Hello again all ^^,
this chapter has been ready for about a week, but an unexpected hospital stay delayed things quite a bit. But for now, that's not important, what is important is that I thank you all for following the story. So thank you all so very, very much. ^^

Story key:
"Speaking"
'Thoughts'
~~~

"And that's what happened," Motoko finished as she sat in front of Haruka and Seta. The steaming cup of tea that was set in front of her had not been touched during the narrative.

"That's quite the story, Motoko-san," Seta said before finishing the rest of his tea.

"It's a good thing you called," Haruka added, "from the look of things you would have been discovered right away if you tried to get here otherwise."

Motoko gave a feeble nod, she certainly felt safe locked away in Haruka's tea shop, but also upset that she could not approach the Hinata House. Most likely her pursuers are lurking in the shadows, waiting for her to expose herself.

"Matter of fact," Haruka continued, "you're probably not safe here."

Motoko sank a bit at her use of the word you're, she would be alone during this ordeal.

"What about my place," Seta asked, "they wouldn't suspect me if they're out there watching."

"You're driving is reason enough for anyone to suspect you," Haruka shot back. Seta just scratched his head and laughed.

The idea of going to a male's home disgusted Motoko, but the situation could not allow her to be picky. Instead she tried to politely refuse. "Oh no I really couldn't, I wouldn't want to be a burden."

"It's no problem at all Motoko-san, any friend of the part timer is a friend of mine."

"Don't worry," Haruka assured, "we'll think of something once you're safely there."

Motoko gave a slight smile, she would not be alone after all.

"What about part timer and the others?"

"Would it help if they knew? I-"

"NO! They mustn't find out," Motoko blurted, silencing the other two, "the others are not involved in any way. The clan will not harm them."

"Keep all internal disputes amongst the family huh," Seta asked while standing to his feet, "well isn't that nice of them."

"Oh sure," Haruka said while lighting a cigarette. "They're also nice enough to send someone here to keep an eye on the place." She gave a quick glance towards the dorm. The others noticed shadowy figures on the roof top.

Motoko grit her teeth and clenched her fists. She knew that the clan would send someone here, but to actually see trespassers in her home so close to the people she cared about was enough to make her blood boil.

"So, what's the plan," Seta asked, "how will we pull this off?"

Motoko did not take her eyes off of the unwelcome guests until she felt a hand on her shoulder.

"You said so yourself," Haruka started, "they will not involve the others. Focus on leaving without being seen."

Motoko's shoulders relaxed, "you're right. They will see that I am not here and will remain hidden until further notice." She closed her eyes and felt the surge of anger leave her body. What she really wanted at that moment was a quiet place to meditate, her emotions were fluctuating.
~~~

Hinata Sou's unwelcomed guests were a trio of Aoyama sent to ambush and capture Motoko upon her arrival. From their perch on the roof, the three kept a close eye on the main entrance into the building and the long set of stairs. They had hidden among the shadows since the night before.

They had not seen any sign of Motoko. Their arrival was quick after the events of the night before, but it was possible that Motoko had come and gone before they got there. They agreed to the difficult task of infiltrating the building and search Motoko's room for any clue to her whereabouts.

They quickly made their way to the stairs, keeping their knees bent and their heads low. The leader gave a sign to stop as he checked the floor below. He closed his eyes and remained perfectly still while the others waited. Many times throughout the night he repeated this exercise. The more skillful members of the Aoyama clan were able to detect ki. If the coast was clear, they would explore the floors below. If someone's ki was in motion, they would scatter and hide, then regroup moments later.

The leader gave the signal to disperse, someone was coming. Moments later, a small, blue haired girl emerged from the roof's entrance. She looked around, did not see what she was looking for, and returned to the floor below.
~~~

"So, that complicates matters a bit, doesn't it Haruka," Seta asked with a carefree laugh. Haruka's eyebrow twitched, Seta's calm demeanor was a blessing and a curse at times.

"What should we do now," Motoko asked, "they will surely discover me if I attempt to leave."

"We wait," Haruka said bluntly.

"What? Wait! There must be something else we can do! The Aoyama clan, the elders-"

"Hold your horses," Haruka said then took a drag on her cigarette, "we're just waiting on the arrival of a guest, that's all."

"A gentleman caller," Seta asked.

Haruka ignored his comment, "Motoko, is there anything you want from your room. From the look of things, you will not be able to return for a while."

Motoko thought for a moment. Other than a few clothes, the only possessions she cared about were a work-in-progress novel that was hidden in a suit of armor and her sword. The latter of which belonged to the Aoyama clan and was confiscated back in Kyoto. Motoko only shook her head.

"Nothing at all? No personal effects? There were two blades mounted on your wall if I remember correctly."

'A katana and Wakizashi actually,' Motoko corrected mentally. She did forget about the weapons on display in her room, but even if she had one of them in arms reach, she could not bring herself to use it. The clan has stripped her of all honor, to use the Aoyama style now would bring more shame upon herself. Even if she was falsely accused, Motoko would not sully her name further. Once again, Motoko shook her head.

Haruka shrugged and did not press the matter further. Haruka already knew what was going through the young swordstress head. 'At times honor makes things more irritating than they have to be.'
~~~

Once again, Hinata Sou's unknown guests hid as the blue haired girl made her appearance. This time, she carried a rather large basket of wet laundry and clothespins. The girl hummed happily to herself as she hung the laundry to dry. A deep blush crept across her face as she lifted a pair of red and white poka-dotted boxers. She threw the boxers back in the basket when she realized she was staring and was thankful that the other house guests were inside, she would have been so embarrassed if someone saw that.

