Disclaimer : I don't own Fate / Stay Night nor the characters therein, they are the property of Type-Moon. Love Hina and the characters within are the creation of Ken Akamatsu, and are the property of their respective rights holders. This piece of fiction is written purely for enjoyment, not for any profit. This fic was inspired by The Continuation of My Dream written by crimson-rkngel . com. Anything unoriginal written is from any of the three sources listed above.
The Continuation of My Dream
A seemingly normal young man does his best to fulfill his childhood promise, but little does he know, another part of his past is yet to be finished with him.
Author's Note : I realized that this is the first chapter, but I feel that this needs to be clarified before I do anything else. This is based on the prologue and first chapter of a fic by the same name as I mentioned in the disclaimer, therefore the first two chapters or more may be similar to that of what he wrote. I attempted to get his permission via e-mail first, but got no response, possibly because he's no longer using it, as he hasn't updated his profile or his fics for nearly a year. From what I read in his author notes, I assumed that he wouldn't mind if others would follow his example to create crossovers such as his, so I'm boldly asking for his permission here and his forgiveness as well if he doesn't approve, but I feel that it must be written, as he more or less left the fic hanging, much to my disappointment.
With that said, this IS a Fate / Stay Night X Love Hina crossover, but slightly different from his. Unlike him, I have watched and read Love Hina rather thoroughly, so I will try to be more in-depth. My fic will also take a different course from his, since from what I read, all the girls from the Fate cast were dead but Ilya in his tale, where as I plan to keep them all alive, with the exception of Saber, who did die in the canon Fate scenario. After the first two chapters or so, it'll be pretty much all me taking it from there, making things up as I go along. I think I'm done babbling now. Please read and review, thanks!
Chapter 1 : Strange Behavior? A Young Man's Faithful Heart
'I've never forgotten about you, and I never will…'
'Your strength, your will, your dedication to honor and pride… these are things that I'll never forget…'
'That's also the reason, why I can't let go, the reason I am still unable to move forward…'
'I've chosen to go in the other direction, to another memory as a means of escape, from all the pain that I continue to feel, even now…'
'Will you hate me for thinking for just a moment to change my mind about that decision all those years ago?'
'All of what we've been through together seems like a dream to me now, a dream that I wish I never woke up from…'
'Will you forgive me for wishing to see you one last time… Saber?'
The kanrinrin (manager) of the Hinata So (Hinata House) woke up early that day, even earlier than a certain resident swordswoman. The moment he opened his eyes, he immediately willed his body to move, ignoring the body's call for another five minutes of rest. His movements were swift and focused, unlike the Urashima Keitaro the tenants of the Hinata So knew. And it was true… It wasn't Urashima Keitaro who woke up that one particular morning. For today, Urashima Keitaro never existed, and only today.
He changed into a pair of sweatpants and a plain white shirt, then began the intensive morning exercise he once did every morning before he moved to the Hinata So. He started with the physical aspect of the exercise, stretching his muscles before moving on to push-ups and sit-ups. After that, he moved onto the mental aspect of the workout, starting with a bit of meditation before he moved on to the part he had given up for all these years. He spread out various items in front of him : a lamp, a pen, a kettle and a poster that he had bought the day before. He slowly held out his hand in front of him as though relishing and reliving the moment he had last done this with a sense of purpose.
He touched the kettle with the tips of his fingers, as a sparkle of energy appeared…
After his exercise, he set out to complete the managerial and maintenance chores for the day, going straight to the onsen (hot spring) area after he had taken the maintenance implements he needed from the supply closet. There would be no 'accidents' today. That was Urashima Keitaro's curse, not his. He only hoped that the girls would keep the Hinata So intact until he came back tonight.
Then again, the trigger they had to create said damage would be gone for the day, literally and figuratively.
They never did wonder how he managed to stay in one piece after they sent him flying across the premises, nor did they wonder how he ALWAYS managed to fix any damage they caused.
