A/N: This is my fourth Love Hina story I've actually started typing. This is due to the fact that I have so many ideas for Love Hina stories and I didn't know which one I wanted to do first. In truth, there is a lot I want to discuss with the Love Hina fanbase here on fanfiction but I've been planning out how to do that and have fun at the same time. Hence, I won't go into too much detail here in this author's note.
Instead, I will give fair warning about this story. It will be a harem consisting of Motoko, Su, and Shinobu with Keitaro. Seeing as I have not planned too far into this story, I'm not sure if I will include any of the other girls. There will be slight bashing and redemption for all characters, including Naru. There will be lots of AU stuff, taboo things, and pretty offensive things as well, but that's a general warning for all of my stories. I will try to limit the use of OC's and characters from other series, but I can already tell that's going to be easier said than done. Other than that, let me know what you think of this short intro.
P.S. It's actually been a few years since I've read the actual Love Hina, so a lot of my knowledge is based off of fandom. Just let me know sometimes what really happened and I'll try to incorporate it if it fits with the story.
Chapter 1: Blackest Night
"It's been so long..."
The melancholic voice whispered into the whipping winds of the grounds before her. Staring up at what appeared to be a dilapidated old building upon a hill, many steps almost in the same ruin before her.
"Even after all these years it's still standing. Whatever magic this place held is holding together for just a while longer."
This voice wasn't as old as the other, but it was just as sad. The two women stood side by side as they gazed up at their previous home, the once infamous Hinata Sou.
"Can you believe it's been nearly twenty years?" The younger of the two women with shoulder length navy hair asked, a wistful sigh escaping her lips. "It seems just like yesterday we were all sitting in the hot springs and enjoying each others company."
The older woman smiled and shook her head, her long dark tresses almost reaching the calves of her legs. "Unfortunately, becoming clan head has left me very little time to reminisce, so this feels just like the twenty years that have indeed passed."
"Shin-chan, Mo-chan! You're finally here!" A third voice made itself known from a bit ways off to their right. Another building, not as old looking as the old dorm itself, was nestled between a few overgrown trees, almost out of sight. Waving to the two women was a darker skinned girl with bleached sand colored hair. The two women couldn't help but sweatdrop at the women as she looked no older than twenty.
"Time has been very good to you Su-chan." Motoko spoke as she approached her long time friend.
"You're one to talk miss vogue model!" Su called as she took in the samurai. Over the years, Motoko had become a beauty unlike any other. Her long straight hair was done in curls and as mentioned before, fell down to her legs. She had grown even more beautiful than her older sister had ever been. Wearing a red silk blouse that showed just a bit of cleavage and a black dress skirt with dark red stockings, the woman was literally a dame to kill for.
"Are you the only one here?" Shinobu asked, still a bit in awe at how little her friend had seemed to change. Shinobu herself was happy to have finally grown, albeit, it wasn't as much as she would have liked. Her hips filled out nicely but her chest never escaped a modest B-cup much to her chagrin. On top of that, she never passed the 5'3 mark either. Most people, however, would tell the girl that not only did she have a sexy charm of an adult, but an innocent cuteness that one could only get with a stature like hers. She was the perfect cosplay model for some, and the sexy little sempai to others. A forbidden fruit that wasn't so forbidden.
Su herself looked like her own sister Amalla, but with a brighter smile, and slight younger air about her. Both Motoko and Shinobu could probably guess Su was augmenting her own growth. "Yeah, I only got her a few minutes ago myself. I wasn't sure if we were supposed to meet in the Tea Shop or go straight up."
"Well I think it best to wait here for the others." Motoko inclined, gazing up at the old building once more. A sharp wind made all three girls cringe. Dark clouds were starting to move in overhead as well. The trio decided it best to await the arrival of the others from inside the tea house.
With no electricity, Su had set up a few candles, giving the small place an almost creepy glow. It also seemed as if she had cleaned up a bit. A few tables were pushed together and dusted off; a welcoming gesture from the island girl. After they had all gotten comfortable, an uneasy silence filled the room. The only sound heard for a moment was the ever growing wind and the faint sound of drizzle beginning to start. Shinobu would be the first to break the silence.
"Does anyone know why Haruka-san would have called? As far as I knew, she was with Seta and Sarah in America, right?"
Motoko raised an eyebrow. "You received a call? I only received a letter." She pulled a small slip of coffee stained paper from her bag. Shinobu shook her head.
"I received a letter as well. Just a slip in words, I'm sorry." She also pulled out an almost identical slip of paper. Su already had hers out and waving between two fingers.
