it hadn't been for you, I'd be back in Tokyo right now."

"Is that so?" The baby began to fuss. "Shush, Jiro. It's all right. My fault, huh? How am I keeping you here exactly? Was it me who made you board the ferry to Naha?"

"Five minute wait for lions and tigers," Mutsumi mumbled in her sleep. "Bears, two thousand yen extra."

Naru sighed, adjusting her grip on Mutsumi's ankle. "No, I suppose not. But I couldn't go home."

"Neither could I," Yumi replied, her face turning sad. She looked around, and smiled at the sun beaming through the trees. "I can see why you like it here. It's like Eden."

"Yeah."

"But you know you can't stay here, right?" Yumi asked, giving her the same knowing look she'd had at Shoren-in; and it made Naru bristle as much as ever.

"Sure, I can."

Yumi shook her head, ducking underneath a low hanging vine. With one hand, she unbuttoned her blouse and held Jiro up to suckle her breast. "Nobody can hide in paradise forever. Life will always catch up."

Glaring, Naru turned so sharply that she nearly hit Mutsumi's head against a tree trunk. "That doesn't mean I can't stay here. I'm eighteen. I'm out of high school. I could get a job here."

Yumi arched an eyebrow. "And give up on Tokyo U? Is that really what you want?"

What did she want? That used to be such an easy question. Fulfill her promise to Seta, get into Tokyo U, get a career and family, and live happily ever after. It had seemed so simple; so simple that it never occurred to her that she might fail. She had studied so hard and still lost. Did she want to go to Tokyo U if it meant working this hard with no guarantee of success? "I don't know. Maybe."

"Isn't this the same thing that happened when your parents divorced? You ran away then, too."

"Shut up. That's none of your business. Anyway, we've got a good thing here. The three of us. Nothing to fear."

"Hiking in the woods, looking for temples; that's your plan?" Yumi's laughter was razor sharp. "Never Never Land is no place to live. When are you going to stand on your own, Naru?"

"Naru? Naru?"

Naru's eyes flickered open. In the dark, she could make out Mutsumi leaning over her with her usual half smile. "What happened," she asked, sitting up on her futon.

"You were dreaming," Mutsumi said. "Talking in your sleep."

"Was I?" It had felt so real; but here they were, back in Mutsumi's room.

"Are you all right?"

Naru reached up to rub her eyes and realised they were wet. "Yes. I'm fine. I'm going to try going back to sleep."

Mutsumi nodded and lied back down. Naru rolled over and watched as Mutsumi's moonlit chest rose and fell, until her breathing was deep and even, and she slept the untroubled sleep of an innocent. Naru shuffled closer, drawing warmth from the girl as she slept.

No one wants to leave paradise, and yet all must do so. Naru knew this in her heart. The protestations she had made to Yumi, all her half-baked plans to stay, were childish. She knew this, but how she wished they could be so. It would be so easy to stay with Sumi and her family, maybe become a member of staff. A lifetime of sandy beaches, watermelons, and orange sunsets, free of the troubles of her family, Hinata, and Tokyo U. Tokyo U: for so long it had been her only desire, her sole purpose; but now she hardly thought of it.

Compared with Yumi, what did it matter? What was another year of study compared with never seeing one? Tomorrow, as the sun rose in east, Naru would get up and walk downstairs, where breakfast would be waiting. Her friends would smile, and she would ask them what their plans were. She and Sumi would walk through the woods and the clifftops, laugh at the antics of the birds, and wonder at the beauty that emanated from ever nook and facet of this place beyond reality. In the evening, she would return with her friend and meet Noburo and Keitaro, bearing the latest catch. She would tease him about the sunburn on his back and he would stammer out something nice about her suntan. In the distance Motoko would walk up the path with a smile she probably didn't know existed, her head full of thoughts of that boy of hers.

In the dark, Naru smiled. Motoko, the fierce and cunning warrior could be a silly girl after all, so sure that no one else knew her feelings when her face sang them like an aria.

Then they would sit down to dinner and eat, and laugh, and watch the sunset. Days and nights of infinite warmth and beauty lay ahead like gifts along the road given by providence, stretching onward, always.

Yumi's road had ended. Her final journey would be made in a box to Nagano. She would see no sunsets, would take no walks, as she came to rest in the last place she would ever sleep, her body a cold cradle for a baby that would never see a single day of life.

Held against that, what were Naru's troubles at all?

She managed to put a brave face on at breakfast the next morning, but Yumi's question still lingered. When was she going to stand on her own?

