Ancestor

-X-X-X-X-

Chapter 6 - Answers given

"OK girls, are you ready?" Keitaro asked the two girls flanking him. Getting a nod from both of them Keitaro grinned at them and said "Good. Now, ready, get set, go!" he cheered as they set off. With a cloth in their hands the trio charged down the hall, pushing the wax covered rags along the floor. As they raced along the corridor Keitaro saw Su was edging ahead of him and Shinobu so he removed one hand and grabbed the tanned princess' ankle making the girl slip and flop to the waxed floor with a startled "Wah!". Once Shinobu had taken the lead Keitaro had released Su from his grip and allowed her to continue the race and when they reached the finish line Shinobu came in first, Su second and Keitaro last.

As they sat against the far wall Su turned to Keitaro and pointed an accusing finger at him "You cheated!"

"I did no such thing." He denied with a frown.

"Yes you did! You grabbed my foot!" she complained.

"I have no idea what you're talking about." He said innocently. "Besides, I came in last. If I had cheated I would have beaten you wouldn't I?" he asked.

"You wanted Shinomu to win." She declared.

"And why would I do that?" he wondered as he ruffled her soft blond hair.

"Because Shinomu is your favourite." She pouted.

"Don't be silly Su-chan." He said as he brought her onto his lap and wrapped his arm around her waist. "Shino-chan's not my favourite, both of you are." He grinned and pulled Shinobu onto his lap as well. "You're both beautiful, you're both soft, you're both clever, you're both cuddly and best of all..." he grinned "You're both ticklish!" he cheered as his fingers ran up and down their flanks, jabbing at their sides making them laugh and squirm in his arms.

"S-Stop!" Su cried between laughs.

As she tried to crawl away from him Keitaro pulled her back onto his lap and kissed her cheek before he stopped tickling them. "You're both my favourites. So no more of that silly talk OK?"

"You still let Shinomu win." She pouted.

"But I also let you win." He pointed out as he cupped her chin and kissed her nose. "Wasn't that nice of me?" he asked.

"Su would have won anyway." She declared. "Su wants a rematch!" she ordered him.

"The floors only need one coat of wax sweetie." He grinned as he brushed her soft blond hair out of her face. "We'll do it again next week."

"Then we'll do something else." She decided.

"But all our chores are done for today." He replied "That means Shino-chan's the winner today. Perhaps tomorrow you'll be the winner."

"OK then." She pouted.

"Good girl." He smiled and kissed her forehead. "Come on you two." He smiled and lifted the two of them up as if they delicate porcelain dolls. Carrying them easily, Keitaro moved through the halls of Hinata Sou with them sitting in his arms and them hugging him around the neck for purchase. As Su giggled happily and nuzzled into Keitaro's cheek Shinobu was much more reserved and her face burned bright red as it always did in Keitaro's presence. While she found it embarrassing to be carried around like that and if Kitsune caught them Shinobu would be teased mercilessly but the fox lady the young domestic of Hinata Sou still savoured these moments where she was in his arms.

"Are you alright Shino-chan?" he asked as he looked at her blushing face.

"Y-Yes sempai." She nodded her head shyly.

"OK then." He smiled and kissed her cheek, making her blush increase tenfold. He was also fond of doing that to the girls of Hinata Sou. Not only would he freely kiss Su and Shinobu on the cheek much to the tanned princess's delight and Shinobu's embarrassment, the young chef had walked in on him and Kitsune kissing on the sofa once or twice though they had stopped once they noticed her there. He had even kissed Naru and Motoko's cheek on occasion though he did more for the entertainment value of their reactions than anything else.

Laying down on the sofa with the two girls laying on his chest and moved his arms so they were wrapped around the girls waists and nuzzled into their soft hair making Su giggle and Shinobu blush. Smiling at them Keitaro ran his fingers through their soft hair and sighed contently when they heard a loud rumbling. As both Shinobu and Keitaro both turned to look at Su the tanned princess chuckled with a slight blush on her face. "Something wrong Su-chan?" he smiled down at her.

"Su hungry." She pouted cutely at Shinobu. "Shinomu, can you make Su a snack?" she asked sweetly as she fluttered her eyelashes at the bluenette.

Frowning at her Shinobu said "No, it'll be lunch time soon. You'll ruin your appetite." She scolded her.

"I doubt there will be much danger of that." Keitaro mumbled to himself with a smile.

"No it won't!" Su protested "Su always eats Shinomu food!"

"No." Shinobu said firmly.

With her large green eyes becoming watery Su turned pleadingly to Keitaro "Don't look at me; Shino-chan makes my food too, I'm not going to do anything to make her angry." He smiled.

With a pout on her lips Su cried "Shinomu's a meanie! Su's gonna eat her super secret banana stash!" she declared as she leapt off of Keitaro and ran up the stairs.

Smiling as she disappeared from view Keitaro smiled at Shinobu and said "You'll be a good mother one day Shino-chan." He praised her.

With a blush lighting her cheeks Shinobu buried her face into his chest and mumbled out "T-Thank you Sempai."

Smiling at the shy girl in his arms Keitaro rolled onto his side so the two of them were lying next to one another. With his arms wrapped around her small body Keitaro nuzzled into her soft blue hair, enjoying the smell of her shampoo. Shinobu meanwhile was unsure what to do in such a situation and decided to do what Su would; nuzzle into his chest and enjoy the warm safe feeling she felt whenever she was in his arms. Ever since that time when he caught her when she fell she had felt protected whenever he was near, especially when he hugged her and the rare times that he did she cherished and enjoyed to the fullest even if it usually ended with Kitsune teasing her.

As she closed her eyes with a content sigh Shinobu heard him murmur "Little One..." opening her eyes Shinobu looked up and saw that her Sempai had his eyes closed with a happy smile on his face and knew he wasn't thinking about her. 'Is he thinking of the girl I remind him of?' Shinobu wondered, a twinge of jealousy running through her heart. 'Does Sempai only like me because I remind him of her?' she pondered as she looked up at the smile on his face and thought that it looked a lot happier than any smile she had ever seen on his face. She stared at the smile for a moment before asking "Sempai... who are you thinking about?"

Opening his eyes Keitaro gave her a curious look and said "You of course."

"You just whispered 'little one'." She explained. "You've never called me that before." She pointed out.

"Oh..." Keitaro murmured.

Biting her bottom lip Shinobu asked "Is...Is she the girl that I remind you of?"

"Yea, she was." He nodded his head.

"Who was she?" Shinobu wondered.

"Her name was Hina." He replied quietly.

"Like Granny?" she inquired.

"One was named after the other." He nodded.

Seeing his eyes filled with melancholy Shinobu was filled with regret and wished she had just remained silent and be content lying in his arms "What...What was she like?" Shinobu wondered, hoping to make up for her words.

Letting out a soft sigh Keitaro nuzzled into Shinobu's hair again before softly saying "She... she was very beautiful. She had silky blue hair like yours but it was long like Motoko-chans and reached down past her waist. She had these sparkling blue eyes that were as deep as the ocean and the cutest smile I'd ever seen, it'd always light up whatever room she was in." He smiled at the memory "And her laugh was like the most beautiful music you'd ever heard." He said "In that respect she was a lot like you. Just in looks though; her personality was more like Su-chan's. She was always so energetic and curious that I spent most of my time getting her out of trouble." He chuckled. "She was cheeky too, always had a comeback whenever I scolded her or teased her. She was clever as well; she excelled at everything she did, no matter what she turned her hand too she grasped it as if she had been taught it all her life." He sighed. 'Far too clever for her own good.' He lamented to himself as he stroked Shinobu's soft hair. "I loved her as if she was my daughter."

"I'm sorry Sempai." Shinobu murmured as she looked up at his sad face. "I...I shouldn't have asked."

Giving her a loving smile Keitaro cupped her chin and gently caressed her cheek with his thumb and said "It's OK Shino-chan. I don't mind talking about her." He said as he kissed her forehead.

"Do I... do I really look like her?" Shinobu wondered.

"Yea, you're just as beautiful as she was." He told her with a loving smile.

Blushing deeply Shinobu buried her head into his chest with a small smile on her face. She had been called beautiful before by her parents and her friends at Hinata Sou but she never truly believed them, after all they wouldn't say otherwise would they? But when her Sempai said it to her she felt a flutter in her heart and her face lit up with a bright blush.

Smiling down at the blushing girl in his arms Keitaro kissed her forehead and sat up, bringing her with him so she was sitting on his lap. Gently stroking her cheek Keitaro said "Let's go start on lunch before Su-chan starves."

"Sure Sempai." She smiled up at him. Slipping her off his lap Keitaro stood up and took her hand in his. Moving towards the kitchen Keitaro suddenly stiffened and stood stock still. Looking up at him Shinobu asked "Are you alright Sempai?"

Letting out a small sigh Keitaro nodded his head and said "I'm fine Shino-chan." He smiled down at her and gently petted her head "I don't suppose lunch could wait a while could it?"

Blinking at him Shinobu nodded and said "Sure Sempai, but why?" she wondered. She knew that once Su exhausted her supply of banana's she would invade the kitchen and scavenge whatever she could even if it were ingredients that Shinobu was about to put into the meal she was cooking and so it was best to get an early start.

"I think we're going to have a guest soon and I need to get ready to great her." He smiled down at her. "Can you stay here and greet Motoko-chans guest for me?"

"Of course Sempai." She returned his smile.

"Thank you Shino-chan." He smiled and kissed her cheek. "Tell them that I'll be in the garden."

"The garden?" Shinobu asked as she watched Keitaro walk away.

-X-X-X-X-

"Thank you for coming so soon, Sister." Motoko said as they ascended the stairs.

"Think nothing of it Motoko-han." Tsuruko smiled at her little sister. "Besides, I'm eager to meet this manager of yours and see what made you take such an interest in him."

"I do not have an interest in him." Motoko said stiffly.

"I'm sure you don't Motoko-chan." Tsuruko laughed as they reached the top of the top of the stairs. Letting out a breath Tsuruko looked at her sister and saw that she was unaffected by the long climb. "Do you climb these steps every day?"

"If I wish to return to the dorm, yes." Motoko nodded.

"You seem the better for it. Perhaps we should have a stairway like this built back in Kyoto." Tsuruko smiled as she allowed her sister to lead her into the dorm. "I'm sure the students would benefit greatly from it."

Entering the building the two Aoyama's were greeted by Shinobu. "Shinobu-chan, this is my sister Tsuruko-Aoyama." She introduced the domestic of Hinata Sou to her sister.

"It's nice to meet you Aoyama-san." Shinobu bowed to her.

"Nice to meet you too Shinobu-chan." Tsuruko returned her bow. "Thank you so much for looking after my dear little Motoko-han."

"Do you know where Urashima-san is?" Motoko said quickly with a slight blush on her face.

"Sempai said that he is waiting in the garden for you and your guest." Shinobu explained.

"Did you tell him I was coming?" Tsuruko asked her sister.

"No, though it is possible he overheard us on the phone." Motoko suggested.

"Well, let's go find out shall we?" Tsuruko smiled pleasantly as she allowed Motoko and Shinobu to lead her to the manager. Exiting through the kitchen the trio found Keitaro in the middle of the garden; leaning against a sheaved katana that was planted on the ground with a large smile plastered on his face. Stepping of the deck Tsuruko smiled at him and said "You must be Urashima-kun." She said and bowed to him.

Bowing his head in response Keitaro said "It's an honour to meet you Aoyama-chan. You are Motoko-chan's...?"

"Elder sister, Tsuruko Aoyama." Tsuruko finished.

"Well, Tsu-chan." He smiled and pulled his sword from the ground and shouldered the still sheaved blade "Shall we begin?"

"That is a strange way to greet a guest in your home." Tsuruko pointed out with a smile as her hand slid to her hilt. "You presume that I came here to fight you when I could simply be here to check on my Motoko-han."

"True, you could be here for that." He allowed. "But I think not. You're here for one reason and that is to substantiate Motoko-chans claims about my abilities." He said "Well there's no better way than this is there?" he grinned.

"Motoko-han also claimed you know a great deal about our family." She said as she moved opposite him and drew her sword "I would also like to know how you gained this knowledge."

"Well, if you manage to impress me I'll answer any questions you have." Keitaro promised. "Shall we?" Instead of answering Tsuruko dashed forward, her sword lashing out at his face. With the smallest of movements Keitaro blocked the blade with his sheaved sword, stopping her assault. "Is this how you start a duel Tsu-chan?" Keitaro wondered with a smile as he swung his arm, forcing her back. "You didn't even give me a chance to draw my sword."

"You have ample opportunity to do so now." Tsuruko smiled innocently. Letting out a curt laugh Keitaro ran forward and stabbed at her, making the swordswoman retreat as she parry every blow he aimed at her.

As the two traded blows Shinobu looked up at Motoko and asked "Will Sempai be alright?"

"Sister shan't harm him." She assured her. 'Although I'm not sure if Sister will be alright.' she added to herself with a twinge of worry passing through her as she saw that Keitaro was holding his own even with his sword still in its sheath.

"Who the hell is that?" a voice came from behind him. Turning they saw Kitsune, Naru and Su leaving the building and approaching the two spectators.

"My sister." Motoko explained "I told her about Urashima-san and she wished to meet him."

"So you're having your sister fight him since you couldn't beat him?" Kitsune asked with a raised eyebrow.

"He challenged her." Motoko said stiffly.

"Any idea why?" Naru asked as she looked at the two people duelling.

"Because he can I imagine." Motoko sighed.

Back with the two duellists, Tsuruko slashed down at the man only to be blocked again by his sword; the sharp edge of the blade not even scratching the black, lacquered wood of the sheath. Swinging his arm again to push the blade away Keitaro charged towards his opponent, slashing wildly making it easy for Tsuruko to defend. Seeing the grin on his face Tsuruko thought. 'He's holding back; he has not even unsheathed his sword yet. If this is his level of skill even if he's more proficient in unarmed combat Motoko should have been more than able to match him.' Dodging an easy slash from the grinning man Tsuruko decided 'I will have to push him to see his true skills.' Putting distance between them Tsuruko pulled back her sword before charging towards him; her sword swinging and stabbing with precision at the man forcing him back towards the tree line though each and every strike was blocked and turned away by his sword.

Reaching the trees Tsuruko poured Ki into her sword and charged forward and slashed at his stomach. Leaping backwards, Keitaro planted his feet on the old tree and pushed off it; launching himself over Tsuruko as she dashed passed beneath him, her sword cutting through the tree as it were paper. With the force of Keitaro pushing off of it at the base, the large tree started to fall towards Hinata Sou with the girls directly in the way.

As the girls scrambled out of the way Motoko stepped forward with her sword half drawn when the tree fell apart after several flashes of light cut through it; the resulting logs falling to the ground and sending up a plume of dirt and sawdust into the air. Shielding her eyes from the cloud Motoko waved away the dust from her eyes and as it cleared she saw Keitaro standing in front of her, the tree cut into perfectly proportioned firewood around him and his sword, unsheathed for the first time was held out to his side at arm's length.

Rolling his head to the side to make his neck click, Keitaro removed his glasses and tossed them to Motoko, making the girl scramble to catch them. "Moto-chan, do me a favour and put this firewood in storage." Turning to the elder Aoyama he pointed deeper into the forest and called out "Tsu-chan, lets continue this where there won't be as much collateral damage." Getting a curt nod in response both fighters dashed off into the woods.

-X-X-X-X-

Darting between the trees Tsuruko kept the man in the corner of her eye and waited for him to determine when they were far enough away from Hinata Sou. As she watched him keep level with her; his form being hidden by the trees as they ran only for him to come into view again a moment later, Tsuruko suddenly lost sight of the man behind the tree and he failed to appear on the other side. Her eyes going wide Tsuruko instinctively swung her sword to the opposite side of where Keitaro was and only just caught the strike from his sheath that was levelled at her head.

Getting knocked back by the force of the strike Tsuruko stumbled back and brought her sword up to block his next strike. Regaining her footing Tsuruko swung her sword upwards forcing him to leap back onto a log with a grin on his face. It was only in this moment of respite that she noticed how he was holding his weapon. He held the sheath upright in his right hand as if it were his blade while the katana itself he held the hilt with the folded black steel pointed downward, wielding it as if it were a dagger. Frowning at his flagrant disregard for his sword Tsuruko charged forward, aiming her strike at his left hip only for Keitaro to bring his katana down to block the strike and stabbed his sheath towards her face.