"Meet at the Hinata in ten days, at ten to ten." Su read off what was on everyone's slips of parchment. "I analyzed the writing and it's definitely Haruka."
A loud boom of thunder made all three women jump. Almost as if on cue, all the candles went out, plunging the room into darkness.
"I'm glad you three could make it." The gravely voice that echoed in the blackness sent a chill down the women's spines, yet, the familiarity of it kept them just before the brink of panic.
"H-Haruka-san? What is the meaning of this?" Motoko stammered out, feeling just a bit annoyed that she had grown out of the habit of carrying her sword with her everywhere.
A single candle flickered to life on the table that the trio sat at. Startling them once more, Haruka seemed to have appeared out of nowhere sitting between Shinobu and Motoko. A cigarette graced her lips just like all those years ago, but the most uncanny thing about her was the way she seemed to not have aged. Literally, looking at the woman was like looking at a picture brought to life from twenty years prior.
The weight and aura the woman put off was none like they had felt before, however. The Haruka before them felt cold.
"Well, it's been a while. Don't look so thrilled to see me." Haruka joked to ease the tension a bit. It worked slightly, the fearful looks in the faces of the younger trio seeming to fall just a bit.
"What's with the dramatic entrance?" Su asked, rubbing her arms to rid herself of goosebumps.
"It's complicated...to complicated to explain right now. But, we don't have as much time as I would like to begin with, so I'll try to cut to the chase." Haruka finished the nicotine stick and flicked the bud off into the darkness somewhere. She leaned forward, resting her arms on the table. "Granny Hina is about to pass away. Even though we Urashima's are blessed with long life and good health, we are far from immortal when age finally does catch up to us. You wouldn't believe this, but Granny Hina is almost 220 years old."
The girls faces had gone from alarmed, to disbelief, to straight up confusion. "H-how is that possible?" Shinobu was the first to ask. Haruka rose an eyebrow.
"How is it possible for Su-chan to create logic defying devices? There are a lot of things in this world that don't make sense to everyone. One of those things is the magic of the Hinata-Sou itself."
"Magic of the Sou?" Motoko echoed. Haruka nodded.
"Just as you yourself Motoko, are capable of using your Ki with your family techniques, the Urashima family was blessed with the mixture of both Chi and Ki, resulting in the use of magic. The Hinata-Sou is a living entity. It is dying, and in turn, it is taking the magic from the rest of us as well. And since me, Granny Hina, and Keitaro are the only Urashima's left, once the magic goes away, so do we."
"Wait, this is just way too much to take in! Why is the Inn dying? Because no one's taking care of it?' Su was honestly baffled. She hated to admit that she believed in magic since she was a very logical (yet logic defying) person. However, she couldn't deny there must have been some type of magic at work with the Sou all those years ago. She had never discerned why Keitaro was so resilient. Simply saying it was magic irritated her, but it was still a viable answer.
"That's partially why. However, the Sou itself feeds off of the feelings of the family. Meaning, as long as we're doing good, the Sou is doing good."
Shinobu frowned. "So what's going on? Are you going through something Haruka-san?"
Once again, Haruka shook her head. "No. I've been happy with Seta. Unfortunately I can't say the same about Keitaro and Naru."
Haruka expected to see shocked expressions, but instead looks of knowing guilt stared back at her. She narrowed her eyes.
"I'm guessing you're all privy on what's been happening?"
Motoko cleared her throat but refused to make eye contact with Haruka. "She still calls and complains about him to this very day. The most recent time being yesterday, about how he still wants children even though she feels it's too late."
"Apparently she even withholds sex from him just so he can stop bugging her about it." Su finished.
Haruka sighed. "The relationship is not healthy and as such, Keitaro is miserable with her. I don't completely blame Naru; anyone could have seen that their relationship was doomed from the start. Unfortunately, none of us did the right thing in the end...which is the other reason the Inn is dying. Granny Hina has been depressed for a while that it's her fault Keitaro and Naru ended up together and in a strained relationship. She always thought the promise and the love they would build together would make everything alright..."
"So the regret is killing her..." Motoko added with worry.
"What can we do Haruka-san?" Shinobu asked, worried about Granny Hina, but also feeling her heart clenching at the thought of Keitaro being unhappy. Even after all those years, the love she held for him hadn't diminished in the least.
"That's what I called you all here for. This is going to sound crazy, and in retrospect, it probably is. You three are the only one's I can trust, even more so than Keitaro himself. I have a plan, but it will result in you all living behind everything you have right now."
The looks of fear and apprehension let Haruka know the girls were already having second thoughts with helping. However, it was less than she expected as they soon shifted to solemn acceptance quite quickly.
