Love Hina Fan Fiction – To Protect and Serve

Chapter 1:

The small biplane screeched through the Japanese sky. The vehicle rattled loudly, its tattered wings shattering under the wind pressure. Its sputtering engine belched clouds of exhaust as it plummeted towards the ground-1200 feet below-and sheets of metal began to break off of the outer surface. The lone figure in the plane took hold of the single parachute and, without hesitating, leaped into the vast expanse below him. Floating down to the ground in safety, the man watched casually as his vehicle expelled a final gout of smoke and then exploded, raining tiny shards of metal into the air around it. In retrospect, it was a mistake to rely on Lady Hinata for transportation, he decided.

Shifting his body, the man began to angle his parachute towards the town below: the hot springs town, Hinata. The man's eyes swept over the city's upper district. They settled on a particular apartment, elevated over the surrounding buildings and nearly obscured by cherry trees. So that is the famous Hinata House…

Urashima Keitaro awoke with a start, shocked from his reverie to the cruel world of Hinata house. Things weren't going well for him lately. Not with Kitsune... or Motoko...even Su seemed to be acting coldly towards him! It was all because of what had happened with Shinobu...

Keitaro sighed. He had seriously pissed them off this time, and unlike normally it didn't seem to be getting better. Even eating with the other residents of Hinata House was dangerous. The worst part of the situation, though, was Naru. The girl was so angry that she had refused to tutor him for the next set of exams. Ever since then, Keitaro had struggled to learn the test material alone, without success. Without realizing it, he had become quite dependent on Naru's teaching. If something didn't change soon he was most likely going to fail. As he began his daily routine, the ronin began to review his situation:

It's been a week since the accident. I have to try something, at least…Shinobu doesn't blame me, but…He shook his head, clearing his mind. I need to have the courage to talk to them about it, or I'll stay this way forever! I'll go to Shinobu first…

After getting dressed, Keitaro made his way downstairs. Shinobu was studying in her room as Keitaro opened the door. She was totally absorbed in her math book, and didn't notice him. He watched her for a second, admiring how cute she looked. Then he noticed the girl's arm, a painful reminder of his mistake…and its terrible consequences. He took a deep breath, then stepped into the room.

"Shinobu?"

She looked up, initially smiling, but soon her expression grew a bit pained. "Oh…hello, Senpai," she said softly. "What do you need?"

"I just wanted to apologize again for what I did."

Shinobu turned her chair towards him, wincing as it nudged her broken limb. "It wasn't your fault, Senpai. You know that."

That wasn't entirely true. A week ago, as he helped Shinobu hang clothes on the roof of Hinata House, a particularly strong gust has pushed him into a hanging sheet. Blind and stumbling, he accidentally clipped Shinobu, making her lose her balance. The girl had dropped like a stone, bashing her arm against a ledge as she fell. Considering the height, the doctors had considered her lucky to escape with a single broken appendage, and had given her 2 months until it recovered fully. "I didn't mean to do it, but I still pushed you. What can I do to make it up to you?" It was a question he had asked many times over the past seven days.

"You don't need to do anything, Senpai. I'll get better soon, so don't worry." Her smile faded.

"But right now, I really need to study. Could you come back later?"

"W-wait, Shinobu! Maybe I could help-"

The girl shook her head. "There's really no need for that, Senpai. I understand all of this lately, so…" She gestured to the door.

As he exited, Keitaro sighed. That could have gone better…He walked down the hallway dejectedly. Oh well…I guess I'll try Motoko next. Motoko's door was open, so Keitaro stepped over the threshold and into the girl's room. Readying himself, he closed his eyes and took a deep breath, preparing to launch into a speech."Motoko, I-"

He stopped as his eyes opened, and noticed immediately that she was entirely naked. "I…uh…"

Motoko quickly grabbed a towel, and then her katana. She quivered with rage, more furious than Keitaro had ever seen her. "Urashima…no excuses. Not this time." Keitaro stood motionless, fear keeping him in place. "I'm sorry! I just wanted to-"

Motoko merely lifted her blade, a lethal gleam in her eyes. "This time, you die."

The last thing the ronin saw was a flash of light.