Batting the sheath away with her hand Tsuruko slid her sword up along his blade and slashed at his face. As he threw his head back and leapt backwards Tsuruko thought that she had felt her blade bite into his cheek but as he gracefully landed ten feet away from her she noticed that his face was untouched by her sword.

His grin widening, Keitaro dashed forward and struck at her with his sheath forcing her to bring her sword up to defend as he rained down blows upon her. Leaping backwards to disengage Tsuruko put distance between them as she called out "Why aren't you taking me seriously? Why don't you use your sword instead of just your sheath?"

"Arrogant Aoyama," Keitaro smirked. "If I was taking you seriously..." he started only to disappear from sight. Blinking in surprise Tsuruko's eyes went wide as she heard him whisper into her ear "...You'd already be dead." Leaping away from the man who had appeared behind her Tsuruko spun around to see Keitaro still smirking at her. "Too slow Tsu-chan. I'd thought the true heir of the Aoyama's would have been much faster than that."

Tsuruko frowned at him 'What is he talking about? He acts as if he cut me.' As she thought this the sleeve of her right arm slid from her elbow to the ground and blood slowly trickled down from the thin cut around her forearm. Wrapping her hand around the cut Tsuruko glared up at him as she saw his grin widen. 'How is that possible? I didn't even feel his blade touch me.' She thought as she examined the cut.

"You wished for me to get serious..." he drew her attention back to him as he twirled the sword around so that the steel was upright in his hand and started to release an immeasurable amount Ki "...let's see if you can handle it." He smirked as he disappeared again.

He eyes going wide, Tsuruko spun around with her sword held high to defend against his next strike only to find the space there empty. Blinking in surprise as she realised that her prediction had been wrong Tsuruko turned in time to see Keitaro standing in front of her with his sword already halfway through its wide arc. Throwing herself backwards the blade missed her flesh and cut through her Gi; slashing the material at her stomach. Not allowing her a moment's respite Keitaro charged forward with his sword swinging.

As the clang on metal on metal rang in her ears Tsuruko's breath caught in her throat as she looked into his eyes. The brown pupils flashed with something feral and his lips were curled up in a savage grin. 'He is battle crazed!' She thought as she broke away from him and tried to put distance between the two of them only for Keitaro to chase after her. 'I've only ever read about this,' she thought as she parried another blow from his sword 'When a swordsman has fought in many battles and live only to kill and destroy! How is it possible for a man to become like this in this day and age?' she wondered as she fended off another strike and for the first time she feared for her life.

As they clashed again and she looked upon those feral eyes Tsuruko poured her Ki into her blade and yelled "Shinmei-ryū Kessen Ougi Shin Raikōken! Secret Technique True Lightning Sword!" As lightning danced along the length of her sword, the long blade glowed with Ki before it exploded outwards in a shockwave that sent him flying back; stripping leaves from the branches and bark from the trunks of the surrounding trees in the process.

Before the dust even settled Keitaro was on her again; his black blade darting out, slashing and stabbing at the woman. Her sword not fast enough to block every strike meant that his bit and tore into her clothes, occasionally leaving shallow cuts in her skin. Leaping backwards Tsuruko gathered Ki into her blade as she swung it above her head "Shinmei-ryū Ougi Kyokudai Raimeiken! Secret Technique Maximum Thunderclap Sword!" and brought down her sword in a long arc sending a thunderbolt down upon the man.

Standing his ground Keitaro swung his sword up and cut the thunderbolt in half along its length, sending the resulting bolts to the floor on either side of him. Her mouth dropping open in shock, Tsuruko was barely able to bring her sword up in time to block his attack but was still knocked back by the force of the blow. As she backed away to put distance between the two of them Tsuruko called out "Raimeiken!" and sent another thunderbolt at him. Not even breaking his gait Keitaro slashed his way through the attack and yelled out "Slow!" Still backing away from him Tsuruko let out a barrage of Raimeiken's and each one he cut through as if it was nothing and yelled "Slow!" after every one.

Growling at him Tsuruko yelled out "Shinmei-ryū Hiken Zankūsen Kai! Hidden sword Technique Air-Cutting Flash!" and sent a wave of Ki at him.

Keitaro responded by yelling "Zankūsen Kai! Air-Cutting Flash, Revised!" and sent his own wave of Ki at her which tore apart her own blast and knocked her back. Skidding backwards Tsuruko frowned 'So he knows our techniques as well?' she thought. 'It seems Motoko's suspicion was correct.'

Before the dust cleared a shadow appeared above her and she only just jumped out of the way in time as he descended upon her, his sword stabbing into the ground "Slow!" he yelled with that same savage grin "You're too slow Aoyama! Try harder!" he commanded her as he swung his sword to unleash another blast of Ki at her. Avoiding the attack and the two subsequent blasts that followed Tsuruko ran; darting between the trees so that they shielded her from the bombardment of attacks. "Stop running and face me!" he called out as he sent another barrage of Ki at her all of which were again blocked by the trees.

"Why should I?" she taunted him. "If you can't hit me like this I see no reason why I should make myself an easy target!"

"Don't think the trees will protect you forever Aoyama!" he replied as he let off another blast.

Safe behind her shield of trees, Tsuruko paid the wave little mind until she saw it pass harmlessly through the trees and continue on its way towards her. Her eyes going wide Tsuruko jumped too late and was caught up in the explosion as the wave hit the ground and sent up a cloud of dust, dirt and shrapnel. Rolling away Tsuruko used her sword to lift her to her knees as she glared up at the man who standing in a high branch of a tree. "That was Zanmaken Ni-no-Tachi,Evil-Cutting Sword, Second Strike!It is taught only to those of the Aoyama bloodline! How is it that you know that technique!" she demanded to know as she pushed herself to her feet.

"Ignorant Aoyama!" Keitaro smirked at her as he disappeared from his branch to appear in front of her; his body crouched low, his sword drawn back with the black blade aflame with dark Ki, his lips curled in a savage grin and his eyes glowing "That Move Was Created To Be Used Against Me!" he cried as he swung the sword at her.

Unable to block the strike Tsuruko was thrown back as the Ki left his blade and slammed into her stomach. Hitting the ground hard, Tsuruko rolled until she slammed into a tree and let out a painful cry. Turning over so that she sat against the tree she found Keitaro standing over her with his sword pointed at her throat as he stepped on her own sword to prevent her from using it. "Submit." He grinned down at her.

Glaring up at him for stepping on her blade Tsuruko kicked her foot up to hit him in the fork of his legs, making him double over and stumble back. Standing up Tsuruko swung her sword up and pointed it at his throat "Submit." She spat at him.

Still doubled over and clutching himself Keitaro looked up at her and laughed. "Very good little Aoyama. But not good enough!" he said as in one fluid motion he grabbed her sword with his left hand and pivoted on his left foot so that he spun around her back. Stepping with his right so that he was on the opposite side of her sword he swung his own around with a strike aimed at her stomach, the dull edge of his blade blazing with Ki. As soon as it touched her body Tsuruko was sent flying.

Her clothes torn apart by the force of the strike the swordswoman skidded along the ground; her skin being cut and grazed as she did so until she was stopped by a tree. Pushing herself up on a shaking arm as blood slowly dripped along the appendage Tsuruko leaned back against the tree and soon found herself with both Keitaro's and her own sword crossed at her throat while his grinning face was almost nose to nose with her. "Submit?" he asked again.

Panting hard Tsuruko reluctantly nodded her head and said "I... submit."

His grin widening Keitaro withdrew the blades from her throat and stabbed her sword into the ground next to her as he stood up and stepped away from her. "I haven't had a good fight like that in centauries!" Keitaro laughed happily.

"I am glad you enjoyed yourself so much." Tsuruko glared at him as she crossed her arms to cover her bare breasts and her legs to hide her cotton panties.

"Didn't you enjoy Tsu-chan?" he asked innocently.

"Of course I did." She said sarcastically. "There's nothing more I like than being stripped to my panties in the middle of a forest and be covered in cuts and bruises." She snapped.

"Tch, you Aoyama's are so fragile." Keitaro complained as he shouldered his sword.

"Forgive me for being human." She glared as she cupped a cut on her arm to try and stop the bleeding.

Letting out a theatrical sigh Keitaro said "Very well, if all you're going to do is complain about it..." stabbing his sword deep enough so that it stood by itself Keitaro knelt next to the woman, pulled her arms away from her chest and placed his hand over her left breast to cover her heart. As he poured his Ki into her Tsuruko gasped and arched her back as she felt his energy engulf and saturate her body, healing even the smallest scratch her body as her nipple stiffened under his touch. Smiling at her Keitaro removed his hand from her chest and stood up again. "Happy now? There won't even be a scar on your pretty skin." He said.

"You..." she started with a blush on her face "...you are most accomplished at healing." She murmured, quite astonished that someone that had fought with that level of furiousness could be capable of this.

"Why, thank you." he smiled at her. "I'm glad you're not complaining anymore."

"I'm still near enough naked." She pointed out.

"Yes, I did notice that." He leered at her making her frown. "That is quite a technique isn't it?"

"It's a perverted technique." She argued "Why on earth would you develop an attack like that?"

"You mean besides the obvious reasons?" he grinned as he looked down at her body; making her blush deepen slightly though she didn't cover herself again. "I find it useful when I wish to end a duel with a woman. I have yet to encounter one that is willing to continue fighting in the nude." He laughed.

"It's still a perverted technique." she insisted stroppily.

"Really?" he wondered with a smirk "Because it seems like you enjoyed it well enough or are you just cold?" he said as he pointed at her stiff nipples.

Determined not to show her embarrassment Tsuruko resisted the urge to cover herself and replied "It is a side effect from your healing."

"Yes, I often have that effect on women." He laughed as her blush deepened. "But I have to say, I'm impressed. The fact that you managed to keep your panties on shows just how skilled you are. I've used it against those with much more experience than you and they hadn't been able to retain so much as a stitch of clothing." He praised her.

"I'm so glad I meet your approval." She said dryly.

"I don't recall giving you my approval." He teased as he slipped his shirt off and threw it to her. "Here, wear this before you catch a cold."

"Thank you." She replied stiffly as she slipped it on. "So, have I impressed you enough for you to answer my questions?"

"I suppose so." He smiled as he sat down on a nearby boulder.

"Then how do you know of my family's techniques?" she asked sharply.

"All in good time Tsu-chan." Keitaro smiled as he hopped off his rock and stood before her. "I think it's time for a proper introduction. My name is Taro Urashima, the head of the Urashima family, Master of the Urashima style of fighting, former servant of countless emperors and estranged husband to the goddess Otohime." He said as he bowed deeply to the Aoyama. "It's an honour to meet you."

Tsuruko just stared at him. "Did you hit your head when we fought?"

"As if you could do something like that." He smirked at her.

"So you wish me to believe that you are the Taro Urashima of ledged? The fisherman who saved a turtle, married a goddess and died when he opened the Tamatebako and turned to dust?" she deadpanned.

"Tales of my death are greatly exaggerated." He grinned at her.

"So I can see." She said dryly. "Do you have any way of proving that you're over 1500 years old?"

"You could cut me in half and count the rings." He suggested with a smile.

"Perhaps something a little less bloody?" she requested.

"Only a little? How about this then?" he asked as he ran the palm of his hand over the edge of his sword, cutting it and making him bleed. Holding up the bloodied hand for her to see Tsuruko saw the skin knitting itself back together to not even leave a scar. "There, you see?" he smiled at her.

"You have already proven you are a talented healer. This proves nothing." She replied.

Frowning at her he countered "Alright then, how about this?" he asked as he picked up the sword and extended his left index finger. Before she could stop him Taro brought the blade down in one smooth motion, severing the digit from his hand.

"What are you doing you fool!" Tsuruko cried in horror.

"Just watch." He commanded her as he held up his hand.

"You need to get to a hospital and-" Tsuruko fell silent as she watched bone, muscle and blood vessels grew from the bloody stump and was then eventually covered by a layer of skin.

Flexing the digit Taro smiled at the stunned Aoyama. "So? Can you're average healer do that?" he asked.

"You grew back your finger..." she murmured.

"That's right." He nodded as he knelt to pick up the discarded finger and tossed it at her. "You can cut off another body part if you wish." He suggested.

Catching the finger Tsuruko examined the digit before dropping it to the ground. "H-How are you able to grow back your finger?"

"The same way I've been alive for over a millennia, I'm immortal." He smiled at her. "Did I forget to mention that?"

"So you really are the Taro Urashima?"

"That's right." He nodded

"And you are immortal?" she tried to get her head around this.

"Yes." He said with irritation in his voice as he frowned at her. "Watch." He ordered her as he picked up his sword and stabbed himself in the stomach with barely a grunt. Pulling it out the wound healed instantly. "See? Can't die. Not even if I stab myself in the heart." He said as he plunged the blade into his heart. "I'm perfectly fine, not even heart burn." He smiled as he leaned back against the boulder.

"How?" she wondered.

"You know my legend." He answered.

"So it's all true then? The turtle, the princess, the underwater palace?" she asked.

"More or less." He nodded. "Of course it depends on what version you've heard but most are fairly accurate."

"Then tell me how it really happened." She ordered him.

"Well, first of all I didn't bribe those kids that were attacking the turtle. I gave them a clip around the ear and told them that if I caught them doing it again I'd tell their parents. I was going to take it home to eat with my parents but it was pretty scrawny and pathetic looking so released it back into the ocean. The next day I encountered a talking turtle and he said he's take me to the dragon palace under the sea and I hopped onto his back."

"And you didn't find that odd?" Tsuruko wondered.

"It was the olden days." He shrugged. "When people actually believed in the old gods and everyone knew someone who knew someone who had been devoured by a Tengu or abducted by a Yuki-Onna. I thought it was just par for the course." He answered.

"Fair enough." Tsuruko smiled "Carry on."

"Well the legends pretty much cover it. I met Otohime-sama, she proposed to me for saving her from those kids, I accepted and we feasted for three days straight after the ceremony. Then, as the dutiful son I was I remembered my parents and that they would be wondering where I'd been for three days. So I asked my new wife to leave for a couple days to get my affairs in order before coming back. She reluctantly allowed my to do so, gave me that Tamatebako and sent me on my way on the back of a turtle. And once I got back to dry land I discovered that it was three hundred years later not three days." He said with a frown. "And the rest is history." He finished.

"You can't just end the story there!" Tsuruko complained "Tell me what was in the Tamatebako."

Keitaro shrugged again "I have no idea. I never opened it. And I have no idea where that whole turning to dust thing came from."

"Do you still have the box?"

"No I lostminholono..." He trailed off as he scratched the back of his head and looked away from Tsuruko.

"You what?" she frowned.

"I said I lostminholono." He mumbled.

"Speak clearly." she ordered him.

"I said lost it in a volcano!" he snapped at her as he folded his arms across his chest in a huff. "Happy now?"

"How did you lose it in a volcano?" she asked incredulously.

"I forgot I had it on me when I jump into it." He reluctantly admitted.

"Why on earth did you jump into a volcano?" she wondered.

"I was depressed!" he defended his actions. "I'd just spent three months scouring the coastline of Japan trying to find that damned turtle with no luck, I'd been abandoned by the first woman I'd ever loved and all my family and friends had died over three hundred years earlier."

"But why a volcano?"

Keitaro shrugged "I was twenty one, in grief and in love all at the same time. Rumours of my return and subsequent mooning along the coast had already began to spread so I figured if I was going to have a legend I'd at least go out in a stylish way; not like jumping off a cliff or taking poison or stabbing yourself in the stomach but something unique and memorable and there just so happened to be a volcano nearby so I thought what the hell." He let out a sigh. "Unfortunately, that's when I found out that I couldn't die."

"When you..." Tsuruko trailed off.

"Yep, right after I took a nose dive into hot lava I realised that I wasn't dead. I could still feel pain though." He grimaced slightly.

"Oh god..." Tsuruko murmured as she gave him a horrified look.

"It's worse that you think." He muttered. "With forth degree burns you don't feel anything where you were directly burned because you killed the nerve endings but my body regenerated just enough to bring back my nerve fibres before they were burned again. Feeling your nerves die repeatedly is not something I'd recommend." He warned her.

"What happened next?" she wondered.

"I stayed submerged in the lava for about a week before I was able to crawl out of there, my clothes burned away and the box gone." He said sadly.

"What did you do after that?"