His uncharacteristic single-minded focus enabled him to finish all of the chores for the day within an hour, something that normally would take him an hour and a half at least. He emerged from the onsen area after completing maintenance on the plumbing, a task which he intentionally put off for last. He had just done a major refitting and maintenance job, and he wasn't going to let any work he had done today gone to waste.
He reached into the plumbing panel before him, touched the nearest pipe with the tips of his fingers and concentrated…
By the time he finished, he was glistening with sweat when he closed the door to the onsen. A warm shower would've been really welcome at that time, but he knew that his morning's work wasn't done just yet. Only stopping to clean his hands thoroughly, he headed straight into the kitchen.
Maehara Shinobu woke up this morning to the sounds of activity in the kitchen. She was filled with curiosity as to who would be busying themselves there. The job of culinary manager usually fell to her, as it was her expertise, something that she was proud of, as her fellow residents would always tell her, despite her shy and timid personality. To say that she was surprised to see her beloved kanrinrin preparing breakfast was like saying that the sun was warm. She didn't have time to pinch herself to check if she were dreaming, as the out-of-character man turned to her and gave her his brightest smiles. Of course, in response, Shinobu blushed beet red.
"Ohayo (Good morning) Shinobu-chan," greeted the unlikely cook.
"Ohayo sempai," She returned the greeting, suddenly finding something interesting on the floor.
"You're just the person I was looking for."
"I-I am?" Shinobu turned a deeper shade of red as she slowly approached her sempai.
"Yes, I want you to try this tofu dish I had prepared for you guys this morning." Shinobu noticed something different about her sempai as she shuffled closer to him.
'Was sempai always this fit?' She mentally asked herself as the kanrinrin's shirt clung to his body. She blushed even harder as she realized that she was gawking at him.
"Here," said the Hinata So manager, handing the young iron chef a bowl of his creation. "I want your honest opinion."
A single spoonful was enough for the young Maehara, as she felt her taste buds get sent to cloud nine. She closed her eyes and focused all of her senses on relishing the tasteful assault her sempai's dish unleashed. The texture and flavor was perfect and every ingredient harmonized with the others. This dish was something one only expected to find in the finest of five-star restaurants.
"So how was it?"
"It's very good sempai," she answered, hoping she'd get the chance to ask him later about the recipe.
"It's the favorite dish of a very dear friend of mine," he said, his lips curling into a wistful smile as he looked longingly out the window.
"I've already finished preparing breakfast," he continued, "I hope you don't mind Shinobu-chan."
"O-Of course not sempai." she replied, looking up to meet the kanrinrin's gaze.
"I'll be gone for the day Shinobu-chan, I hope you guys don't mind too much," he said before his features settled in the form of a soft smile. "The rest of the meal that I've prepared is on the counter."
Shinobu simply nodded dumbly in response. The young girl noticed something different about the way her sempai acted. It was as though he were a different person today. He was focused, calm and confident.
'Just like a hero of justice…' she thought dreamily.
"Will you help me set the table, Shinobu-chan?"
"Sure sempai."
The chore was finished quickly enough with the two of them helping each other. The Hinata So manager excused himself afterwards, much to Shinobu's dismay. She enjoyed doing the chores with her kind sempai. By the time that he was finished with his warm bath, the girls have already awakened and were already downstairs, sitting down for breakfast. He fixed his hair and quickly got dressed, wearing a white T-shirt with green sleeves and a pair of jeans. His bag was already prepared for today, which left only one more thing to secure.
His most precious possession.
He turned towards his study table, to where he always put it, only to find it gone.
After a brief moment of panic, he composed himself and thought of how it could have disappeared.
'Shinobu…'
Grabbing his bag, he headed off downstairs to find the Hinata So's resident chef AND launderer. He arrived in time to hear the girls praising the cook… or so they thought.
"What's the special occasion kiddo?" Kitsune, the resident slacker asked as she finished her meal. "Keitaro finally proposed to ya?"