Several hours later, Naru opened the door, stifling a yawn. It was a beautiful day outside. She could spend her time studying and relaxing... maybe go out to eat with Mutsumi later. It was going to be a pretty good day. While she was putting her clothes on, she heard a noise from the room below. I'll bet that's Keitaro, Naru thought, readying herself to attack if he poked his head in. I guess he hasn't learned anything from the last week…

Sure enough, the wooden panel lifted up. Naru attacked, slapping the lecher across the face. There was a satisfying thump as he hit the ground in the room below, but rather than the usual clumsy apologies, there was a loud exclamation of "Damn it, Naru!" instead.

She gasped as she realized it was Kitsune she had hit. "I'm so sorry!" she said, dropping through the hole to help her friend. "I thought you were Keitaro!"

"Yeah, I got that." The older girl said irritably.

Naru smiled sheepishly at her, saying, "I'm just so used to doing it to him by now, and it's hard to stop the reflex…"

She expected her friend to smile, but instead, Kitsune looked at her seriously. "Speaking of that, I was looking for our landlord…I haven't seen him today, and I wanted to ask if you know where he is."

Naru looked down at the floor. "I don't know where that pervert is, and I don't care!"

"Look, Naru," Kitsune said tiredly,"don't you think it's time you forgave him?"

Naru brought her gaze up to Kitsune's face, looking at her angrily."He pushed Shinobu off the roof! If he can't control his clumsiness, then he needs to be taught a lesson!"

Kitsune returned her gaze evenly."Cut that out, Naru. We both know that was really just an accident…it could have happened to any of us. The only reason you guys got mad is because you were scared…Shinobu was really hurt, and I get that." The girl's eyes narrowed. "But that's no reason to punish Keitaro more than he deserves. You don't want him to fail, do you?"

Naru looked away. "I…don't care if he fails."

For the first time, Kitsune smiled. "Sure you don't."

She put her arm around Naru affectionately."But lay off him, okay? He's gone through enough…and he's really sorry."

Naru nodded slowly. "I guess I'll help him again, if he asks. Nicely. Otherwise, that idiot has no chance at all."

"Oh? You just said you didn't care if he failed-"

Blushing, Naru cut her off. "I just don't want him blaming me when he does!"

Kitsune grinned. "Sure, whatever. Wanna help me find him? I haven't seen him since last night…"

"Fine. Let's go look for him, then…"

Keitaro awoke for the second time that day a great deal less comfortably. His entire body felt numb, and he found that he was unable to move a muscle. For a while, he laid on the ground, thinking about how cruel the world was. Finally, he mustered the strength to lift his head, and looked at his surroundings, quickly coming to a conclusion. I have no idea where I am, the unlucky ronin realized. He could only discern the fact that he was in a dark alleyway, behind a large object that looked like a dumpster. Frantically, he tried to struggle to his feet, urging his legs to move. After a while he gave up. I'm sure it won't be long until someone finds me, or at least until I can move.

Sure enough, some time late, the sound of footsteps coming closer reached Keitaro's ears. Lifting his head once again, he shouted "Help me!" in the loudest voice he could manage. In answer to his plea, the footsteps drew closer. Yes, he thought. They're actually coming to help! Maybe there are nice people in the world! He was roughly pulled to his feet by a pair of burly hands. Radiating gratitude, Keitaro turned towards his savior, saying "Thank you so much, sir, I can't possibly begin to-"

The ronin stopped abruptly when he realized his "savior" was a yakuza thug. The gangster glared at him, obviously enraged."What the hell are you doing on my turf?"

Oh my god, he thought with a sense of dread. These people actually exist in Hinata?!

"I'm gonna break you into little pieces!"The thug lifted him into the air.

Keitaro sighed inwardly, resigned to his fate. I've been having the worst luck lately…

Those thoughts were abruptly cut off as he slammed into the wall. Why does this always happen to me?

Suddenly, the sounds of another pair of footsteps echoed in the dark alleyway. The yakuza ignored him, dropping Keitaro against a wall. "Run!" Keitaro yelled, trying to give a warning.

The source of the footsteps, however, drew even closer. He heard the yakuza approach it, saying "Who the hell are you?!" Then came the sounds of a quick scuffle, followed by a long groan and a thud.

After a few seconds, Keitaro was once again lifted to his feet. The ronin cringed, saying "Please don't hurt me!"

Then he noticed he wasn't being held by the yakuza. The man holding him was a Caucasian foreigner. He was of average height, but thin and muscular, with few other remarkable features. He looked like any one of the foreigners Keitaro saw on a daily basis walking through the streets of Hinata, coming to visit the hot springs.

The most distinguishing thing about the man, he decided, was the ornate western-style sword belted at his waist. A rapier, he thought it was called. "Are you all right?" asked the foreigner in flawless – if slightly accented – Japanese.