"Well, for the three hundred or so years after that I spent an equal amount of time trying to get back to my wife, getting drunk and finding inventive ways to commit suicide." He replied. "I even tried to jump off a cliff, drinking copious amounts of poison and even spent a fortnight stabbing myself in the stomach before I gave up. One time I even tried to do all three at once. I had had far too much to drink and had just been thrown out of a tavern for not being able to pay my bill and I decided to try drowning myself again. I tied rocks to myself and just walked into the ocean. After about two days of just standing there I decided to try and search for the dragon palace again. I think I spent a month underwater before I gave up and returned to the surface."

"For three hundred years you did nothing but try and kill yourself?" Tsuruko deadpanned.

"I had nothing better to do." He shrugged "Besides drinking and looking for a way back to my wife of course."

"But you could have done anything!" she cried "Think of all the people you could have helped!"

Keitaro frowned at her. "I hate to break it to you Tsu-chan but I wasn't always the master fighter I am today. Back then I was just a fisherman. The best damn fisherman in my village but a fisherman none the less." He let out a curt laugh. "And this was a fishing village mind you. Let me tell you, being the best fisherman in a fishing village I could have taken any girl I wanted for a wife, even the magistrate's daughter but no; I had to save that damn turtle and fall in love with a goddess." He complained bitterly.

Seeing how agitated he was she asked "What was she like?"

Keitaro tilted his head at her "Who, the magistrate's daughter?"

"No, Otohime-sama." Tsuruko frowned at him.

"mmm, well let's see. She was... divine." He said with a small smile, unable to think any other way of describing her. "She had the most beautiful chestnut brown hair; the way it shined it looked like it rippled in the light." He said fondly. "Her eyes were this beautiful shade of brown and her skin was so pale it looked like it glowed and her voice... when she spoke there was just something about her voice that reverberated in my head." He said with a soft smile.

"You still love her." Tsuruko stated.

"Of course I do." He nodded his head. "She was my first love. But I hate her as well." He sighed. "She abandoned me when I needed her the most; when I was all alone and I lost my voice from calling out to her she ignored me. I haven't seen her for over 1500 years and she left me with my curse."

"Curse?" Tsuruko wondered "Most people wouldn't consider eternal youth and immortality a curse."

"Most people are idiots." Keitaro snapped "I've been alive for over 1500 years, how many wives do you think I have seen grow old and pass away! How many of my children do you think I have buried?" he glared at her. "No, this is worst thing that can be inflicted on a person and I wouldn't wish it on anyone."

Chastised Tsuruko bowed her head "Forgive me Taro-kun, I spoke without thinking."

"People rarely do." He huffed.

Casting about for a new topic Tsuruko said "If you truly have lived for over a millennia then you must have lived through some interesting events. Have you ever met anyone of note?"

Keitaro smiled at her. "I have met many people of note. Let's see...how about Tokugawa Ieyasu." He said.

"As in the founder of the Edo period?" Tsuruko blinked. "You knew him?"

"Knew him!" Keitaro cried "If it wasn't for me he would never have become shogun!" Keitaro declared pompously.

Tsuruko looked at him disbelievingly. "Really? How so?"

Letting out a huff Keitaro started "I met him way back when he was some little lordling, barely even 16 and he was riding around in one of those stupid sedan chairs." He said contemptuously. "This was after I'd spent a few centuries trying to kill myself with little success and so I gave up and tried to drown myself in alcohol. Anyway, I was drunk at the time I encountered him and didn't appreciate some jumped up kid with ideas above his station taking up the whole road and I told him as much." Keitaro explained. "One of his guards took offence when I kicked the sedan chair and ran me through with his sword." He said as he let out a course laugh "You should have seen the look on his face when I pulled it out and cut him down!" he chortled "His other guards did the same and I killed them all. Once they were all dead I took what money and booze he had and started on my way only for the young Tokugawa to call out that he wished to take me on as his yojimbo. I told him that as long as he kept me in sake and women I'd follow him for a while."

"That's all it took to enlist the services of the great Taro Urashima?" She asked sardonically.

Keitaro gave her a look "I'm a simple man with simple needs." He replied "Would I have been nobler if I had followed him for the promise of titles and land?" he huffed. "Anyway, he managed to keep me well sated and I was by his side thereafter. I rode with him for his first battle, the siege of Terabe; when he captured the fortress of Kaminojo it was me that oversaw the exchange of hostages that that got his son and wife back. And while he was consolidating his power and reforming his clan he sent me to pacify the Mikawa province and the Ikkō-ikki monks when they refused to follow his commands. He sent me to put down their uprising and raze their temples." Keitaro bragged.

"And you were instrumental in each of these battles?" Tsuruko asked.

"Of course! I was a warrior who couldn't die! No matter how many arrows struck me, no matter how many times spears or swords pierced my heart I wouldn't fall! Some even believed that Ieyasu had tamed a demon and forced it to fight for him!" he sniggered.

"Then what about the battle of Mikatagahara?" Tsuruko pointed out. "Shingen routed Tokugawa's troops and he had to flee. Were you one of the five that he escaped with?"

Keitaro smirked "I never fought in that battle. We had a slight falling out at the time."

"Over what?" Tsuruko asked.

"What else do great men fight over? A woman of course!" Keitaro grinned. "There was this beauty that I lusted after but she was already promised to one of Ieyasu's vassals. I demanded he allow me to bed her but when he refused I refused to fight for him."

"For such a petty reason." Tsuruko shook her head "And I suppose one swordsman would have made all the difference?"

"No but when I refused to take up a sword another 3000 followed suit." He said smugly.

"And why would they do that?" Tsuruko wondered.

"A few off the lesser lords owed me their lives and swore their allegiance to me rather than Tokugawa. I didn't need them of course but if I were to go to Shingen and ask to join him having 3000 men at arms is far more attractive that just one swordsman no matter how immortal he is." He explained.

"You were going to betray Tokugawa?" Tsuruko frowned at him.

"No, I just tend to outlive people." He smiled "I've found that once your thoroughbred had been sent to the glue factory it's best to find a replacement to back as soon as possible; especially if I expected to be kept in booze and women. Anyway, after his defeat he was so eager to have me and my men fight with him again that he practically offered his own daughter to be my concubine." He laughed. "After that he bowed to almost all of my wishes to make sure he had my sword to call upon. I was even there after Toyotomi Hideyoshi passed and Ieyasu started his Sekigahara Campaign. I was the first over the wall when we took Osaka castle and fought in the Battle of Sekigahara where we decimated Ishida Mitsunari's army and made Ieyasu the most powerful man in Japan!" he grinned "And for my service to him he saw I was aptly rewarded."

"More women and alcohol?" Tsuruko said dryly.

"Actually, after he became shogun he made me a lord!" Keitaro laughed "He made a drunken whoremonger like me all respectable!" he sniggered unashamedly. "Not only that but he gave me large tracts of land in Kyoto. I went from a simple sellsword to one of the richest men in Japan in one night."

"Is that when you encountered my family?" Tsuruko enquired.

"No, it was a couple of centuries after this that I had come across you Aoyama. Once he had finished divvying up territories to others that were loyal to him I followed Ieyasu as his retainer up until his death. After that I became the emperors creature." He said "Ieyasu had told him of my... special traits and wished for me to become his loyal servant." Keitaro said "And so I did. But not before settling a few things. First I set about commissioning a home for myself on my new land. Once it was designed and construction was underway I went out in search for my progeny."

Tsuruko blinked "Your children?"

"And grandchildren and great grandchildren and so on and so on." He nodded his head "I had been bedding women for centuries; it's only natural that I'd sire a few bastards here and there." He smiled "So I retraced my movements for the last thousand or so years and tried to track down as many lovers, whores and courtesans and casual acquaintances that I had successfully bedded. Those that had passed away, I checked to see if any had given birth and if their children or their children's children were still alive. Once I found there was a reasonable amount of certainty that they were of my line I gave them a choice. They could remain where they were and continue living their lives or I could claim them as my family; they could come to Kyoto live in my home that was being built, enjoy a lifestyle that they could never even dream of and all they had to do was take my name and accept me as head of the family."

"Did many come to you?" she asked him.

"Enough." Keitaro said "There were some that didn't believe me, others that did but didn't want to move to Kyoto, some that didn't want to follow someone that looked half their age and I'm certain that I've forgotten about a few women so there are plenty of people around that have my blood that don't have my name but many decided to join me. Some lusted only for the prestige of being a part of a family that served the emperor while others lusted for what lay in my coffers and I soon ferreted them out and stripped the name Urashima from them and turned them out. But those that remained became the trunk of the Urashima family tree that has grown quite substantially."

"When is it that you created your family's style?" Tsuruko asked.

"It was some time after I had established my family. I had stumbled across two of my cute grandchildren playing at being samurais and were sword fighting with sticks. I watched them for a while and when they noticed me they asked me to teach them some things. After that whenever I was at home they would seek me out and ask for a lesson. Soon the other children wanted to join in and then even adults wanted to be taught. Soon every man was being taught and when a child came of age they were taught by me or one that I deemed skilled enough to teach. But it was several decades after that time with my grandchildren that I made something that could be called a style." He explained.

Nodding her head Tsuruko said "You still haven't told me how you know moves from my schools art that are only taught to those of our bloodline." She pointed out.

"Very well then." He sighed. "Let me tell you the story of arrogant Aoyama and the devilishly handsome Urashima..."

-X-X-X-X-

Kyoto; Several Hundred Years Earlier

Throwing open the doors the young swordswoman strode uninvited into the courtyard of the Urashima compound. Stopping in the middle of the courtyard she looked around and sneered at what she saw. Around her Urashima's stopped what they were doing and turned to look at her; some were in the middle of sparing, others were just sitting around, while children played and three elders were sitting in the shade.

"What can we do for you, child?" the one female elder asked the brash girl.

"I am Ayano Aoyama." She said curtly. "I have been told that your family is held in equal esteem as my own. Is that correct?" he asked.

"As you say." One nodded.

"Is it true that you're family was patched together from bastards all over Japan?" she said with obvious disgust in her voice.

"We were once scattered but have been united ever since the beginning of Tokugawa Shogunate." The third agreed.

Sneering at them she said "I refuse to accept that such ragtag family such as yours can even be compared to mine own." She spat as she drew her sword from her sheath. "I challenge the strongest warrior your family has to offer."

All the Urashima's were silent though most glared at her and stood stock still, save for some of the younger students who slid their hands to their swords until a pearl of laughter rang through the compound. Turning, Ayano saw a young man who had been sitting under a tree with several of the children stand up and move towards her. Despite his obvious youth he had long silver hair that reached down past his waist tied back in a braid. "What an interesting child the Aoyamas have produced." He said as he shouldered his blade. "Very well young one. I'll be your opponent." He smiled at her.

Hearing several of the surrounding Urashima's chuckle under their breath at this development Ayano glared at him "I don't want to deal with the likes of you. I came here to fight the strongest your mongrel family can produce."

Despite her insulting words the sniggering grew louder and the man kept the smile on his face. "How about I make a deal with you? If you beat me you may choose your next opponent." He offered.

"So that I'm tired for the real fight? Do not try your Urashima tricks on me." She sneered at him.

"Very well." He smiled. "How about I sweeten the deal? If you manage to defeat me then the Urashima family will become vassals of the Aoyamas; we shall give up all land, wealth and titles to your clan and become your indentured servants until the end of time." He proffered.

Narrowing her eyes at him she asked "Who are you to wage such a thing?"

"Ask the elders if you wish." He smiled as he gestured to the three elderly people sitting in the shade. "Do you agree to abide by these terms?" getting a nod from the three of them he turned back to the swordswoman. "Is that acceptable to you little Aoyama?" he asked as he took up position opposite her with his sword drawn.

Glaring at him she snapped "I'll look forward to having you cleaning the privies." She threatened as she charged towards him.

-X-X-X-X-

At the Aoyama compound trainees and initiates spared and practiced their katas under their master's watchful gaze when the main gates exploded inwards sending debris all over the courtyard and sent a plume of dust into the air. As the dust settled every Shinmei-ryū practitioner present rushed to the disturbance with swords drawn as a man entered the courtyard with a grin on his face, a sword at his hip and a limp body over his shoulder. Stopping when he reached the centre of the courtyard he gently lowered her to the floor to reveal that it was their heir.

As they glowered at him the man pulled the sword from his hip, raised it above his head with the tip pointing down and before anyone could stop him slammed the blade down here her face was. Once the cloud of dust that had been raised settled down it was revealed that the man had buried the weapon into the ground centimetres away from her head. Straightening up he grinned at the agitated swordsmen and women "I believe this belongs to you." he snickered at them before moving back towards the destroyed gate. Looking over his shoulder as he went he called out "When she wakes up, tell her that she has the honour of being the first person to face the blade of Urashima Taro and live! And if she ever feels like sparing again she is more than welcome to try once she learns how to use a sword!" he mocked them as he left.

-X-X-X-X-

Back in the Present

"And so began a lifetime of challenges by Ayano-chan." Keitaro explained "At least once a month she would approach me no matter where I was and issued a challenge to me and each ended with her waking up with my Gi under her head with me sitting next to her grinning." He smiled "After a few years, this one sided rivalry turned into a friendship which we maintained all the way up to her death." He said softly with a hint of melancholy "By the time that she had died I had already buried many lovers, sons, daughters and grandchildren and I was even starting to numb to the pain of losing them but her death was the first since Ieyasu's that someone not of my family pained my heart when they passed."

Giving him a sympathetic look Tsuruko asked "Did she teach you our techniques?"

"No, it was one of her grandchildren that I learned it from." Keitaro smiled "She wasn't the only Aoyama that I ever fought."

"Were there many others?" Tsuruko wondered.

"I've spared against many generations of Aoyama." He replied "It seems that each mother past on the challenge to her daughter..."

-X-X-X-X-

Kyoto; Several Hundred Years Earlier minus 40 Years

Walking home from the funeral a saddened Taro Urashima kept his head bowed in grief and to shield his face from the downpour. He was thankful that he could say goodbye to her at her funeral though he didn't fool himself into thinking that he was welcome at her memorial. The Aoyama's like every other family of any importance looked down on the Urashima's for their origin and resented their rise in power though none dared openly say anything about them for fear of the reprisals he would inflict upon them. Ayano had been the only one to actually ever say what all others thought. This fact made him smile in fond memory of his friend.

The Aoyama's had long memories and the slight he had inflicted by humiliating their heir still wounded their pride and the only reason why they had not denied him entry was that Ayano had requested that they allow him there on her deathbed. Once he said his goodbyes to her Taro left the family to their grieving. He would not have had not stayed to socialise with them even if they had not made it clear that they felt his attendance was an affront to her memory as he had next to no interaction with the Aoyama family outside of court not even Ayano's husband or children.

And so as he left the Aoyama's and made his way back to the Urashima household, wearing a sugegasa upon his head and a dusty brown cloak that covered the lower half of his face which was soaked through he heard a voice call out "URASHIMA!"

Turning Taro found himself looking at a young Aoyama, probably not much older than 15 wearing a Harukma and Gi soaked through to the bone, her wet hair clinging to her body as she held out her sword pointed at him. Giving her a disinterested look Keitaro asked "What do you want child?"

"I want to duel!" she yelled as she glared at him.

Giving her a tired look Taro said "I am in no mood for this child. Have some respect for the dead and leave me be." he dismissed her as he continued on home.

"That is why I am here!" she snapped "I am here to do what my mother couldn't!"

Hearing this Taro paused in his stride and looked over his shoulder at her "You are Ayano's daughter?"

"That's right!" she yelled "On her deathbed my mother told me that her one regret in life was that she was unable to defeat you in a duel! I intend to absolve her of that regret!" she declared.

He could see it now. She had that same fire in her eyes, that Aoyama arrogance that had lead her mother to storming into the house of a rival family and issued a challenge was well instilled in this fledgling Aoyama. Looking up in the sky with a smile on his face he murmured aloud "You always made my life interesting didn't you?" before rounding on the girl his sword slipping out from under his mantle with a grin on his face.

-X-X-X-X-

Back in the Present

"After that every generation picked up where the last left off. They eventually found out that I was immortal but they never told their children. Just that they wished for them to defeat me." He smiled fondly. "Eventually one of her descendants got it into her head that I was possessed by a demon and so developed the Zanmaken Ni-no-Tachi specifically to exorcise me." He laughed. "You Aoyama have been using your Ki attacks on me since you first found out how and I've seen them so many times that I learned how to do them."

"If every generation fought against you then why have I not heard about you?" she asked.

"Because I haven't interacted with you Aoyama's in centuries. Not since you let Daichi Aoyama become head of you family." He said with clear contempt in his voice.