"Molmol is doing fine. My younger cousin is next in line to rule anyway. I'm just a figure head as I stand right now." Su admitted.
"My restaurant took a huge hit from a food critic and we dropped from four stars to two in a month...we may end up having to shut down soon." The tears in Shinobu's eyes reminded everyone of the shy angel she used to be.
"...I am not sure I can promise you anything Haruka, until we hear what this plan of yours is." Motoko offered. The older Urashima nodded with a smirk.
"Alright. Like I said, this will sound crazy. But seeing as I'm the only Urashima left with a good amount of magic, and since the Sou is dying anyway, I'm going to kill it off for good." She held a hand up before any of the girls could protest. "I'm going to do it by using the last of the magic left in the Sou to send you three back in time. Me, Keitaro, and Granny Hina will die in the process, but as soon as you three are gone, this timeline will cease to exist anyway."
A chilling silence fell, the trio of younger women staring at Haruka with utter horror. The plan didn't sound crazy, it sounded absolutely insane. The previous chain smoker simply gazed from one face to the next, gauging what their final reactions would be.
Shinobu seemed to be calming down the fastest. Acceptance appeared soon after but also tears that let Haruka know she did not want to hurt her, even if unintentionally.
Su seemed more grim than Haruka could every remember. Her light hair shadowed her eyes but Haruka could see the sadness from the down curve of her lips. If Su did not want to go through with it, she would have backed out already.
Motoko was the on that was hardest to read. She gazed into the small flame of candle upon the table, the lights dancing within her irises. She breathed a sigh before looking into Haruka's own eyes.
"What exactly is it that you want us to do in the past? And why us three? What about Kitsune or Kanako?" Motoko did not need to ask about Naru.
"I'll only have enough power to send three people back. Mitsune, unfortunately, would be on Naru's side still. I discussed it with Granny. Her problems are something that can only be fixed by Keitaro if he's the one to tear down those walls she put up, alongside Naru. Kanako is the same way. She would end up hurting everyone else to keep Keitaro safe, in which case, Shinobu, I trust your judgment a bit more than hers. No hurting anyone for my cousin, alright?" Haruka joked again to lighten the mood and was happy to see she could still get the blunette to blush brightly. She was a little more shocked to hear her mumble 'No promises...'.
"And before you even ask, Mutsumi is almost in the same boat as Mitsune. They both treasure Naru, unfortunately more than the treasure Keitaro."
"Then what about us? I understand Shinobu since she's been in love with him since they met. But me and Su have caused nothing but trouble..."
Another blush graced Shinobu's face however, it faded as she saw the sad looks on Su and Motoko. Haruka smirked. "And that's why I choose you two. You both already regret the past so I'm not afraid of you making it repeat itself. Besides, you three work really well together. I'm sure Keitaro would appreciate that."
Now the simultaneous triple blush was a new feat that Haruka was happy she was able to pull off before the end. The stammering from all three girls just made it all the more worthwhile. Crowning achievement was the triple nosebleed that followed.
"I truly hope that is not what you are wishing to accomplish with this. I already feel bad enough that we have to keep Keitaro and Naru from being together..." Motoko half argued, but didnt' fool anyone. It was no secret how all the women felt about their ex-manager.
"I'm not above sharing." Su called. "Always wanted to have a three way with Shin-chan and Kei-kun anyway." She shrugged.
"We're getting off track!" Shinobu shouted, standing from her seat, though the blush she adorned lit up the room far greater than the candles.
Haruka nodded and stood as well. "She's right. We've already wasted too much time." The metaphorical last Urashima reached into the sleeves of her robe and pulled out what appeared to be another coffee stained parchment. It was rolled almost like a scroll however, but fit within the palm of her hand. "When you all arrive back in the past, give this to the me of that time. She'll know what's happened and she'll be able to help you all make a better future."
She handed the mini scroll to Motoko before removing a small vial of black powder from her sleeves.
"I'll only ask this once. Are you three sure you want to do this? There will be no coming back."
Shinobu and Su readily nodded and Motoko stood resolutely. It all seemed to be done on a whim and none of the women could honestly say they had thought it through clearly. Then again, the chance to save and be with the man they loved sort of overruled logic and common sense. Haruka smirked at the trio before uncorking the powder.
"Alright then. See you girls in another life." She called before pouring the black powder over the flame of the candle. A sound of thunder rattled to the tea house as the flames burned black and exploded out in every direction. Immediately, the trio of women were plunged into a warm darkness. In only moments, they felt their consciousness slip away.
A/N: If you're interested in this story, let me know. I would love it if anyone else would take this idea and do their own version of it as well. That goes for any Love Hina fic I write.