"Uh…I think so." Keitaro stammered. "But what happened to the other guy?" The foreigner turned his head slightly. Looking where he indicated, Keitaro saw the thug lying on the ground.

"He's…okay, isn't he?"

The foreigner walked to the man and nudged him with a food, eliciting another heavy groan. "Evidently".

Keitaro tried to walk to him, but found that he still couldn't move. "I will assist you."

The foreigner walked to Keitaro and offered him a shoulder. "Your body is in shock from a powerful blow." The man began walking towards the entrance of the alley, with Keitaro in tow. As they walked, he added, "Whoever hit you must be an exceptional fighter". With trepidation, Keitaro remembered Motoko's attack. Does this mean she usually holds back?

They reached the mouth of the alley, and Keitaro squinted his eyes in the early afternoon sun. "Where do you want me to take you?" The foreigner asked.

Keitaro thought for a minute, then said "Before we go somewhere, will you tell me who you are?"

The foreigner looked at him, his face unreadable. In the mid-day light, Keitaro could clearly see that the man's eyes were a light green, a color he had rarely seen before.

"It's not that I don't trust you," Keitaro said hurriedly. "I just wanted to know why you helped me."

The foreigner glanced at the ground for a second, as if in thought. Then he replied, "I had considered explaining on my own, but this should suffice." He handed Keitaro an envelope engraved with cherry blossoms. It bore only 3 words.

To My Grandson

Grandma? Keitaro thought in surprise. He opened the letter carefully and began to read it its contents.

I've been watching you, Keitaro! I've kept tabs on you since you came to Hinata House! The girls are finally coming to accept you, and it looks like you might make it into Tokyo U this time around! But you still have a long way to go. Almost every day, something dangerous happens to you! If you're not being hit by Naru, Motoko is waving around that sword of hers or Su is attacking you with some strange weapon…

I know they don't mean to hurt you, but those girls can get a bit energetic at times…I'm sure you would agree with me.

That's one way to describe it, yeah. Keitaro shook his head, thinking of the other terrifying residents of Hinata House.

So, even though I know you won't like this, I've decided to take matters into my own hands. I can't have my favorite grandson hurt; after all…you're going to inherit Hinata House someday! The bearer of this letter is formally instated as your bodyguard, to assist you in matters of personal protection and self-defense. Don't try to talk me out of it. This is for your own good, you know!

Urashima Hinata

Keitaro lowered the letter slowly, and stared into the eyes of the stranger. "You're my bodyguard?" The man matched his gaze. "Yes, I am".

Keitaro sighed and rolled his eyes. "Sometimes, Grandma can go overboard."

"It is not my place to speculate on the decision of Lady Hinata. I will execute the duties with which I have been charged to the best of my abilities."

"But…I don't think I need a bodyguard…"The man looked at Keitaro, the barest hint of a sigh escaping his lips.

"I was told you wouldn't accept it initially. I apologize, but until Lady Hinata dismisses me, I am to remain with you."

He continued. "As for my personal opinion of the value of my assignment, after reviewing the data collected by Lady Hinata and our limited personal interaction, I would say that you do, in fact, need a bodyguard."

The man paused for a moment, searching for the right words. "You are surrounded by several warriors of significant strength, who have no qualms about using physical force to intimidate or punish you. That you have lasted this long without sustaining serious injury is a testament to their self-restraint, though this morning's incident proves that they are indeed fallible. My placement here will prevent them from further damaging you."

Keitaro disengaged himself from the foreigner, finding that he was finally able to at least stand on his own. "I understand why you think I need help, but those girls are my friends. They would never really hurt me."

Probably, thought Keitaro, thinking of what had happened just a few hours earlier.

The man shrugged. "Perhaps you are correct. I am merely an observer after all, with little understanding of the true dynamic of your household." He adjusted the sword at his waist, and then looked directly at Keitaro dispassionately.

"That said, the fact that you would have no doubt been mauled by one of the local undesirables had I not lent my assistance makes those words somewhat less credible. At any rate, please direct me to your destination. I must fulfill the duties I have been hired for, regardless of whether or not they are in fact necessary."

Naru slumped in a chair in the sitting room, exhausted. They had searched everywhere in Hinata House for Keitaro without success, only to find out that Motoko had sent him flying somewhere into the surrounding city. But that was several hours ago. Usually, Keitaro could bounce back from her attacks easily, but Motoko had admitted that perhaps she had "Slightly overreacted" this time, so it was probably worse than usual.