"You knew Daichi Aoyama?" Tsuruko asked.

"Mores the pity." Keitaro muttered.

"What happened between the two of you?"

"That little whelp tried to bar me from his mother's funeral!" Keitaro snapped. "I had known her since before he was even born and he and his cronies had the cheek to try and stop me from paying my respects."

"So what did you do?"

"I forced my way through them." He said with a feral grin. "Out of respect for his mother I didn't take any of their lives but I made sure that they knew the folly of going against me!"

"It was you that removed his arm." Tsuruko stated quietly.

"That's right. I dare say he was slightly more aware of his station." Keitaro smiled cruelly "Out of the deep affection I felt for his mother I only removed his left arm."

"Our records state that he was left handed." Tsuruko pointed out.

Keitaro blinked. "Really?" seeing Tsuruko nod her head Keitaro simply shrugged in response. "Oh well. It doesn't matter now anyway. After that I lost my taste for Kyoto and being at the beck and call of the emperor and decided that it was time to leave. I told my family my intentions and said that any who wish to remain can do so but not with the Urashima name. I then went to the emperor and told him that I had been serving the throne for centauries and that I no longer had any intention on doing so."

"And why would he allow you to do that?" Tsuruko asked.

Keitaro smirked "He asked the same thing. I reminded him that I never swore any oaths to him and if he tried to stop me not only would I kill him I would overthrow him and take his place as the immortal emperor of Japan." He laughed bitterly. "In hindsight it would have been better if I had. I at least would have had the sense to keep Japan out of World War 2."

"You fought in that war?"

"No, once the emperor declared for the Nazis I put myself and my family into hiding to avoid the draft. He was so blinded by the thought of an empire that covered Asia and beyond that he was deaf to what his new ally was saying. Once I heard that crap about the Master Race I looked around and noticed a distinct lack of blue eyed and blond haired Japanese people and saw where we would eventually end up. If we had defeated the allies I would have fought when Hitler eventually turned on us and I would have cut a bloody swath through Asia and Europe all the way to Berlin to take his head. And then I'd do the same too our emperor as well for being so foolish as to think he could trust a racist like Hitler." He spat. "Thankfully it never came to that."

"So where were you hiding?"

"Hiroshima." Keitaro grimaced. "The emperor's are still told about me and my immortality so I thought it it'd be best to distance myself from them."

"You were there when...?" Tsuruko wondered.

"I glowed green for a month." Keitaro laughed. "I spent another three under the ocean to make sure that the radiation was out of my system before I returned to shore and was greeted by the news that we had surrendered."

"So you can survive a nuclear bombing?"

"Mores the pity." Keitaro sighed. "When World War 3 happens all that'll be left is me and the roaches."

Tsuruko shook her head in disbelief before bringing the conversation back to her family. "Were you not afraid of retaliation from my family?"

"What? For cutting off of Daichi's arm or for beating their heir so many times?" he wondered with a grin "Of course not; if your family had dared to so much as give a member of my family a dirty look I would have slaughtered every man woman and child and razed their properties to little more than dust and ash."

Tsuruko gave him a long, neutral look "Are you serious?"

"Of course." He said with upmost seriousness. "I was very practical back in those days. The way I would have seen it was that if I allowed even one of you to survive then they could grow up and seek vengeance against my loved ones. It would be easier to kill you all in one fell swoop rather than having to kill those that tried to take revenge for their family on mine. And if it was a choice between the ones that I love or some upstart family with ideas above their station just because the emperor entrusted the extermination of demons to them I would chose my family every time and still would." He warned with a grim smile. "Why do you think all those so called noble families didn't object to bastard Urashimas being in direct service to the emperor? Because they knew what happens when you wrong an Urashima."

"And how did they know this?" Tsuruko frowned; not particularly liking the sound of the potential genocide of her family.

"Ever heard of the Shimabara Rebellion?" he asked darkly.

Tsuruko's eyes widened "You were part of that atrocity!"

"Part of it? It was me who put those rebels to the sword! Each and every one of them! I put down that rebellion singlehandedly!" he declared unashamedly.

"How could you commit such butchery?" she yelled horrified.

Keitaro's lips curled back into a snarl "You call it butchery; the emperor called it a job well done." He glared at her.

"You slaughtered woman and children!" she cried "Don't try and justify it by saying you were ordered to by the emperor!"

"I don't have to justify myself to you!" he seethed; his anger flaring along with his Ki, his energy washing over her tainted with bloodlust and rage. "They were Scum! Mongrel dogs that had to be put down! They were thieves, murderers and rapists!"

"Even the children?" she spat.

"Every Single One Of Them!" he yelled back at her. "Who are you to judge me? You who has barely seen a quarter of a century think that you can comprehend my actions? In my lifetime I have seen all that humanity has to offer, I've seen every autocracy that can be imagined! What I did, I did based upon over a thousand years of seeing what people are truly like." He snarled.

"And that excuses what you did?" she said with disgust evident in her voice.

Glaring down at her he said "Let me ask you something, little Aoyama. In your short little life who have you lost?"

"My parents." She replied.

"Is that all?" he sneered at her. "I have lost more loved ones than I can remember and I still feel the pain from each and every one of their passing. When you have lost scores of family members, then perhaps you can judge my actions, then perhaps you can begin to grasp my reasons!"

"Who did these innocent children take from you!" Tsuruko demanded to know "What did they do to incur the wrath of the honourable Taro Urashima? What wrong did they do to deserve being slaughtered by your blade? Who was it that they harmed that turned you into a monster?"

"My Daughter!" he roared as he allowed his Ki to expand and engulf her; making her heart quail and a frightened tremor run through her body at the sheer amount that he was capable of releasing.

Seeing the rage in his eyes Tsuruko unconsciously sunk back against the tree she was sitting against. Bowing her head in regret at her ill spoken words she murmured "I...I apologise Urashima-san. I did not know."

"Of course you didn't." He spat. "That's because you are nothing but an ignorant little Aoyama! You and your ilk are all the same; the great houses of Kyoto looking down on the baseborn Urashimas as if our very existence was an affront to you. Thinking that because you're family has inbred with themselves for generations you were somehow better than us; that you were morally justified in whatever you did while we are hardly better than clothed animals. Let me tell you something, Tsuruko Aoyama; your clan wasn't always tasked with dealing with demons. Before that you were no better than us, swordsmen at the beck and call of the emperor. He ordered, you obeyed; just like I did. You speak of honour when yours is just as sullied as my own. The only difference is that I'll admit it." He sneered at her.

"I am not aware of any such incidents in my family's past." She defended her family.

"Of course you're not." He sneered at her "That's because you Aoyama bury and conceal your past; any less than honourable deeds are erased from your records so you can maintain that pious and arrogant attitude of yours. I don't have that luxury. I am a living reminder of any and all mistakes my family has made and I've learned from them and steered my family in the right direction for over five hundred years. That is why we have flourished and those families that looked down on us are in decline." He smirked.

"The Aoyama's are not in decline." She replied stiffly.

"Oh really? Well back when the Urashima's controlled almost half of Kyoto you Aoyama's had controlled the other half. How much do you own now?" when she remained silent Keitaro smirked at her "That's what I thought. I bet all you have left is your main dojo don't you? Well I own all of Hinata town and the Urashima family owns most of Tokyo."

Not wanting to get into another argument with him Tsuruko asked "What happened to your daughter?"

Leaning against a boulder, Keitaro folded his arms and said "When the rebellion started the disenfranchised samurai organised the peasants who sided with them into small villages surrounded by palisades. When the emperor heard of this he was ready to march his army to them and put them all to the sword for being traitors. Naturally the grovelling clans that comprised his court praised this idea as being of the upmost strategic genius, a plan worthy of Sun-Tzu himself." He spat out. "That includes you Aoyama as well." Keitaro pointed out. "I on the other hand thought that was overkill. Sending an army after a few peasants and samurai didn't seem worth it. I proposed that we kill the samurai but leave the peasants alive that way they would be more likely to surrender without any bloodshed. I was denounced as a coward and one arrogant Aoyama even had the gall to accuse me of siding with the rebels. I simply replied that dead men don't pay any taxes nor do they build anything or do they do anything for food production other than marginally increase the fertility of the land. And when I pointed out that the taxes lost from these rebels would be nothing compared to the cost of feeding and paying for a fully equip army to traipse across Japan just to kill them the emperor sided with me. He charged me and my family with the execution of the plan."

"So I went home, convened the masters of our art and said that I wanted 10 of our most skill practitioners to come with me. As we were drawing up the list my daughter barged in and demined to come with me. It was only the generation before hers that I had allowed women to be trained in our style and so I refused. Then she pointed out that she was more proficient than any man and I was forced to allow her to come. Urashima women have always been stubborn." He laughed slightly. "And so we set off; me, my daughter Riko and ten others went to deal with the uprising."

"We had made good time to the first village and we knew what we would do. We were going to sneak in under the cover of darkness and assassinate the key members of the rebellion but what we didn't know is that they had been treating with Europeans hand had been supplied with guns and gunpowder. They caught us in an ambush and cut us down before we knew what was happening. Despite the fact that it had been introduced to Japan years beforehand it was the first time I had fought against an enemy with them and I had never felt a bullet hit me. Nor was I prepared for the pain I would endure as my body healed and pushed out the lead." He said grimly.

"That... must have been painful." Tsuruko answered, unsure of what else to say.

"Not as bad as drowning in lava." He replied "But it incapacitated me all the same. They found me and brought me back to their village as their prisoner. They..." he took a deep breath. "They had this doctor there, more a sadistic scientist than a medicine man and he discovered my immortality. Soon I was his guinea pig." He growled.

"You were tortured." Tsuruko said aghast.

"Experimented on." He corrected her with a grim smile "He was determined not only to find out the source of my immortality but also the limits of what I can regenerate from. He would cut off my fingers, and burn the stubs with tar to cauterise them and measured how long it took for me to grow them back; he would slit my throat like I was pig and wouldn't allow me to heal until every drop of blood drained from my body. Then he would cut off something else to see if the amount of blood I had determined the time it took to regenerate. Other times he would dissect me, cut open my chest and pull my ribs out so that he could see how my organs worked. You see, up until he got his bloody hands on me he had only been given corpses to examine. He would say that thanks to my help, modern medicine would advance by decades." He sneered.

Tsuruko had gone pale at his description of his torture "How...How long where you..."

Keitaro shrugged "I have no idea. They kept me in a cell below ground so I don't know how many days passed."

"How did you escape?" she asked.

"One day some men came to my cell. They bound me in chains and dragged me before the man in charge. He asked me some questions and I spat blood on him. He struck my face and informed me that if I wouldn't talk that there was another who had survived the ambush and ordered his men to bring her in."

"Your daughter..." Tsuruko stated quietly.

"They brought her in naked with a chain around her neck as if she were a dog and dumped her in front of me." Keitaro seethed, his Ki once again flowing out of him filled with such anger and hatred that it made the hair on the back of Tsuruko's neck stand on end. "All the while I was in the care of that doctor they had been raping her." He growled, her lips curling back into a vicious snarl. "Not only that but they'd tortured her. They'd cut out her eyes so that she couldn't see them coming but left her tongue so she could still scream. They'd broken her fingers and made the set wrongly so she'd never be able to use them again and did the same with her toes. They'd cut the tendons in her arms and legs so that she wouldn't be able to fight back or escape. Her body was covered in cuts bruises and she whimpered at every sound."

By now Keitaro was trembling with barely restrained rage and his eyes were no longer in the present. "The bastard in charge said that they had used her up but was good for one more fuck before they put her down. He pulled out a knife and grabbed her by her hair before pressing the blade against her throat hard enough to make her bleed." Keitaro's eyes were now glowing and an angry blood red aura tinted with black surrounded his body; his fist clenched so tightly that his nails bit into his palm making blood drip from between his fingers. "When I saw the blood run down her neck I snapped. I broke off my chains and tore that bastard apart with my bare hands. When his guards tried to cut me down I crushed their skulls between my fingers before taking up their swords and set about killing the rest of them." He snarled viciously "I hunted down every single one of them like the dogs there were!"

"Even the women and children?" Tsuruko asked "The innocents that never touched your daughter?"

"None Of Them Were Innocents!" Keitaro roared at her. "They All Heard Her Screams! They All Knew What They Were Doing To Her But No One Stopped Them! They All Deserved Death!" he declared vehemently as his Ki flared, making the grass at his feet wither and die.

Not wanting to provoke him further Tsuruko said "Forgive me Urashima-san." She bowed her head.

Grunting in derision Keitaro continued "Once I had dealt with the scum and set the village on fire I returned to Riko. She was too far gone to even know what was happening around her; too broken, too turned in upon herself. I knelt in front of her and when I stroked her cheek she whispered 'Kill me'." He was trembling violently and his eyes shined with tears. "I wrapped my arms around her and held her close to my body. I told her that I loved her before I pressed a dagger I had found into the back of her neck."

"Taro-kun..." Tsuruko murmured. She couldn't imagine having to euthanize her daughter nor how painful a burden it must be to carry.

"Once her suffering had ceased I made a litter to carry her back home and left the village to burn." He said. "On the way back to Kyoto I found that they had strung up the bodies of those that had accompanied us and left them for the carrion birds. I cut them down, bound their bodies in linen and added them to the litter. On my return to Kyoto some whelp from a lesser family mouthed off and I crushed his throat with one squeeze and smashed the faces of his cronies before continuing on my way." He explained in a level voice as he got his emotions back under control. "When I reached home I refused to talk to anyone with the exception of ordering the preparations for their burial. When the funeral was held, family members of that whelp that mocked me stormed up to our gates creating a ruckus. Some of my grandchildren tried to send them on their way as to not disturb us but they refused to leave until I came out to answer for my actions against their heir. When I had had enough of their noise I went out to confront them. The head of that family said that unless I surrendered my life in penance for his sons life he would start a clan war. Before he even finished his threat I had slashed at his throat with my sword before I dealt with the rest of the men he had brought. Once they were dead I ordered my grandchildren to return their bodies to their family and to tell any who remain that unless they wish to be annihilated they'd best not attract my attention."

"After that I decided to rest for a while. The emperor had learned of my return and demanded I present myself before him. After I ignored the first five I killed the sixth and then he was forced to come to me. He came with a retinue from some of the major houses. Knowing my mood my family tried to turn them away but they forced themselves in. When the Aoyama who had denounced me as a rebel sympathiser came to drag me before the emperor I snapped his neck and dragged him back to the emperor and dumped him at his feet. His other bodyguards called me traitor and drew their weapons against me so I tore them apart with my bare hands. You should have seen the emperor," Keitaro said with a contemptuous laugh "When I turned to him he soiled himself at the mere sight of me! I just looked at him with disgust. This man ruled Japan just because his father was emperor before him. He won no battles, he never led his troops to victory, I doubted he even knew which end of a sword you are meant to hold! He was nothing but a gluttonous spoilt brat who thought too much of himself and I told him as much. I then told him that I had destroyed one village and would soon be departing to do the same to the others. And if he ever dared to presume he could summon me at his whim he would find out that he was sorely mistaken. Then I threw him off of my land."

"Weren't you worried about what he would do to you?" Tsuruko asked.

"He wouldn't dare do a thing to me or my family." Keitaro sneered at the suggestion. "I would have killed him if I even suspected he was plotting against me and he knew it. Anyway, afterwards I took my swords," he said as he kicked the black blade next to him. "And finished what I started."

"And slew countless other innocents." She said with a hint of reproach in her voice.

Frowning at her Keitaro said "I was not as merciless as my captors were. Before I attacked I sent a warning. I arrived at dawn and gave them until nightfall to evacuate women and children. Any man who left would be cut down along with any who helped them and any who remained in the village would be killed regardless of age or gender." He said pointedly. "So you see Tsu-chan, you Aoyama's knew what we Urashima's do when we are slighted. And no matter what I did to your family they knew I slay every Aoyama if I even suspected they were planning to retaliate."

Tsuruko nodded her head. She didn't want to continue this line on inquiry after she had found out so much and saw how much it affected him. Casting about for another subject to broach Tsuruko's eyes fell to his black sword. "That is an impressive sword you have." She said rather lamely.

Blinking at the sudden change of topic Keitaro looked down at the sword and frowned in distaste. "It's a foul sword which serves its foul purpose." He said as he picked it up and lazily tossed it towards her where it landed with the blade in the ground next to her. As she reached out to grasp the hilt Keitaro cried "Don't!"