Unknown to her, three pairs of eyes watched her every move. They could care less of Shinobu and her embarrassment. However, each one of them shared a thought of Motoko as that age. She was never given such trivial tasks as hanging laundry up to dry, but she did have cute moments of embarrassment as a child. The first time Motoko picked up a sword, she fell over from the weight. Everyone at the dojo had a good laugh, but that was yesteryear, now the three had to hunt Motoko like the dangerous criminal she is. Rather sad how things change, but it could not be helped.

Sudden movement from the stairs leading to the front door got their attention. A young woman was approaching: long raven hair, red and white hamaka, it was her! Each withdrew from their hiding places and regrouped on the ground below behind the inn. Motoko had come home in broad daylight, a rather foolish move that neither one of them thought she would attempt, but nevertheless they had orders to carry out.

If the Aoyama pursuers remained in their perch for a moment longer, they would indeed see Motoko leave the tea shop building and head towards the inn. Then they would see the pair of Motoko and Seta head in the opposite direction. Haruka stood in front of the shop and kept her eyes on all parties involved, the Motoko heading towards the inn, the pair of Motoko and Seta heading to town, and the three guests before they left the inn roof. She took a long puff off of her cigarette, threw the bud in a nearby trashcan, and then followed Motoko to the inn.
~~~

"Where's Su," Sara asked her father when he and Motoko arrived at the front door. Sara had no qualms of guests in her home, but to bring a Hinata Sou resident that wasn't her favorite, that had to be explained.

"Su's at home sweetie," Seta answered with his grin, "but Motoko-san is here. She'll be staying with us for a while, won't that be fun?" Sara looked over to Motoko, who gave a slight bow. Motoko later wondered why she did so. Sara visited Hinata Sou on numerous occasions but had rarely shown the same respect.

"Well, she does bash the dork," she said approvingly, "but you have to bring Su and Shinobu later!"

"Of course, of course, it will be a nice little sleepover. But for now, how about you show Motoko to her room, okay?"

Sara did as she was told. She led Motoko by the hand towards the back of the apartment. Seta sat in a chair facing a window as they left and let his mind decide on Sara's request. Bringing Su and Shinobu here while trying to hide Motoko was out of the question, but to send Sara to Hinata Sou while he had Motoko…would that be a good idea? He thought of calling Haruka to ask her but decided against it. Knowing Haruka, she would be more upset with him calling than the actual ordeal itself. He would have to settle with waiting on her call. He kicked off his shoes, set his feet up on a nearby end table, and took a nap.

Motoko had questions in her head as well as Sara led her around the place. Seta's apartment was rather nice, if not strange. Most of the furniture looked like pieces of abstract art: table and chair legs twisting and bending at absurd angles without falling over, the many wall hangings and corner statues found at digs, and somehow Sara's toys and little messes mixed in as well.

'Nice but strange,' Motoko thought again. But would she be able to protect it if the time comes? She was grateful and frustrated with Seta at the same time. His willingness to help her was admirable, but possibly involving Sara if her pursuers tracked her here, "foolish!"

Sara stood silent and stared at Motoko after the outburst.

"Apologizes," Motoko offered. Sara shook her head and let it pass.

"And this is the guest room," Sara said after opening a door. Motoko was so wrapped in her thoughts she had no idea she missed a tour of Seta and Sara's home.

"Thank you," she blurted.

"Don't worry about it," Sara said then ran off, 'Weirdo.'

Motoko sat on the bed when she was alone. Maybe meditation would quell her thoughts.

"Papa," you're sleeping," Sara yelled as she threw a couch pillow at his head. "You said you'd bring Su and Shinobu!"

"Later dear," Seta promised, "for now just play with Motoko."

"She's acting weird, something's wrong with her."

"She just had a bad night, give her time."

"But she won't want to play."

Sara had hit the nail on the head, something was wrong with Motoko. At the moment she was struggling to meditate. After failing to find her inner peace, she flopped back first on the bed. There was too much going through her head at the moment: Would her pursuers find her here? How long till they do? Would she be able to protect Seta and Sara against skilled assassins? Sure Sara had demonstrated some form of martial art on Urashima before, but she was still just a child. Didn't she say Seta had taught her? Could Seta defend himself? What about Hinata Sou? Surely the assassins had searched the building by now? But Haruka and Naru are there, surely, they can defend themselves? Motoko wished she could call home, but the clan could be listening. Did they overpower Haruka and Naru? Were they waiting on her to call home?

Motoko shook her head to knock the thoughts from her head. All she could do is have faith in Haruka. A knock at the door got her attention. Sara entered holding a video game system in her hands, "play with me?"

Motoko gave her a blank stare, not because of the request, but because it took her mind a few moments to register it. When she finally realized, which was after an awkward 20 seconds, she actually smiled at the distraction. "Sure."

The day passed as Seta and Motoko worried about the fate of Hinata Sou. Although both tried their best to hide it while being around Sara, they failed miserably. Motoko tried not to appear as worried and distracted as she felt, while Seta tried to bury himself with planning his next dig site. They both dodged certain questions asked and seemed to walk on eggshells when addressing Sara, and she was tired of it. Just as she was about to bring both of them into the living room and demand to know what was going on, the phone rang. The caller ID read Haruka's Teashop.

'Now what,' Sara asked herself as she stood and bought the phone to her father.
~~~