He must have been hit hard…she thought, slightly anxious. Beside her, Kitsune flopped down on the couch. "Don't worry. That guy's been through worse…I'm sure he'll be back soon."

Naru just looked at the ceiling. "Idiot…where are you?"

A few minutes later, Keitaro and his companion approached Hinata House. Keitaro needed help to climb the steps, so his bodyguard gently lifted him up and carried him to the courtyard. This is kind of embarrassing…

Once they were there, he turned to his 'bodyguard' and said "Wait here. Let me go talk to them and explain the situation before I bring you in."

"That may be dangerous. Are they not still displeased with you?"

"I'm not going to get attacked just for walking in! Plus, they're probably wondering where I am…just let me talk to them first, okay? I promise I'll be safe."

The man considered the request. "As you wish. I will wait here…."

Thanking him, Keitaro entered Hinata House.

The man quietly surveyed his surroundings as he watched his charge enter the building. It was as magnificent as he had heard; Lady Hinata's legendary fortress and full service inn that she had created in her younger days, now converted to a girl's dormitory. This is where I shall reside for the foreseeable future…The man's mind instantly moved to the complex system of passageways that made the Inn a bodyguard's nightmare; an attack could conceivably be launched from almost any angle within the house. In addition, he didn't know if any recent renovations had been made: new construction, and thus new vulnerabilities, could have been added. He should have acquired the most recent floor plans before coming…

Then, with difficultly, he dismissed such thoughts. No. As the boy says, the girls of this house are not trained killers – with one exception – nor do they truly desire to harm him. I will merely be needed step in to prevent them from becoming overzealous, not to defend him from assassins or anyone that plans to intentionally to harm him. He relaxed, taking off his sword and going down on one knee: the position allowed him to rest his body, yet simultaneously allowed him to react to any attack almost as quickly as if he were standing.

Still, I must be vigilant. The safety of one's employer is never guaranteed…

The trained killer in question concluded her routine training on the roof of Hinata House, finishing her 4000th sword swing of that afternoon. Slightly winded, she grabbed a small towel and began to mop her brow. The house is quite peaceful without Keitaro around…I suppose I should enjoy it while I can. Naru had told her about her concerns regarding the ronin's disappearance, and she was happy to admit that it was she who had sent him flying out of Hinata House. The others seem to have forgiven him, but I refuse. His behavior goes beyond the boundaries of decency, and it is his intolerable clumsiness which inflicted such a grave injury on Shinobu. She would not forgive him until he corrected the error of his ways, so such a thing never occurred again. Truly, Urashima Keitaro was a weakling…she would be glad to have him taste her steel over and over until he grew a spine and learned to act as a man should.

As she turned to re-enter the building, she noticed something out of the corner of her eye. A strange figure was sitting in Hinata House's courtyard. A sword lay beside him, and he was surveying the building keenly, as if looking for possible entry points. A robber? The more she observed him, the more sinister his intent seemed to be. I will remove him from the premises. Such a person should not be present on the grounds of a girl's dormitory, robber or not…

As he continued watching Hinata House, the man noticed a girl in a hakama approaching. She leapt down from the roof, gracefully alighting off a ledge, and landed on the ground about 200 feet in front of him. That girl…Motoko Aoyama of the Kyoto Shinmei School, if I'm not mistaken.

She called out to him. "You there! What business do you have here?"

Not moving from his position, he responded. "I am waiting for my employer, who resides within the building."

Although it was Lady Urashima who was technically his employer, not Keitaro, professional courtesy demanded that he refer to the boy as such.

The girl looked at him skeptically. "Who is your employer, and what services do you render unto them?"

Responding honestly, he said "I am currently employed as the bodyguard of Keitaro Urashima, and was told to wait outside while he entered the inn. His purpose was to inform you and the other residents of my presence. "

The girl laughed. "That spineless worm purchased a bodyguard? How…fitting. Truly, he does needs others to fight his battles!"

The man merely watched in silence. After a time, Motoko regained her composure. She stared at the man, her gaze fixed and intense.

"Your story is highly implausible, but even if it is true, I must ask you to leave. Men, with one unfortunate exception, are not allowed here."

Resolutely, the man shook his head. "I am afraid I cannot comply with your demand. I assure you I mean no harm, but I was asked to stay here and so I must do so. My employer cannot be left unattended."