Recoiling her hand as if she had been bitten Tsuruko looked up at him in surprise. "What's wrong?"

Keitaro frowned at her "You can't tell?"

Looking closely at the blade Tsuruko noticed nothing out of the ordinary. The metalwork was exquisite; the hilt was intricately decorated and the black metal of the blade had been folded an innumerable amount of times which created ripples in the steel. "I see nothing amiss."

"Are you sure you are an Aoyama?" he asked suspiciously. "Touch the blade with the back of your hand." He ordered her. Doing as she was told, Tsuruko gingerly reached out and pressed the back of her hand against the blade only to pull her hand away as if she had been burned. Looking down at her hand she saw it was still unblemished though a feeling of coldness and dread still clung to her skin. Looking up at him for an explanation Keitaro said "There's a demon sealed inside of it."

He eyes widening Tsuruko looked closer and saw that it was giving off a faint demonic aura. "That is why you didn't want me to touch it?"

Keitaro nodded slightly "Out of its sheath it still has the power to possess its wielder if they are not of Urashima blood. Even then they must have significant training to withstand power of this blade."

"Why only an Urashima?" She wondered.

"The demon was sealed with Urashima blood so only an Urashima may truly wield it." He explained.

Tsuruko stared at the dark sword and asked "Tell me the history of this sword and how you sealed the demon inside."

Letting out a sigh Keitaro started at the beginning "I once wielded two blades; one made by Masamune that was destroyed long before you were born and the one in front of you which was crafted by Muramasa. It took them years to create their respective blades and once they were complete they were the finest ever forged." He smiled slightly. "The one from Masamune I made him create it after he lost a bet to me and Muramasa made that one after I showed him the one Masamune made for me since it was the first time he had seen one that Masamune had crafted." He explained.

"As to how the demon got sealed inside..." Keitaro sighed again. "It was shortly after we settled here and the construction of what is now Hinata Sou had just been completed. Since Riko's death I had and still haven't fathered any more children nor had I taken a wife or a lover but I was fostering a child. Her father had died in an accident and her mother during child birth so I volunteered to care for her. She was such a clever girl that no matter what you taught her she gained a mastery of it within a month." He smiled fondly at the memory. "Be it music, singing, calligraphy and even archery she distinguished herself. She was useless at drawing though." He laughed. "That was the one thing she never got the hang of. Anyway, when she came of age she decided to become a miko rather than learning the family style. So I gave her to the other mikos and spell-weavers of my family for tutelage and naturally she excelled." He said; the pride obvious in his voice.

"As I was saying, once our new home had been completed I sent some teams out to map the land and give me a proper appraisal of all the surrounding resources. One of the teams that I had sent out had returned with only two people and both were greatly injured. They brought back tales of a fierce demon stalking the land and they were the only two who had survived it's attack. Naturally I gathered together some men and went out to deal with the creature. It was a lot stronger than we anticipated. Mine were the only swords that could pierce its green hide and even then they barely scratched it; its drool scorched all that it touched; its claws, teeth and horns so sharp that it tore through whatever they touched. After it had killed three of my men and injured half a dozen of the others I called a retreat. Once I had the injured and the dead taken care of I called the mikos and spell-weavers to me to discuss how to defeat the monster. They told me they had a way of killing the demon but for the ritual to succeed us swordsmen would have to distract it until they were ready."

"By the time we had finished making out strategy our scouts arrived to tell us that the beast was heading out way. Apparently it had followed our trail and was intent on killing the rest of us. So we set out to destroy the monster."

"Did your foster daughter accompany you?" Tsuruko asked.

"Against my better judgement." Keitaro nodded. "They insisted that if the spell was going to work they required her strength so I had no choice but to allow her to come along." He sighed. "So we headed to the last reported sighting of the beast. When we found it me and my swordsmen engaged the creature and kept it busy while the mikos surrounded it and started their spell." Keitaro continued. "The beast was smarter than expected. As soon as they started chanting it ignored us went after the spell casters instead. Once it had killed enough of them so that the ritual couldn't be completed almost all that remained fled. Only my daughter remained to fight by my side. As we were, we stood no chance of killing it and she knew only one way of sealing it away. She asked me to try and restrain the creature while she prepared herself. I didn't have time to ask her what she planned on doing as the creature was upon us once again."

"I managed to fend off the beast while she prepared her spell. I took off one of its horns, gouged out an eye and even stabbed it in the forehead with the blade I won from Masamune. Unfortunately when it swotted me away it also broke my sword, leaving more than half the blade embedded in its brow." He sighed. "By the time I started to use Muramasa's sword she had finished preparations. She ordered me to knock it onto its back. When I finally managed to she grabbed a sword from one of the fallen warriors and impaled it through its palm while muttering some spell. It roared in pain and tried to tear its hand from the ground but her magic kept it in place. She told me to pin his other to the ground and allowed her to do the same."

"With the beast successfully subdued I sat down for a rest and complemented her on her skill when she told me that out work wasn't done yet. The spells she cast on its arms wouldn't last long and if we hoped to seal it way we'd have to act fast. As the beast continued to thrash and roar she lay down upon its chest above its heart and told me to plunge my sword through both her heart and its own foul heart."

Tsuruko's face grew ashen. "She wanted you to sacrifice her?"

Keitaro nodded slightly. "She said it was the only way to seal it away for good. I insisted that I could kill it but she refused to listen. She said that this is the only way to end it. She... She forced me to do it." He said quietly. "Before I could stop her she grabbed my sword and stabbed herself through her heart." Hearing her gasp Keitaro continued. "Despite the pain she smiled up at me and said I had no choice now and if I didn't want her sacrifice to be for nought I'd push through and stab the demons heart. I had no other choice but to do as she wanted. As soon as my blade pierced its heart she started to chant. The beast screamed and roared but to no avail. Once her spell was complete the demon burned. Great black flames leapt from its body and engulfed the three of us and the smoke it produced was absorbed into the blade and turned it the colour it is today. Once the beast's body had been devoured by the flames and reduced to ash she lay there on the scorched earth untouched by the flames with a small smile on her face. She reached up and stroked my cheek and told me she loved me before she passed away and I saw the light go out in her eyes." He murmured sadly.

Tsuruko gave him a sympathetic look. She had a greater understand of why he considered his fate a curse. This time there were no tears in his eyes nor was he releasing of his raging Ki. Instead he simply looked tired and defeated; the full burden of his long life evident on his face. "She died to protect countless others." She said in the hopes of comforting him.

Keitaro gave her a look "If you justify the death of one for the many then you can justify genocide so long as it improves the life of the majority." He dismissed her attempt. "Sweet words though they may be they neither bring her back nor do they fill the hole she left."

Seeing Tsuruko bow her head in regret for her words Keitaro continued his story. "I carried her back home and ordered men to go back to the battlefield and collect the dead. I found some of the spell casters that had abandoned us had returned and ordered them brought before me. As punishment for abandoning us I sentenced them to the same death that their lack of resolve caused my little one and used that same sword to stab them in the heart." He said "I told the rest of my family that any who abandoned a fellow Urashima will suffer the same fate."

"You were able to put your family members to the sword so easily?" she wondered.

"You Aoyama's have done worse for less." Keitaro pointed out. "I considered them traitors and as I counted anyone else who would disgrace the Urashima name in the same manner." He explained "After the burials of those who had died to kill the demon I wished to have a break from watching my family die so I left some elders that I trusted to look after my family and went wondering."

"What did you so?" she asked.

"I went demon hunting." he said solemnly. "I travelled all over Japan and sought out any and every magical being I could find and put them to the sword."

"Regardless of alignment?" Tsuruko asked stiffly.

"The last time my daughter was killed I didn't spare any during the rebellion do you really think I'd bother to check if a spirit was good or bad?"

Not wishing to get into an argument she couldn't win Tsuruko said "For how long did you hunt?"

Keitaro shrugged "When you've lived as long as I have counting the passing of years becomes pointless. I continued my hunt until I was no longer able find any to kill. I suspect that I am the reason you Aoyama's have had so little work to do in recent centuries." He smiled thinly. "After that I returned home to make sure everything was in order before deciding that I had seen all that Japan had to show me and that there was a whole world out there to explore. " he said with a small smile.

Nodding her head Tsuruko turned back to the sword and asked "Why do you still carry this blade if it holds such memories let alone one that houses a demon."

"This sword reminds me of her sacrifice. Whenever I wield it I remember that at the age of sixteen my little one gave her life to keep others safe. To just discard it would dishonour her memory. If she was capable of bearing the responsibility of giving her life to seal it away I should at least bear the responsibility of looking after the fruits of her labour and ensure the demon is never released. That's why I'll carry this sword for eternity, this Fey Blade Hina." He explained.

Hearing the name of the sword Tsuruko's head shot up and her eyes narrowed at him "Hina?" she asked.

"I named it in tribute to the girl who gave her life to seal the demon inside." He explained.

"This is the Hina Blade?" she asked "The one that almost reduced Kyoto to ash and almost eliminated my family?"

"oh? So you do know some of your family history." Keitaro gave her a slight smile.

"Was it you?" she asked dangerously.

"Who wielded the blade and burned Kyoto? No it wasn't me. The blame lies with Daichi Aoyama." Keitaro said.

"How is it his fault that your blade went wild?" she wondered suspiciously.

"Because he ordered someone to steal it from me." Keitaro stated.

"Why would he do that?" she asked.

Keitaro shrugged "I took his arm, he took my sword. Due to its rarity I hardly ever use it despite it being an unparalleled blade unless I had a specific use for it. Otherwise I kept it in storage. Unfortunately the thief did know a demon was now housed within the blade so when he presented it to Daichi and it was unsheathed it he was possessed. By the time I had arrived in Kyoto to retrieve my sword the majority of the city was already aflame. I sought out my sword and found the possessed Daichi slaying one of his kin. When he saw me he attempted to strike me down but I simply removed his other arm. I prised my blade from his fingers before plunging it through his heart."

"You killed him?" she asked.

"It was the humane thing to do. It's better to die than living with the knowledge that you killed your own kin." He assured her.

Nodding her head in acceptance she said "I believe you have answered all the questions that I have."

"oh? Already?" he smiled at her. "I thought you'd have lots more questions."

"It seems that whatever I ask you brings up bad memories. Perhaps at another time I will ask you something else but for now I am satisfied with the information that you have given me." She smiled.

"If you ever reach my age you'll discover that most things bring up bad memories." Keitaro let out a curt laugh "Come on. I'll answer one more question." He offered.

Pondering for a moment Tsuruko said "Tell me how you have such an abundance of Ki."

Keitaro gave her a disappointed look "I've given you free reign to ask me anything and you ask me that? How boring you are Tsu-chan. I could tell you about the machinations of Cleopatra and Mark Anthony or of the beauty of Helen of Troy and you ask me that?"

"You knew them?" she wondered.

"No, but I could still tell you about them." He grinned. "How about I tell you about the time I was beheaded?"

Tsuruko blinked "You were beheaded?" she asked.

"Yep." He said as his grin widened "I was in France during that little revolution of theirs. I had gotten drunk on some rather tasty wine that had been liberated from some aristocrat and I just happened to mention in passing that the nobility weren't all that bad if they were able to appreciate good drink like this and the next thing I know people are screaming 'Off with his head!' and I was being taken to the guillotine." He laughed.

"What happened?" Tsuruko asked out of morbid curiosity.

"Well, I scared the piss out of some French peasants for one thing." He laughed. "You should have heard them scream when my body got up and started to grope around for my head!"

"You have a very dark sense of humour." she laughed slightly and shook her head before replying "As interesting a story as it sounds an answer to my question will suffice."

"Very well then." Keitaro sighed. "Tell me Tsu-chan, how does Ki develop in a person as they age?"

"Everyone more or less starts out at the same amount when they are born though some who are born into families that have more than those who don't." She said as she remembered her old lectures, "As they grow up the amount of Ki they are capable of producing increases. This continues up until old age where if they still train then the amount of Ki plateaus off and stays constant until their death while those who don't declines."

"That's right." Keitaro nodded approvingly. "And why does it plateau off? Is it because once they reach a certain age they stop producing more or is it because their bodies are unable to?"

"Because their bodies..." she trailed off before smiling "Because their bodies are not able to hold more than their current limit."

"Good girl." Keitaro grinned. "And why, despite me being over a millennia old is my Ki limit still increasing?"

"Because your body has remained the same." She said with a smile "So long as you do not age the amount of Ki can you have will continue to grow as long as you remain in shape."

"And as you can plainly see, I'm in remarkable condition for someone of my age." He laughed happily. "Does that answer your question Tsu-chan?"

"Yes thank you." she nodded with a smile.

"Good." He grinned as he stepped forward and picked up his sword and returned the demon blade to its sheath. "I'm sure the girls are wondering where we've gotten too. Shall we?" he asked as he held out his hand to her. Smiling, Tsuruko grasped his hand and allowed him to pull her up. As he did he allowed her to stumble against him so that her chest was pressed against his. Grinning at her, Keitaro wrapped his arm around her waist and said "My, my Tsu-chan. If you prefer we can stay out here for a while if you like."

Smiling at him Tsuruko pressed her hands against his chest and pushed away from him "Perhaps another time."

"You're such a tease Tsu-chan." Keitaro smiled as he wrapped his arm around her waist "Come on, Shino-chan should have lunch ready by now."

"What about that?" she asked as she gestured to his amputated finger.

"hmmm? Of that, just leave it. I'm sure some animal will come along and eat it." He dismissed her concerns.

"Is that alright?" she wondered as she allowed him to lead her back towards Hinata Sou.

"Out here it'll be fine." He assured her. "The problem is if I leave body parts in places people can find it. With all this fingerprinting and DNA testing around now days I have to be careful where I leave my body parts. It used to be that I could lop off an arm or a leg and just re-grow it without a worry but now I have to either reattach it or dispose of it discreetly." He sighed. "I used to be so simple in the olden days."

Letting out a laugh Tsuruko leaned against his side "Spoken like an old man." She smiled cheekily at him.

Raising an eyebrow at her he pinched her rear and said "Better than being a little brat like you." He sniffed before laughing. "Come on, I'll tell you all about my time in France while we walk."

-X-X-X-X-

Back at Hinata Sou

Emerging from the forest Tsuruko and Keitaro were greeted by the residents of Hinata Sou. Seeing the bare-chested Urashima with his arm around her nearly naked sister Motoko yelled "Urashima! What Did You Do To My Sister?"

Smiling pleasantly at the agitated Aoyama Keitaro said "We just talked."

"About what?" Kitsune asked as she narrowed her eyes, not liking how the obviously dishevelled Aoyama was leaning against him.

"Nothing of any consequence." He assured the fox lady.

Pulling her sister away from the man Motoko asked "Are you alright Sister?"

"Why of course I am." Tsuruko smiled easily. "Kei-kun is very strong yet gentle at the same time. I've never had such an invigorating... duel." She leered as she held her hand against her cheek as she allowed a slight blush to colour her face.

"S-Sister!" Motoko cried aghast.

Back with Keitaro he had just finished placating Kitsune when Su leapt up into his arms. "What took you so long Keitaros!" she complained "Shinomu wouldn't let us eat until you got back." She pouted.

"I'm sorry Su-chan." He smiled and kissed her forehead. Walking over to the bluenette Keitaro said "I think we had best get Su-chan fed before she starves." He joked. Looking up at his bare chest Shinobu's face lit up in a bright blush. He looked so strong and handsome but when she remembered that she had spent a great deal of time pressed against him when they were in the pool so much blood rushed to her face she thought she was going to faint. Feeling a hand rest on her shoulder Shinobu looked up to see Keitaro smiling down at her with an inquisitive look. "Are you OK Shino-chan?"

"Y-Yes Sempai!" she squeaked as she hid her red face from him.

"OK then." He smiled and ruffled her hair. "Come on, let's get lunched served." He said as he led her and the rest of the girls back into Hinata Sou.

-X-X-X-X-

Later That Night

Kneeling behind her sister, Motoko ran her brush through her Tsurukos long luscious hair. Since her return from the forest all Tsuruko had worn was a robe Motoko had provided for her and she hadn't had an opportunity to interrogate her sister as they had always been in the company of one of the others and so was going to use this opportunity. "Did you find out about Urashima-san and how he knew about our family?"

"Yes I did." Tsuruko smiled.

When it was clear her sister was not going to volunteer any more information Motoko asked "And?"

"And I found his answers most satisfactory." She smiled at the expression on her sister's face.

"Do you care to tell me those answers?" she asked.