Naru shook her head as she trudged down the stairs to the beach. Mutsumi had offered to come along, but she thanked her with a smile, telling her that she just needed some fresh air and promising to meet later. The sky was blue as ever and the smell of the sea invigorated her as she kicked at the sand.

She had always thought she had stood on her own. After all, she lived on her own, looked after her own needs, and strove after her own goals; but once her goals had failed her, all notion of self-sufficiency seemed to leave her. She had depended on Yumi in Kyoto to keep her going, just as she depended on Mutsumi now. Even before then, there had been Keitaro and Kitsune. Seta before them, and her parents before that. She bit her lip.

"Is it so wrong?" she asked. "I just don't want to be alone. That's all." She felt something cold against her leg and looked down to see Sophia staring up at her, tail wagging. She smiled. "Guess I'm not alone after all. Hey, girl. Want to play?" At the word play, Sophia started to bounce back and forth on her legs. Naru giggled and chased Sophia down the beach. She lost herself in the chase, and for a moment her troubles seemed gone again as she bounded after the black ball of fun before her. They ran until she ran out of breath, and when she couldn't run anymore, she threw a piece of driftwood for Sophia, who would fetch and return, sitting and dropping it at her feet with the same expectant look.

It was beginning to get warm, so Naru decided to turn back. No point in exhausting herself before lunch. Turning, she dipped a toe in the water, relishing the cool. Perhaps, a swim first, she decided. . She stripped off her tank top and shorts. She didn't have a swim suit, but no matter. She hesitated, and then checked over her shoulder before removing her underwear. It was a private beach anyway. Leaving her glassed on top of her clothes, she threw herself headlong into the water, and came back up with a gasp as the water's chill filled her body. Back on the beach, Sophia – a black blur to Naru without her glasses – was sitting and wagging her tail as she watched her swim. Naru giggled and waved at the dog before diving back under. When she was a little girl she had liked to swim out until her feet no longer touched the ground and then try to touch the bottom with her hand. Holding her breath and shutting her eyes, she went under, and launched herself with a kick. Doing the breast stroke, she clawed at the water until she felt her hand brush the pebbly shore, and shot up to the surface.

The sun felt warm on her face as she shook the water from her hair and out of her eyes; and she began a slow front stroke back to shore. Ahead of her, Sophia sat, wagging her tail, acting as marker – closer, ever closer. Then, suddenly, the marker started moving farther away. Naru came to a halt and watched as the black barking blur bolted up the beach toward a paler blur.

"What do you want?" she heard Motoko say. "Stop it."

Naru waved as she swam to shore. "Motoko! Over here!"

"Naru?" The paler blur stopped moving as Sophia danced around her. "What are you doing here?"

"I was walking the terror over there, and I thought I'd take a swim." Naru's feet found purchase on the ground and she walked to shore, her nude shoulders peeking out of the water. "You should join me. It's not like home, but-"

As Naru rose out of the water, she heard Motoko gasp. "What's wrong?"

"You!" Motoko's voice was shrill. "You…You're naked!"

"So? What's the big…?"

Naru froze in terror as she heard Motoko say, "Turn the other way, right now!"

Feeling very cold and suddenly exposed, Naru squinted, trying to see. "Motoko, is someone there?"

The blur shimmered before her as someone waved. "Hi there," a man said in a sheepish voice.

A man! With a shriek, Naru crouched down in the water. "Why didn't you tell me there was a man there?"

"How was I supposed to know you were naked?" Motoko shot back.

"My glasses," Naru cried, feeling trapped. "I need my glasses."

Sophia, excited by the shouting, jumped back and forth between the water and Motoko, happy barks echoing into the air.

"Where are they?" Motoko asked.

"On top of my clothes over there."

The blur separated into two as Motoko walked over to Naru's neatly folded clothes and retrieved her glasses. She turned to her companion, who was watching her with a frozen smile. "Watch the trees," she ordered. "If you turn around before I tell you, you won't live long enough to regret it."

"Yes ma'am."

Motoko called out to Naru, who crawled onto the shore, burning from embarrassment, and held out her hand to receive her glasses. Newly sighted, Naru looked over to see Banri, the boy from the other day, standing at attention and staring at the guava trees.

"What's he doing here?" Naru asked, stalking over to her clothes.

"We were on a walk," Motoko replied, crossing her arms.

Naru groaned as she picked up her underwear. Now everything would be damp.