With an equal measure of resolve, the girl replied. "Then it appears neither of us can compromise." Assessing the man's strength, Motoko looked him up and down while as he sat cross-legged. Clearly, he had some idea of how to handle a sword – she could tell from the way he carried himself – but he had no force of presence whatsoever. This will be a simple matter. Motoko put her hand over her katana threateningly. "Leave now, or taste my blade…"

The man sighed. Already, he had managed to antagonize one of the residents, and he had been here not even 10 minutes…"There is no need for violence…I promise not to move from this spot until Keitaro arrives to confirm my story."

Motoko ignored him, gripping her katana with both hands and raising it into a fighting position. "Remove yourself, or prepare for serious injury."

The man remained immobile, but he was unable to hide the tension that crept into his seemingly relaxed posture. Motoko smirked. "Then face the consequences of your inaction!" She brought her sword down with incredible force. "Zantetsusen!"

The attack was executed perfectly. Upon completion of her swing, a blade of air strong enough to cut steel moved through the air between her and her opponent, almost faster than the eye could see…and missed him by inches, destroying a tree behind him. The man was untouched, and merely looked at her.

Undeterred, Motoko launched another air blade. Again, it missed by a tiny margin, ruffling the man's hair as it passed. He calmly swept it back into place. Motoko grunted in slight irritation, then began to launch the attacks in quick succession. Each time, she believed the attack would land, and each time, she was disappointed. Zantetsusen was not a particularly easy technique, but it was a fundamental of the Shinmei School that had been taught to her by her sister at the age of 6. Surely, even if her accuracy was not pinpoint, she should have landed a hit by now…

Then she realized. He's diverting my attacks. The man, through some unknown ability or action, was moving the air blades off course just enough so that they would miss him…and was doing so without making any visible motion. Despite realizing that such a feat would take incredible skill, and that as such the man's level of power was far beyond her original assessment, Motoko grinned. She pointed her katana directly at him. "I challenge you to a duel, as a fellow swordsman!"

Across the courtyard, the man heard the girl's request and sighed. He was still for a second, then got up reluctantly. This was not going to make his transition any easier, but he could not refuse such a challenge in good conscience. Surely they would understand…"I accept."

He unsheathed his sword and titled his body, entering his fighting stance. The two stared at each other for what seemed like an eternity, attempting to find holes in each other's guards. There were none: both were skilled enough to realize that any relaxation could prove fatal, and both were skilled enough to defend against the other's initial assault.

She is a fine fighter, he thought. Perhaps not up to my level, but dangerous nevertheless. How might I proceed?

He's good…I can see no openings. I may lose, she thought, the very notion filling her with a strange excitement. To fight someone stronger than her was a rare and valuable experience.

Then, behind Motoko, Keitaro finally re-entered the courtyard. "Um, you can come in now. I talked to them, and – wait…what are you two do- "

Motoko's eyes flashed, seeing her opponent was slightly distracted by the fool's appearance. She leapt at the man, immediately resorting to one of her strongest techniques. "Raimeiken!" She raised her sword above her head as the blade crackled with the electric energy of her ki, then slammed it down, aiming towards the ground near his feet. That would be enough to buffet him with enough lightning to render him unconscious, no matter who he was.

At that instant, the man lunged. His movement was so fast and precise that as Motoko saw it, she could only imagine it as an arrow in flight. The courtyard exploded in a flash of lightning, the sound of thunder shaking the surroundings. Keitaro took cover, and the residents of Hinata House, standing in the lobby, all ran out to see what had happened. In the center of the courtyard stood the man, his sword still drawn. On the ground beneath him was Motoko, her hakama battered and dirty. Everyone was still for a second, the scene inspiring awe in all of them. Keitaro was the first to move. "Motoko, are you all right?" He was followed by the rest of them, until Naru, Kitsune, Shinobu and Su all stood in the courtyard, staring at the man.

"Who are you?!" asked Naru, angrily.

The man opened his mouth to explain, but Keitaro cut him off. "I should explain this". Taking a deep breath and preparing himself for what he was about to say, Keitaro paused. The expectant stares of everyone in the courtyard bored into him like a drill, his new protector included. Well, even though I said that, I guess there's no easy way to do this…

"Um…he's my bodyguard."

The courtyard erupted into shouting, the residents all wanting to have their voice heard, as cries of "What? A bodyguard?!" and "He beat Motoko?!" echoed through the clearing.

Through it all, the man sighed.