"Not particularly, no." She grinned.

"Why not?" Motoko frowned.

"Really now Motoko-han, it's rude to ask what a man and a woman got up to when they were alone." She teased with a laugh.

Frowning at her with a blush Motoko asked "Do you really have no intention of telling me what he told you?"

"That's right." She said smugly.

"Then why did I even ask you to come?" Motoko huffed.

"Because you would never have been able to worm the information out of him." She replied with a smirk. Seeing the look on her sisters face Tsuruko turned around and said "Motoko-han, the things that we discussed were of a very personal nature, it would not be right to tell you without his permission."

Frowning at this Motoko none the less nodded her head in acceptance. "I understand."

"Good." Tsuruko smiled. "Do you mind if I borrow some of your clothes."

"If you must." Motoko nodded.

"Thank you Motoko dear." She smiled and kissed her cheek before standing up and moving over to her drawers. Opening the first drawer Tsuruko frowned at what she saw. Picking up one of the identical bundles she unfurled it to reveal a pair of conservative, white cotton panties. "Is this the only underwear you wear?" she asked.

"It suits my needs." Motoko said defensively.

"Don't you have anything a little more... slinky?" she asked with an exasperated sigh. "I suppose wearing none at all is more appropriate." She murmured to herself.

"What was that Sister?" Motoko asked.

"Nothing." Tsuruko smiled. "I think I shall go have a dip in the hot springs."

"I'll join you." Motoko suggested.

"You needn't trouble yourself Motoko-han. I plan on inviting Keitaro-kun to join me." She explained.

"W-What?" Motoko cried.

"I am going to bathe in the hot springs with Keitaro-kun." Tsuruko explained patiently before turning around. "How do I look?" she asked.

Looking her sister up and down the colour drained from Motoko's face. Tsuruko had substituted the robe she had been wearing for one that looked as if it was intended for a girl with Shinobu's stature; the hem of the robe ended just below her hips, long enough to protect her modesty so long as she remained perfectly still while the top half showed off a generous amount of cleavage, the sides of her robe only just covered her large bust and revealed just the slightest hint of nipple. "Y-You can't let him see you like that!" she cried.

"I'll take that as a complement." Tsuruko grinned as she smoothed out her hair.

"You're a married woman!" Motoko protested.

"Am I?" Tsuruko wondered. "Then perhaps you should join us." she leered "Or is that what concerns you? That'll see him nude before you do?"

"O-Of course not!" she denied hotly.

"Oh? So you've already seen him naked?" Tsuruko teased.

"No I haven't!" Motoko yelled.

"Then you'll have no objection to me doing so." She smiled as she moved towards the door. "Don't wait up Motoko-han." She told her sister as she slipped out the door.

-X-X-X-X-

Reaching his door Tsuruko lifted her hand to knock when a voice inside called out. "Come in Tsu-chan." Sliding open the door Tsuruko saw Keitaro sitting at his table sipping at a saucer of sake. "What can I do for you Tsu-chan?" he wondered with a grin.

"There is something I wish to discuss with you and I was wondering if you would like to have a bath with me while we talked?" she offered.

"mmm, and here I was just about to ask if you wanted to join me for a drink." He smiled.

"Perhaps we could do both?" she suggested with a smile.

"mmm, what a good idea." He nodded as he stood up with a bottle of sake in his hand and approached her. Resting his hand on her hip Keitaro asked "Would you prefer to bathe in the springs or the private bath?"

"Well, it is such a wonderful night tonight. Why don't we bathe under the stars?" she suggested as she pressed herself against his body.

Slipping his arm around her waist Keitaro said "That sounds lovely." He grinned. "Shall we?"

-X-X-X-X-

Entering the changing room Tsuruko turned and started to undo the buttons on his shirt. "How old are you Taro-kun?" she wondered.

"Somewhere around 1500 years." He replied "I stopped keeping an accurate count years ago." He explained as she slipped his shirt off his body.

"So this is the body of a man who's lived for over a millennia and a half?" she smiled as she ran her hands over his toned chest. "You have kept yourself in remarkably good shape." She purred as she leaned down and pressed her lips against his collar bone.

"If it's a choice between carrying around muscle or a beer belly for all eternity I'll settle for the muscles." He smiled as she removed his trousers. "How old are you?" he asked as he reached down and pulled apart her skimpy robe.

"24." She answered as she allowed him to look at her naked body.

Smiling at the sight before him Keitaro allowed the robe to fall from her body before saying "You have such a beautiful body." He complemented her as he caressed her hips.

Leaning against him Tsuruko removed the last of his clothes and her eyes lit up at what she saw. "You're not half bad yourself." She purred as her tongue wetted her lips and she reached down to grope him.

Grinning at her Keitaro reached around and gave her rear a gently squeeze "Perhaps we should move into the springs?" he suggested.

"mmm, that sounds like a good idea." She purred as she allowed him to lead her into the springs.

Bringing her over to the showers Keitaro turned on the water and pushed her under the falling water. Gasping as the cool water hit her body Tsuruko moaned as Keitaro wrapped his arms around her body and pressed into her back. With soap in his hands Keitaro started to rub his hands against her stomach while nuzzling into her soft black hair. "You Aoyama's have always had such beautiful hair." He told her as he used his chin to brush it out of the way to kiss her neck.

Moaning as she felt his lips press against her neck Tsuruko ground her rear against his crotch and asked "Have you ever been with one of my predecessors?"

"Why? Are you worried I may be your grandfather?" he teased.

"More curious than concerned." She smiled as she leaned against his chest.

"mmm, well I don't recall ever bedding one of your number." He smiled as he slid his hands up her body to cup her large breasts.

"I assure you, you would have remembered if you had." She promised with a giggle as he lightly tweaked her stiff nipples.

"I'm sure I would." He agreed as he reached up and turned her head to lightly press his lips against hers. Smiling into the kiss, Tsuruko turned around and wrapped her arms around his neck.

Breaking the kiss Tsuruko collected soap from her chest before and ran her hands down his chest to grasp his member. "And I'm sure if you had, tales of it would be recorded in our chronicles." She grinned as she ran her fingers along his length "Or like your Ki is this still growing?" she wondered.

"Well, remember when I said I could have had any woman in my village? Well it wasn't because I could catch fish." He leered as he rested her forehead against hers. "We should get into the springs now Tsu-chan."

"mmm, if you wish." She grinned and lightly pressed her lips against his.

With his hand resting on her firm rear Keitaro led Tsuruko into the pool. As they descended into the pool the Aoyama leaned against him and allowed him to freely grope her body as they sat down in the warm water. Slipping onto his lap Tsuruko grasped the side of his head and pulled him into a kiss. "Am I the first Aoyama that you have ever kissed?" she wondered as she ground her body against his.

"Perhaps." He smiled as he gave her a squeeze that caused her to gasp. "Why ask?"

"Just curious." She smiled coyly at him "You have met many of my predecessors and have told me they became friends with them. Did any of those friendships develop into something more?"

"As if the rest of your family would allow it." Keitaro laughed.

"Oh? It sounds as if you were frightened of what my family." She teased.

"I merely didn't want to cause my dear friends trouble." He harrumphed. "Otherwise I would have wedded, bedded and absorbed for clan into my own. And you'd be my granddaughter." He said as he pinched her rear.

"I'd hope not." She leered as she reached down and took a hold of his manhood again. "Or do you respond this way to all your granddaughters?"

"Only the exceptionally beautiful ones." He assured her as he stroked her cheek.

Lightly kissing the palm of his hand Tsuruko grinned at him. "Let's have that drink shall we?" she asked as she leaned forward so that her breasts were pressed against his face as she reached behind him to grab the bottle of sake and a single saucer. Leaning back she poured the drink into the saucer and held it to his lips. "Tell me something Taro-kun. How long has it been since you were last with a woman?"

"Some 300 years now." He answered as he poured for her.

"So long." She said thoughtfully as she pressed her chest against his and gently ran her finger around his nipple "You must have been awfully lonely."

"Sometimes." He agreed as he stroked her flanks.

"mmm, and you must be feeling awfully... pent up?" she asked as she leaned down and nipped at his collar bone.

"On occasion." He smiled at her.

"It's not healthy to go so long without release. You really should let go and enjoy yourself once in a while." She suggested.

"mmm, that sounds like a proposition Tsu-chan." He grinned at her.

"Not at all." She smiled slyly. "But it occurs to me that since I'm here that as a manner of convenience you might like to enlist my assistance in this matter." She purred as she leaned up and captured his lips.

"mmm, that does sound like an interesting idea." He grinned as he held her close to him. "And I'm sure you would be well suited for the task. After all, you are exceptionally beautiful; such long, strong legs..." he said as he ran his hands up her thighs to cup her rear "...such firm buttocks..." he grinned as he squeezed her before sliding one hand up to cup her breast and lightly rolled her nipple between his thumb and forefinger. "...such perky breasts. It's enough to make any man insane with desire." He told her as she nipped at her neck.

"Even you?" she wondered.

"Even me." He agreed as he kissed his way along her cheek to whisper into her ear. "And I would gladly take you except..."

"Except?" she gasped as she ground her crotch against his.

"Except... I do not bed married women unless they are my wife." He laughed as he pushed her back slightly.

Frowning at him Tsuruko asked "What makes you think I am married?"

"Because I have eyes that see, ears that hear and a brain that thinks." He grinned "You are not only the eldest but also the more talented sister yet Motoko-chan is the heir. The only reason why they would pass you over is if you were married."

"Motoko-han has the potential to be better than me." She pointed out with a pout.

"Yes but it remains to be seen if she will ever reach that potential." He countered as he stroked her cheek. "It is foolishness to give the title of heir to someone younger because they may become great."

"Well aren't you clever." She huffed and turned away on his lap.

"Really now Tsu-chan." He grinned as he slid his hands up to cup her breasts and tweak her nipples as he rested his chin on her shoulder. "Why would you wish to do this with me instead of your husband?" he asked as he kissed her neck. "Are you not happily married?"

Feeling his lips on her skin Tsuruko reluctantly relaxed back into his chest and replied "It was an arranged marriage that my parents organised before their death."

"And you do not like your husband?" he wondered.

"He is a good man and likeable enough." Tsuruko admitted "The problem is that our tastes in lovers are far too similar." She sighed.

Keitaro thought about it for a moment before smiling "Ah. You mean he's..."

"Yes." She nodded sourly. "We have consummated the marriage and have made several attempts to sire a child but with little success."

"And would he be alright with you and me?" he asked.

"I have forgiven him of his little... indiscretions so I am sure he could forgive me for mine." She replied as she gently rocked her hips back and forth against him.

"I'm sure." Keitaro chuckled. "And what if I planted a child in your belly?" he asked as he slid a hand down to her stomach. "Would it be raised by your husband or would you have me take responsibility?"

"I would leave that up to you." She smiled over her shoulder.

"And if I were to claim the child as my own and you with it what would your husband's family say?" he asked as he nibbled on her ear.

"The Urashima's are a wealthy and powerful family aren't they?" she asked. "I'm sure you could make amends somehow."

"Oh? I'd have to buy you would I?" he asked amused. "Why should I do that when I could spend my money on an Aoyama who is still pure and innocent?"

"You mean my naive little Motoko-chan?" she asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Don't be so mean to her." Keitaro scolded her with a smile. "Besides, why should I settle for you when I could have the Aoyama heir?"

"Because I am far more...experienced than my darling sister. I'm sure you would find me a much better match for you. After all, I was able to consummate my marriage with a gay man." She pointed out.

"With a body like this, making even a gay man rise to the occasion is no big accomplishment." He grinned as he kissed her neck.

Smiling at the complement Tsuruko said "But most of all, out of the two of us I would be much more willing to share your bed."

Keitaro raised an eyebrow "Oh? You don't believe I would be able to convince our little Moto-chan to come to my bed."

"Perhaps." Tsuruko allowed. "But you would have a far easier time with me."

"I don't doubt for a second how easy you are." He snickered. "But I feel it would be best if we kept our relationship as it is for now."

"Very well." She sighed as she leaned back against his chest.

"Come now Tsu-chan, don't pout." He grinned as he slid his hand between her legs to cup her mound. "Didn't you say have something to discuss or was that just a pretext to seduce me?" he asked.

Letting out a moan as he gently caressed her neither lips Tsuruko smiled and said "Well there was something concerning Motoko-han."

"Oh? And what is that?" he asked as he blew into her ear, making her gasp.

"mmm, well as you are no doubt aware Motoko-chan is far from perfect. She was sent here in the hopes that seeing the outside world would help broaden her horizons and help with her training though I fear being away from home with no proper tutelage has stunted her growth rather than encouraging it." Tsuruko explained.

"And you wish me to teach her?" Keitaro wondered.

"If you would be so kind." She purred as he lightly pinched her nipple.

"And what would you like me to teach her?" he leered as nibbled on her earlobe.

"I'm sure that you would be able to select an adequate curriculum." Tsuruko moaned. "Although I would appreciate it if you helped her with her swordsmanship and unarmed fighting. And perhaps some common sense as well. It's all well and good her being the heir of the Aoyama line but she must be able to rule justly."

"Are you sure you want an old cynic like me to teach her right from wrong?" he teased.

"I'm sure you will be a most adequate tutor for her." She grinned as she turned around on his lap and pressed her lips against his. "I'm sure there's plenty you could teach me as well."

"You have no idea." He laughed as he gave her rear another squeeze. "Are you sure Motoko-chan will accept me as her teacher?"

"I wouldn't worry about that." Tsuruko smiled. "When it comes to my sister I can be most persuasive." She purred.

"I have no doubt about that." He grinned. "I would be honoured to be Motoko-chans teacher. I presume this will entail you making periodical visits to chest on her progress?"

"But of course." She leered as she captured his lips again.

"I'll look forward to it." He grinned as he ran his fingers through her hair. With his forehead resting against hers Keitaro murmured "It's getting late. We should get out now and get to bed."

"Do we have to?" she pouted as she kissed his neck.

"I'm afraid so." He smiled and stroked her back.

"If you insist." She sighed sadly before placing her hands on his shoulders and standing up to show off her gorgeous, naked body.

Smiling as he ran his eyes over her nude form before leaning forward and lightly kissed her thigh. Resting his hands on her hips Keitaro stood up and pulled her body close to him and pressed his lips against her lips. Nuzzling his nose against her face Keitaro took her by the hand and led her from the springs. Entering the changing room Keitaro grabbed a towel and wrapped it around her body. Hugging her from behind Keitaro nuzzled into her long soft hair as he kissed the nape of her neck and caressed her body through the towel.

Enjoying the feeling of his hands running over her body Tsuruko turned and held her body against his before kissing him. Grabbing the towel from her body Tsuruko ran it over his body, focusing on one part of his body in particular. Smiling at her Keitaro broke the kiss and rested his forehead against hers and squeezed her rear. Slipping on a pair of robes Keitaro held out his arm for her to grab onto and escorted her out the changing room and upstairs. Reaching the floor Keitaro's room was on they stopped where they were and Tsuruko wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him again. Letting out a sigh as they broke the kiss Tsuruko rubbed her nose against his. "Good night Taro-kun." She murmured before reluctantly leaving his embrace.

Moving towards the stair to return to her sister's room Tsuruko's arm was grabbed and Keitaro pulled her back into his hold. "Tsu-chan, just because I turned down your advances once, does not mean you should stop trying." He said as he cupped her chin and lightly pressed his lips against hers. "Especially when I'm about to invite you to my room for a nightcap."

Tsuruko blinked before smiling widely. "I would love to join you for a nightcap." She said sweetly as she allowed his hand to slip under her robe to squeeze her butt as he led her to his room.

-X-X-X-X-

As soon as the door was closed behind them Tsuruko turned and wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him into a kiss. Moaning into her mouth Keitaro smiled as he slid his hands down her back and under her short robe to squeeze her firm rump. Purring as she felt his fingers digging into her soft flesh Tsuruko slid her hands from his chest and allowed her robe to fall to the floor leaving her naked as she held herself against him. Removing his robe for him Tsuruko pulled him deeper into the room and sat him down on his futon. Straddling his waist Tsuruko pressed her lips against his and slipped her tongue into his mouth as he ran his fingers through her hair and ran his hand up and down her back.

Letting out a small gasp as he moved his lips down to nip at her throat Tsuruko wrapped her arms around his head and ran her fingers through his short hair "Taro-kun?" she moaned.

"Yes Tsu-chan?" he replied as he kissed his way along her jaw to blow into her ear.