From his post, Banri's shoulders shook, muffled laughter seeping through his lips.

"You think this is funny?" Naru asked, clenching her fists.

"Kind of funny," he replied. "Ouch, I mean no, not funny at all," he amended after Motoko slapped him on the back.

Slipping into her clothes, Naru made a quick exit. Sophia licked Motoko's hand and gave chase. Motoko wiped her hand as she watched them go.

"May I turn around now?" Banri asked.

Motoko hummed her assent, grateful inside that Naru had spotted them when she had. It had begun by accident when she had caught Banri by the wrist as he stumbled over a rock; but for the first time that she could remember she had held onto a man's hand after he no longer needed her aid. Banri seemed fine with it, so they had carried on, leaving Motoko to marvel at the pleasure she felt holding his hand with hers. He spoke, but she had heard none of it as she wondered why he was so special, and what it might be like if she took his arm the way she had seen girls do in movies and on the street. Then, just before catching sight of Sophia on the shore, the sun had shone in her eyes and she blinked, looking away, looking towards him. Her mouth had gone dry as she watched him laugh at his own story and she felt herself grip his hand tighter. She had just released her hold on his – ready to wrap her arms around his, wondering what it would feel like to touch other places – when Naru had called out to them. Motoko blushed a deep red in recollection. Yes, it was a very good thing Naru had come along when she had.

"So," said Banri, smiling. "If I wanted to go skinny dipping too, would you join me? Ouch!"

Motoko slugged him in the shoulder again for good measure. "Lecher!"

"Jeez." Banri rubbed his shoulder. "You're lucky you're so cute, Mo."

Motoko hated the pleasant prickles that ran up her arms. "Let's get going," she said, keeping her eyes on the surf, and fought against jumping as he took her hand again. How was he able to get under her defenses so easily?

They said nothing for a long time, walking along the shore. Banri smiled as he dug his toes into the wet sand.

"I never get tired of this spot," he said. "I'm down at the docks nearly every day, and it wears thin; but I never get tired of what the sea looks like."

She gave him a half smile. "I normally have no difficulty understanding men's motivations, but you…You are an unusual person."

"Am I?" He sat down on a log and stretched his wounded arm, wincing. "How so?"

"In the same breath you complain about fishing and praise the sea. You talk of how exhausting it is to be strong for others, but scoff at the history of your ancestors because they 'lost'. And you love Mishima. He lost in the end as well, did he not?"

Banri shrugged. "He won the greatest literary honour our country has and his writing continues to be read decades later. Maybe he got the last laugh." His smile turned sly as he got up. "I didn't realise you were paying that much attention," he said, coming close, too close.

"It was obvious," she said, stepping back.

He snorted at her defensive posture. "You're no less a puzzle yourself."

"I am?"

"Yep. You went easy on me when we were fighting, didn't you?"

"I won that fight, remember?"

"Yeah, but you were holding back, I could tell. But it wasn't in an obvious, cocky way."

"So?"

"So, for a moment, it looked like you were going to go all out, and then you didn't."

"I did not wish to injure you further."

"Can I see you?" he asked, open curiosity in his eyes. "I want to see the best you've got to offer."

"My style is ancient and powerful. It can kill."

"Just a kata?" he asked, wheedling.

"All right," she said after a pause. "Step back." When he did, she picked up a stray stick. It would be enough. If he wanted to see the best she had, then she would oblige. Shutting her eyes she concentrated and brought her power to the forefront to prepare a lightning strike. She felt the power flow out from her heart and mind and into her hands - crackling from elbow to finger tip – building, building until at last it felt as if it were a live wire and not a stick in her hands. With a cry, she raised her weapon and swung out towards the sea. The howling white mass of electricity shot out through her blade into toward the horizon, flying on out of sight. She sighed and prepared herself for his petrified stare.

The sound of clapping made her open her eyes. Banri was on his feet, applauding with a giant grin on his face.

"That was incredible!" He shot towards her. "That was…I…" He gave a giddy laugh.

"You" – her breath was shallow – "You liked it?"

"You looked beautiful."

She had been called many things in the heat of battle. Some had said, determined, fierce, implacable, but no one had ever seen her form and called her beautiful before.

"I am glad," she said, with an unwilling smile. "Not all have reacted so calmly. It can be…rather intimidating."

"Oh sure," he said, smiling. "But I think I know how to defend against it."

"You do?"

"Yeah, want to see?" Without waiting an answer, he leaned in and brushed his lips against hers, butterfly light.