"Have you been with many women?" she wondered.

"More than I can remember." He smiled as he slipped a hand up to squeeze her heavy breast.

"Then I trust you know how to... treat a woman?" she asked.

"I've had few complaints." He smiled as he kissed his way down her chest to take her nipple into his mouth. "How many men have you been with?" he asked around her teat.

"Just the one." She gasped. "And even then our coupling is few and far between."

Pulling off her breast Keitaro ran his tongue along her chest and up her chin until he reached her luscious lips. "Then would you prefer if I take the lead?"

"Yes." She moaned into his mouth.

"OK then." He smiled as he kissed her cheek. Sliding his hands down to her hips Keitaro rolled her off of his lap and sat her next to him. Cupping her cheek Keitaro leaned in and kissed her lips. "Lie down on your stomach Tsu-chan." He told her.

Licking her lips, Tsuruko ran her hand over his chest before saying "I would prefer to be facing you when you take me." She purred.

Grinning at her Keitaro ran his hand along her thigh and lightly kissed her lips "All in good time Tsu-chan. But foreplay comes first." He assured her.

Smiling at him Tsuruko nodded her head and murmured "As you wish Taro-kun." She said as she lay down on his futon with her chin resting on her arms.

Turning on his side Keitaro smiled down at her pale body "You're very beautiful Tsu-chan." He told her as he ran his hand down the length of her body.

Shivering as she felt his fingers trail along her body Tsuruko turned her head and smiled at him. "Thank you Taro-kun."

Moving to straddle her waist Keitaro brushed her hair over her shoulder and leaned down and kissed the nape of her neck. Bringing his hands up to her shoulders Keitaro strongly gripped them and gently squeezed them, his thumbs pressing into her shoulder blades. Hearing her moan Keitaro smiled and ran his hands up and down her back, caressing every inch of her beautiful pale skin "Does this feel good Tsu-chan?"

"mmm, yes." She gasped as he kissed her neck.

"What about this?" he asked as he slid back and softly groped her soft rear. "Does this feel good too?"

"It feels heavenly." She purred happily.

Grinning at her Keitaro pinched her rear and leaned down to whisper into her ear "Tsu-chan, do you remember when you asked me about my Ki?"

"Yes." she murmured.

"Well, allow me to show you some advanced Ki manipulation techniques that I doubt is included in the Aoyama training." He grinned as pressed his index finger into the base of her spine and funnelled Ki into her body. Feeling his energy wash over her Tsuruko let out a gasp as she rolled her head backwards and arched her back.

"T-Taro-kun..." she moaned.

"Did your tutors ever teach you how to do this?" he asked.

"I...I think I would remember!" she purred.

"Then what about this?" he asked as he pressed his thumbs into the dimples of her lower back and sent out small pulses of Ki into her body.

Curling her toes at the increasingly pleasurable sensations he was giving her Tsuruko gasped out "I'mmm afraid not!"

"mmm, I'll have a lot to teach Motoko-chan won't I?" he asked.

"Perhaps you will be willing to tutor me as well?" she suggested blissfully.

"Perhaps." He nodded as he leaned down and kissed her neck. "But my lessons are expensive and we still haven't talked about how I will be compensated for teaching Motoko-chan." He pointed out.

"I'm sure I can find some way to pay you for your services." She said as she turned her head to capture his lips.

"I'm sure we shall." He grinned as he shifted his fingers again making her groan. Smiling at her reaction Keitaro asked "Do you think that this is enough foreplay Tsu-chan?" he whispered as he lightly nibbled on her ear.

"Yesss." She hissed. Smiling at her Keitaro slid off her body and continued to stroke her body while releasing his Ki into her. Smiling up at him Tsuruko pushed herself up and pressed herself against him; her arms wrapped around his neck and her lips pressed against his while her tongue invaded his mouth.

Grinning at her Keitaro broke the kiss and asked "Would you still like me to take the lead?"

"Please." She nodded.

"Turn around." He told her. Giving him a curious look Tsuruko nonetheless did as she was told. Pulling a sash from their discarded robes Keitaro said "Do you trust me Tsu-chan?"

"Yes." She purred as he kissed her neck.

"Good. Put your hands behind your back." He ordered her. Once again doing as she was told Tsuruko held her hands behind her back. Smiling at her Keitaro used the sash to bind her hands together. "Let's play a little game Tsu-chan."

"What is it?" she asked.

"If you can free yourself we'll do whatever you want tonight." He promised her.

"And if I can't?" she wondered with a gasp as her nipped at her earlobe.

"Then we'll do whatever I want." He leered and blew into her ear.

"mmm, that sounds like fun." She agreed.

Slipping around her front Keitaro sat in front of her. Reaching up to brush the soft strands of hair out of her face Keitaro leaned in and lightly kissed her lips. "You may begin."

Nodding her head Tsuruko sat about trying to free her hands from their restraints. All the while she turned and twisted her hands Keitaro was kissing her and his hands were caressing her body; squeezing her heavy mounds and tugging on her stiff nipples or sliding down to stroke her hips and cup her wet mound. Finally giving up Tsuruko said "I am unable to free myself."

"Then I guess I get to have my way with you then don't I?" he asked as he kissed her cheek.

"Yes." She gasped as he rolled her nipples between his fingers, her body stiffening and shivering at his touch.

"Do you trust me?" he asked again as his hand slid down to cup the mound at the apex of her legs.

"Yes!" she moaned.

"Good." He smiled as he grabbed her hips and gently laid her down on the futon. Smiling at her Keitaro leaned down and pressed his lips to hers. "I'm going to make you beg for more." He promised as he returned his hand to the space between her legs. As he caressed her neither lips Keitaro leaned down took her nipple into his mouth again making her whole body shiver and a small gasp escaped her throat.

"Taro-kun..." she purred.

Teasing her for a moment longer Keitaro slowly dragged his lips up her chest and to her mouth. "Does this feel good Tsu-chan?" he asked as he removed his hand from her mound to reach around and squeeze her rear. Tsuruko's only response was to moan and writhe under his touch. "Do you know what we are going to do now?"

"W-What...?" she gasped.

"We." He said as he started to kiss his way towards her ear "Are." Kiss. "Going." Kiss. "To." Kiss. "Go to sleep." He grinned as he breathed into her ear.

In her blissful state it took Tsuruko a moment to register what he said but when he did she opened her eyes to see the amused look on his face and asked "W-What?"

"We're going to go to sleep now." He grinned as he rested his head on the pillow.

"B-But..." she started.

"But what?" Keitaro snickered "I said we were going to do whatever I wanted and I want to go to sleep."

"But we were..." Tsuruko protested.

"We were what?" he asked as he pulled her closer to him and lightly pressed his lips against hers. "I already told you that I won't bed a married woman." He said as he teased her nipple.

"Please Taro-kun..." she moaned as she tried to rub herself against him.

"I told you I would make you beg." He leered and kissed her lips again.

"Please Taro-kun." She gasped again "I...I need you to touc-ahhh!" she cut herself off as he flooded her body with Ki, making her every muscle relax and a sense of euphoria envelop her body. "Taro-kun..." she murmured as she snuggled closer to him.

Keitaro ginned down at her "There we go Tsu-chan. Doesn't this feel nice?"

"It feels wonderful." She breathed as she rested her head on his shoulder; her eyes slowly closing with her breath long and slow.

Smiling down at her Keitaro lightly pressed his lips to hers "Good." He said as he deftly removed the sash from her hands. Now free Tsuruko instantly wrapped her arms around his neck and snuggled closer to him, trying to press as much of her skin against his. With her legs wrapped around his and her groin pressed against his hip Keitaro smiled and reached up to brush her hair out of her face and lovingly stroke her cheek when he heard an angry voice growl out "Keitaro-kun..."

Looking up from the purring Aoyama Keitaro saw an angry Kitsune wearing a tight fitting shirt and her green striped panties glaring at the pair. Grinning at her Keitaro said "Hey Kitsu-chan."

"Don't 'hey' me!" she snapped. "What are you doing?"

"I'm just about to go to sleep." He smiled innocently at her.

Storming towards the pair so that she towered over him she asked "Then, what was it the two of you just did?"

"Why do you want to know?" he asked cheekily.

"I want to know because- MMMM!" she was cut off when Keitaro pulled her down to the futon and pressed his lips against hers. She tried to push herself away from him but when he slipped his hand beneath her shirt and press his palm into her back to release a flood of Ki into her body she felt all resistance melt away and she eagerly returned his kiss.

Breaking the kiss Keitaro smiled at her and said "Would you like to join us Kitsu-chan? The futon will fit all three of us so long as we snuggle together."

"N-No!" she reluctantly gasped as he kissed her collar bone "I...I won't forgive you so easily." She told him despite the fact that she was busy removing her shirt to reveal her beautiful breasts to him.

"Are you sure Kitsu-chan?" he wondered as he kissed his way down her chest to take one of her stiff pink nipples into his mouth.

"Yesss." She hissed as she reached down hook her thumbs under the waistband of her panties.

"Don't." He told her as he pulled away from her teat and batted her hands away from her panties. "You know how sexy you look in your stripy panties." He leered as he pressed his hand to her panty covered mound. Kitsune didn't respond though she didn't make another attempt to strip off completely. By now the fox lady was completely under the influence of Keitaro's Ki and much like the Aoyama next to him found her body melting into his embrace. Nuzzling into his free side Kitsune let out a content sigh as she felt him stroke her back. "Good night Kitsu-chan." He murmured as he kissed the top of her head. Kitsune barely mumbled a response as her eyes closed.

Looking down at the two beautiful women in his embrace Keitaro couldn't help but grin. He was glad he remembered how to do this technique. He couldn't count how many times he'd managed to avoid arguments with his wives by using this technique to placate them for the night. Drawing the covers up over their nude bodies Keitaro let out a sigh as he wrapped his arms around their waists and pulled them closer to him and reflected on his long life. It wasn't often he did so and he quickly came to the conclusion that he could scarcely think of a better sensation than being sandwiched between these two beauties. Nuzzling into their hair with a content smile on his face Keitaro squeezed their hips and closed his eyes.

-X-X-X-X-

The Next Day

"Thank you all for your hospitality." Tsuruko smiled as she bowed to the assembled residents.

"Think nothing of it Tsu-chan." Keitaro grinned at her. "You're always welcome to come visit." He assured her.

"So long as it's not too often." Kitsune grumbled. This morning when they had woken up both women were still in a state of euphoria caused by Keitaro's Ki permeating through their bodies and had both told Keitaro that that was the best night's sleep either of them have ever had. Keitaro; who had and still was keeping a hand upon their bodies to keep doping them with his positive Ki had replied in kind and received a kiss from both of them. They had even shared a bath together in the private tub with both woman constantly nuzzling into him and placing gently kisses to his neck, chest and lips. Once they had stepped out of the bath and donned robes yet again Keitaro had reluctantly said that he would have to leave them and let them get dressed. Both girls protested and pressed their bodies against his in an attempt to get him to change his mind. Giving them a kiss and their rears a squeeze Keitaro turned them down again before retreating down the hall. The two women had blissfully watched Keitaro disappear from sight only to blink and look at each other once they were free from Keitaro's influence. Remembering their grievances the pair had yelled "Keitaro!" before chasing after him. After that Kitsune had been making thinly veiled digs at the elder Aoyama which Tsuruko received with feigned ignorance. During breakfast Tsuruko had announced her intent to leave after the meal and so they all assembled out front to see her off.

Smiling at the still peeved Kitsune Tsuruko replied "Do not worry Kitsune-san, I won't outstay my welcome." She assured her. "Although; as long as Taro-kun is willing to have me I shall be honoured to accept his... hospitality." She purred and wetted her lips with her tongue, clearly annoying the fox lady. Turning to the man in question she said "Taro-kun, would you and Motoko-han be so kind as to escort me downstairs?" she asked sweetly.

"I'd be honoured." He bowed his head before extending an arm for her. As she laced her arm though his Tsuruko pressed herself into his side and gave Kitsune a sly look before they started their decent.

As the three made their way down the long flight of stairs Motoko hung back slightly so she could frown at how Keitaro was pawing over her sister and was even more agitated by how her sister was acting towards him. Pulled out of her reverie by someone calling her name Motoko blinked and said "Pardon?"

"I said we were discussing your training." Tsuruko said sternly.

"What about it?" Motoko frowned.

"That you need a tutor if you are to advance." Tsuruko said as she smiled innocently at her sister.

Motoko's heart leapt up into her throat. "Are you intending to tutor me?" she asked nervously.

"Not at all." Tsuruko laughed lightly "I have to take care of the dojo and the students so I can't stay here and teach you."

Motoko let out a relieved sigh before asking "Then who did you have in mind?"

"Taro-kun of course." She grinned.

"Him!" Motoko cried shrilly. "Why him?"

"Why not?" she asked "He is very proficient in both armed and unarmed combat and he lives in the same building as you. I cannot think a more suitable candidate."

"Don't worry Moto-chan." Keitaro grinned at her "I think you'll find me a very patient and understanding teacher."

"And I shall visit you once a month to check up on you to make sure Taro-kun has not taught you anything too inappropriate." She smiled. "You don't have a problem with this do you Motoko-han?"

Seeing that the decision had already been made for her Motoko bowed her head and said "Of course not."

"Good." She smiled at her sister as they reached the bottom of the stairs. Turning to the man Tsuruko wrapped her arms around his neck and lightly pressed her lips against his. "Please take good care of Motoko-han for me."

"Of course I will." He smiled as his hands slipped down to cup and squeeze her rear.

Giving him one last kiss Tsuruko left his embrace and walked over to Motoko and hugged her sister tightly. "Goodbye Motoko-han." Tsuruko murmured as she nuzzled into her hair.

"Goodbye Sister." Motoko replied as she returned her sisters hug.

Breaking the hug Tsuruko smiled at her sister and said "Remember, Taro-kun is your instructor now. I will be very displeased if I hear that you have not been listening to his instructions." She warned her sister.

"Y-Yes Sister." Motoko said meekly.

"Good." She smiled and kissed her cheek. "I'll see you in a month to check on your progress." She said as she brushed the hair out of Motoko's hair before walking away.

As Motoko watched her sister depart the hairs on the back of her neck stood on end. Turning around Motoko shivered as she saw the grin on Keitaro's face. "U-Urashima-san?"

"Fu fu fu, Motoko-chan." Keitaro laughed evilly. "I think we should start your new training regime immediately."

"er..." Motoko backed away from him.

Not taking no for an answer Keitaro grabbed the back of her collar and dragged her up the stairs "Come along now Moto-chan." Keitaro grinned as he ignored her protests "I've still got to calm Kitsune down after this so hurry up!" he laughed as she tried unsuccessfully to escape.

Omake Theatre - Motoko's Training

Dragging her onto the laundry deck Keitaro deposited the squirming kendo girl onto the wooden planks. "You didn't have to drag me all the way up here!" she yelled at him.

"You wouldn't have come otherwise." Keitaro grinned at her. "Now, are you ready to begin?" he asked.

"I suppose." She grumbled as she stood up and dusted herself off.

"Really? You don't look ready." He said.

Motoko frowned as she looked down at her normal attire before looking back up at him; her eyes widening as she saw him holding up the yellow bikini he had brought her at the swimming pool. "No! I am not wearing that!" she yelled at him.

Frowning at her Keitaro said "Fine. You can wear this then." He told her as he held up the fundoshi that Kanako had worn.

"I will do no such thing!" she cried.

Frowning at her Keitaro said "Alright then. I'm sure Tsu-chan hasn't gotten on the train to Kyoto yet. I'm sure if I hurry I can catch up to her." He said as he started to move to the stairs.

"Wait!" Motoko cried out "I-I'll wear the bikini." She said meekly.

"Good." Keitaro grinned as he handed her the outfit. As she took the skimpy swimsuit Motoko started towards the stairs "Where are you going Moto-chan?" he asked

"To get changed." She said.

"I already told I have other things to do today." He said "Just change here."

Motoko looked at him aghast but when she saw him raise an eyebrow and start towards the stairs again she cried out "Could you at least turn around!"

"I suppose so." He said as he turned on his heels to look away from her.

Seeing that that he was no longer looking at her Motoko reluctantly took off her clothes; starting with her Gi she slipped it off her shoulders and folded it before placing it on the floor. Checking to make sure he was still turned away Motoko unwrapped her chest bindings and quickly slipped on the bikini top. Looking to make sure he didn't peek at her Motoko saw that he was still facing the opposite direction and so quickly slid her Hakama down her long toned legs with her panties following. Quickly stepping into the G-String style bikini bottoms Motoko snapped her head around to see Keitaro holding up his glasses to watch her in the reflections of his lenses. "What are you doing!" she yelled at him.

"Just cleaning my glasses." He smiled and turned around. "You look very pretty."

Motoko blushed deeply as she covered as good as nude body with her hands. "Why do I have to wear this?" she cried.

"You spied on Kana-chans training." He said as he picked up a paintbrush. "We will be doing the same as that." He explained as he tossed a bokken at her. Crossing her legs to hide herself from his sight Motoko clumsily caught the wooden blade while she kept her breasts covered with her free arm.

"How do you expect me to fight like this?" she asked.

"I don't." He said simply as he dashed forward and swept her legs out from under her and pushed her over.

Landing awkwardly, Motoko was sprawled out on the floor as she glared up at the man standing above her with an amused smile on his face. "That was unfair!" she cried. "We hadn't started yet." She protested.

"An enemy won't wait for a referee to start a fight he will take the initiative and strike first." He said sternly "If you can't defend against the first strike then you're dead." He scolded her. "Now, fix your top and stand up." He ordered her.

Looking down at chest Motoko's eyes went wide as she saw that her bikini top was askew revealing one of her pink nipples. Blushing deeply Motoko quickly repositioned the small patch of material to cover the stiff nub before glaring up at him. "You won't strike me down with a stern look Motoko-chan. Pick up your sword and face me." He ordered her as he turned and walked away from her.

Her eyes burning with rage Motoko gripped her bokken and charged towards him. Keitaro never turned but simply sidestepped the attack and as she sailed past swung up the handle of his paintbrush so that it caught on the straps of bikini top, pulling the knot apart causing the skimpy material to fall from her chest to the floor. Realising that she was topless Motoko dropped her weapon and fell to her knees with her arms crossed to cover her breasts. Feeling a wet dab hit her shoulder Motoko looked up to see Keitaro standing above her "Dead." He stated as he withdrew the brush.

Glaring at him she asked "How am I meant to fight with these...these bouncing around?" Motoko cried. "Can't I at least wear my chest bindings?" she asked.

"If you must." He sighed. Nodding her thanks Motoko left her top where it was and moved towards her clothes. Knowing it would be pushing her luck to ask him to turn again Motoko kept her back turned to him as she wrapped the bandages around her chest. Once it was secure Motoko stood up again with sword in hand. "Ready now?" he asked.

Before she answered Keitaro disappeared only to appear directly in front of her; his paintbrush slashing downwards to tear through her bindings while his foot tripped her over again. Falling to the floor Motoko quickly covered her breasts with her hands. "Why did you do that?" she cried.

"Because I could." He said simply. "What will you do now Motoko-chan? Will you fight unbound?" he asked.

"How can I with these getting in the way?" she yelled.

"Then that is your deficiency." He scolded her. "If an opponent attacks you while you aren't bound will you politely ask him to wait while you do so?" he frowned at her. "Fundamentally, binding your chest is the wrong approach to your problem."

"How so?" she snapped at him.

"You are trying to avoid your problem rather than compensating for it." He scolded her "You bind your breasts so they won't get in your way. Instead you should improve your skills until it doesn't matter if you are bound or not. That way you can fight regardless of the situation. Take right now for example." He smiled. "As you are you could fight unbound or surrender since you have no other bindings."

"I have more in my room." She pointed out.

"And if you go get them I will hide every item of your clothing except the bikini I brought you." He threatened.

"You wouldn't." She replied.

Keitaro grinned in response. "You are more than welcome to find out for yourself." He said.

Motoko stared at him for a moment before saying "May I at least put the top back on?"

"I suppose." He smiled. Once she had tied her top up again Motoko stood with bokken in hand. Even though she was clearly uncomfortable Keitaro smiled approvingly at her "Good girl. Now you may attack me." Charging forward Motoko swung at his head only for him to trip her up again and make her fall flat on her face. "You're too self-conscious." He scolded her. "You hesitate with every movement and that lets me predict your attacks."

"You would be self-conscious too if you were wearing this!" she yelled at him as she pushed herself up. Feeling something on her butt Motoko looked down at her rear and her eyes went wide as she saw Keitaro had written his name in red paint on her left buttock. "What did you do that for?" she cried as she reached down to wipe away the words only for Keitaro to rap her knuckles.

"You are not to remove the paint until we are done." He told her. "How else are we to determine how many times you die?" he asked sweetly.

"Fine." She frowned as she stood up. Charging towards him again Motoko swung the wooden sword down only for him to yet again slip around behind her and undo her bikini again leaving her topless. Dropping her sword again Motoko covered her breasts with her hands.

Feeling the wet tip of the brush press against her neck she heard Keitaro say "Dead."

Batting the brush away she yelled "Must you keep doing that!"

"Why should I stop?" he asked "Whenever I do you drop your sword and make an easy target. As your enemy I would naturally take advantage of any weakness and use it against you. Perhaps if you didn't drop your sword every time I wouldn't do it."

"How do you expect me to fight topless!" she asked.

"I don't." He said as he swiped at her with his brush again; drawing a red line around her arm. "That is why I did it. If you won't fight back it's all the easier to defeat you. However if you expect to defeat me you can't be so bashful."

"What kind of fighter strips his female opponents?" she snapped.

"Zorro does." He said simply with a smile. "Now are you just going to stand there or are you fight?" he taunted. Glaring hatefully at the man Motoko replaced her top and picked up her sword before charging at him yet again.

-X-X-X-X-

An hour Later

Stepping into her guard Keitaro slashed at her thigh before slipping away before she could counter. "That would have cut your femoral artery." He scolded her as he dodged yet another blow from her. "Not only would it cripple you but it'd bleed so much you'd be dead soon." He said. "Be more aware of her vital spots."

Grunting her acknowledgment of his criticism Motoko dashed forward slashing at him again. Her body was drenched in sweat and covered in red paint from the multiple hits Keitaro had scored against her. Her large breasts were bare and unrestrained; the desire to hit him overwhelmed her embarrassment and sense of modesty after the third time he had stripped her. After that she hadn't even bothered to retrieve her bikini top and had fought on topless.

Dodging another attack Keitaro painted the back of her knee and said "It's time we end this Moto-chan. You may try one more time to hit me." He told her.

Determined to strike him at least once Motoko charged forward for the final time. Slashing upwards Motoko watched as Keitaro narrowly avoided sword and slid forward, his hand extended and his fingers catching on the bow that held her bottoms together. As the last of her revealing clothes fell from her body Motoko spun on her heel and swung her sword around aimed at his midsection. Smiling at her Keitaro knocked the wooden sword to the side and lunged forward; his foot slipping behind hers to trip her over as his brush painted a red line from her groin to her chin.

Panting hard Motoko looked up at him grinning widely at her. "Very good Motoko-chan. You've gotten a lot better over the last hour." Despite herself Motoko smiled as pride blossomed in her chest. Moving away from her Keitaro said "Stand up Motoko-chan and we'll see how you've done."

Doing as she was told Motoko stood up and waited for her tutor to examine her. Looking her up and down Keitaro's grin widened at what he saw "You should be proud of yourself Motoko-chan. You've come a long way in such a short time since we started."

Motoko blushed slightly "Thank you." She smiled.

"To think that the Motoko-chan who was so bashful about wearing a bikini is now standing in front of me naked." He laughed. Blinking at this Motoko looked down at herself and blushed deeply. She had been so focused on striking him she never realised that she had been stripped completely naked. As she started to cross her legs and fold her arms across her chest Keitaro called out "Keep your arms at your sides and stand up straight." In a tone of voice that brokered no arguments. As she did as she was told Keitaro said "Stay like that while I examine you." Reluctantly doing as she was told Motoko shivered as she watched him slowly approach and cup her chin. "I'll start at the top and work my way down." he told her.

Looking into her eyes Keitaro smiled at her. During the course of their fight Keitaro had managed to draw on her face. He had painted a handlebar moustache on her upper lip and a goatee on her along with a pair of glasses. "I don't have to tell you what would happen if I was using a real blade do I?"

"No." She mumbled and looked away.

Sliding his hand down from her chin Keitaro lightly tickled her throat "The same goes for here." He smiled at her "How many times did I hit you here?" he asked her.

"Twenty-five." She mumbled as she tried to stop herself from cracking a smile at his tickling.

"And how many times would you have died?" he asked.

"Twenty-five." She reluctantly admitted.

"That's right." He nodded. "You have to be aware of your vital spots." He scolded her before slipping around her back and brushing her hair out of the way to reveal a splash of paint on the nape of her neck. "Here for example." He said as he lightly scratched the paint. "Do you know what would have happened if I cut you here?" he asked.

"I would have been paralysed." She shivered at the touch of his finger.

"That's right." He nodded "The throat is one of the most venerable areas of the body. If you're cut in the front then not only will you bleed out but you wouldn't be able to breathe. And in the back you will be paralysed and at the mercy of your enemy." He blew into her ear, making her gasp and shiver.

Sliding his hands down her chest Keitaro cupped her heavy breasts and gently squeezed the large mounds. "W-What are you doing?" she cried as her face turned bright red.

"I'm checking to see how muscular you are." He lied with as grin. "I need to know so I can tell how many of my attacks would have pierced your heart." He whispered into her ear.

"I...I see." She gasped and shivered as he gently pinched her stiff nipples. "A-And?"

"I'm afraid to say that a blade would have cut right into your heart." He reported as he rolled her nipple between his thumb and forefinger. "You'll either need to get better at dodging attacks or make your breasts bigger." He said as he extended his tongue to tickle her ear, enjoying the way she squirmed at the contact.

Removing one hand from her breast Keitaro slid it down the centre of her chest "The same here." He said as his fingers traced along the red paint. "You wouldn't last long if a sword cut you along here." He assured her. As he was stroking her smooth stomach Motoko let out soft mews as he breathed into her ear. Keitaro was glad that Tsuruko had told him how sensitive Motoko's ears were and made a note to show his appreciation the next time she visited. "You have to be much more careful when you fight." He told her.

Sliding his fingers lower to gently run his fingers through her fine pubic hair made the kendo girl gasp and roll her head back slightly to rest on his shoulder. Her eyes going wide as she felt his fingers trail even lower Motoko's eyes went wide as she moaned out "U-Urashima..."

At the last possible second Keitaro diverted his fingers to slide down her thigh "This is another vulnerable spot." He lectured into her ear as he stroked her soft leg. "I've already told you what would happen if you got cut here haven't I?" he grinned as he slid his other hand down to caress her other strong thigh. "mmm, you have really soft skin Motoko-chan." He whispered into her ear to make her shudder.

Reaching down lower Keitaro grasped her behind the knee and lifted her leg up. "You also have to protect your joints." He said as he tickled her behind the knee making her squirm against him. "If your opponent hits you here you'll be disabled and at their mercy." He warned her.

"U-Urashima-san..." she gasped as she leaned against him.

"Urashima-sensei if you don't mind." He scolded her. "We're still training so you will treat me with the proper respect." he told her sternly as he continued to stroke her thigh, bringing his hand teasingly close to the apex of her legs only to move it away.

"Urashima-sensei..." Motoko purred.

"There's back here too." He smiled as he slid his hand that was holding up her knee up to squeeze her soft rear. "You have to be careful when you get hit here." He told her as he looked down at the smiley face he had drawn on the opposite cheek of where he signed his name. "Because it's so fleshy you won't have to worry about anything permanent but you wouldn't be able to sit down for a while." He said as he nibbled in her earlobe.

Letting out a sharp gasp Motoko shuddered as she murmured "Urashima-sensei..." before her knees gave out and she collapsed against him.

Wrapping his arms around her waist Keitaro gently lowered her to the floor with a smile. Sliding his hands up to once again cup her large breasts Keitaro massaged the soft mounds Keitaro said "You did good today Motoko-chan." He smiled and kissed her cheek "You can get dressed now."

"mmm?" Motoko wondered in a daze.

"I said you can get dressed now." He breathed into her ear as he gently tugged at her nipples.

"T-Thank you." She murmured as she stood up and made her way over to her clothes and started to put them on, either not noticing or not caring that Keitaro was watching her do so. Once she had finished Motoko felt a pair of arms wrap around her waist and a chin rest on her shoulder. "Urashima-sensei?"

Grinning at her Keitaro gave her a squeeze and said "You did very well for your first training session. Your sister will be very proud of you." He assured her with a smile.

"Thank you." She smiled with a slight blush.

"Don't worry about it." He grinned and blew into her ear to make her shudder before releasing her. "You should go get into the springs."

"Why?" she asked still in a daze.

"Because when we train again tonight I don't want to get the new paint mixed up with the old." He grinned.

"Tonight?" she gave him a confused look.

"That's right." He said with a wide smile. "We shall be training at least twice a day, once before breakfast and once after dinner."

Motoko paled as she slowly gathered her wits and a thought occurred to her "Will I have to wear that... that bikini again?"

"Of course not." He smiled reassuringly at her. "You don't have to wear it if you don't want to." As she let out a sigh Keitaro continued "You are more than welcome to wear the fundoshi or nothing at all if you so wish." He grinned.

"What!" Motoko cried.

"In order to do my training you must wear the proper attire." He said sternly. "Or do I have to call your sister and tell her you have been misbehaving?" he asked.

Backed into a corner Motoko reluctantly said "I shall wear the bikini."

"Good." He smiled. "You shall come here wearing your bikini and we shall train until I decide that you have had enough." He told her "Aren't you lucky to have a teacher like me?"

"Yes..." Motoko reluctantly spat out.

"And since you've been such a good girl I'll allow you one free attack." He told her as he held his arms out wide.

Motoko blinked at him. "What do you mean?"

"I mean you may attack me once and I won't counter-attack." He offered.

Motoko thought about it for less than a second before picking up her bokken and charged towards him again. Just as she reached him Keitaro sidestepped out of the way at the last minute. With her target not where he was supposed to be Motoko's swing hit empty air and unbalanced her, making her fall face first onto the floor with a loud thump. Pushing herself up onto her knees Motoko glared at him and said "You moved!"

"That's very astute of you Motoko-chan." Keitaro smiled.

"Why did you move!" she yelled.

"You were about to hit me." He said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "Why wouldn't I would move out of the way."

"Because you said you wouldn't!" she cried indignantly.

"No, I said I wouldn't counter attack. Dodging is not counter-attacking." He pointed out. "If you weren't so eager to hit me you'd have realised that." He scolded her as he slipped his hands into his pockets before walking towards the stairs. "Now if you'll excuse me I have to go appease Kitsune." He said as he pulled something white out of his pocket and started to spin it around his finger while whistling tunelessly as he went.

Narrowing her eyes at what he was spinning around Motoko blinked before slipping her hand under the waistband of her Hakama. He eyes going wide and her face lighting up in a deep blush Motoko stood up and yelled "Urashima! Give That Back!" before chasing after him.

Authors Note

Just a little over a month and I was able to knock out 28,476 words. I hope this was fast enough and that you enjoyed the limey goodness Tsuruko brought to this chapter. I also hope I was able to describe the fight scene well enough to get across how I pictured it in my head. Anyway, with a great deal of his past revealed this chapter should answer most questions that you might have such as his relationship with the Aoyama's, who Shinobu reminds him of and why he hates rapists so much (Beyond the obvious reasons).

As for the historical accuracy I used quite a lot of artistic license in the events though most of the information regarding Tokagawa is somewhat factual (As far as Wikipedia is a valid source). The Shimabara Rebellion did happen though it's my understanding that it ended differently than how I wrote and I included it simply because I needed a name for a rebellion and liked the sound of it.

As has often been pointed out to me my skills in grammar and spelling leave a lot to be desired and I have no doubt this chapter will by much the same so I'll apologise right now. If there's anything really wrong that disrupts the flow of the story it's because some parts were written at 2 in the morning and but that time my spelling and typing skills have decreased dramatically and so please tell me and I'll correct it.

Thanks for reading and please leave a review to tell me your thoughts.

Plans for the next chapter: Everyone's favourite Turtle Girl makes her grand entrance.

Reviews

To Thowell3, Kail, HotelKatz, Bagget00,Sailor Enlil and everyone else who reviewed I'm glad you liked it.

To Sailor Enlil i'm afraid you're just going to have to wait to find out the answer.

To t-88 I only spell her name Shinomu when Su speaks. it's just one of her many mannerisms (I think she calls her that in the manga as well on occasion).