"N-No…" Shinobu denied as she turned two shades of red.
Motoko, who almost went off to find and punish their perverted landlord for even considering the idea, simply chose to sit down and enjoy the food. "I agree Shinobu. This meal is simply delightful, what is the occasion?"
"Mm-hmm, this breakfast is extra-yummy Shinomu." Su, the resident mad scientist added, with food still in her mouth.
"You've outdone yourself this time Shinobu-chan," the Hinata So's premier pervert basher Naru complimented.
"Umm… I didn't prepare breakfast today, Urashima-sempai did."
"NANI? (What)"
The Hinata So manager chose this particular to enter the scene. "Shinobu-chan, have you seen the stuffed lion I usually keep on my study table?"
The heads of all those present turned to his direction. Those assembled each had their choice of either dropping their jaw to the floor or leaving their mouth agape as they saw the manager of the Hinata So. He was sans (without in French I believe) glasses, with his short hair now arranged in spikes towards the back. His shirt, while very much uncharacteristic of him, fit him so very well as did his jeans.
"Ahem…" he coughed into his fist, trying to get the stunned girls' attention. "Shinobu-chan, have you seen it?"
"Ano (Um)… hai (yes) sempai, I washed it yesterday and I was about to return it," she answered, trying not to stare at him. She failed abysmally.
The rest of the girls couldn't blame her.
"Where is it, Shinobu-chan?"
"Ano… It's in the basket in the laundry room." She dazedly answered.
"Arigato na (Thanks)." He set off, but not before giving Shinobu a grateful smile. She would've turned into a puddle of goo, had she not seen the looks her fellow residents were giving her.
'Were they jealous?'
The girls were still thoroughly stunned when he returned, this time holding a stuffed lion in his hands.
"I'm leaving now. I'll be gone for the day so please keep the place in one piece."
Kaolla was the first to recover. "Where are you going?"
The male kanrinrin walked towards her and ruffled her hair while he said, "Don't worry, I'll be back this evening and I'll try to get you something while I'm out. Okay?"
She nodded enthusiastically before sitting back in front of the table.
"Ja (Bye)," he said over his shoulder as he exited the premises.
Shaking off their initial shock, all of them blurred into action as they all went up to their respective rooms and emerged a good two minutes later wearing casual clothes. They all stumbled into the living area at the same time. Seeing each other in their get-up, each of them tried lamely to spout out excuses to justify their leave.
"Umm… I forgot to buy some book for tomorrow's lesson." Naru said, shouldering a small purse.
"I heard there was a two-for-one sale on bananas over in the market," Su explained, while sporting a pair of high-tech binoculars around her neck.
"I heard my sister suggest that training outdoors can prove to be very relaxing." Motoko said, shouldering her bokken (practice weapon primarily used in kendo as if it is a sword, although the correct term for it is bokuto).
"Umm… I forgot to buy something at the market yesterday." Even Shinobu, who wouldn't normally do something like this, couldn't deny that she wasn't the least bit curious.
"Oh cut it out you guys," Kitsune cut in. "All of us want to follow our radically changed landlord. So instead of arguing and letting him slip further away, we should just follow him together."
All of them agreed immediately and hurried off to find their secretive manager. They didn't get far though, as Urashima Haruka blocked their path down the inn steps.
"I know what you girls are up to," she said nonchalantly, "and if you don't want to lose what respect my nephew has for you, then I suggest you return upstairs to the Hinata So." After she said that, she got out of their way and returned to the teahouse. Shinobu almost headed back up, but Kaolla reassured her that they wouldn't get caught. Hesitantly, she set off along with their fellow tenants.
Haruka simply looked out the teahouse's window and watched as the Hinata girls continued on their spy mission. She didn't know what Keitaro was going to do today. All she knew is that it was very important as he did this annually without fail. Ever since he returned to the Urashima family a few years ago, he would wake up that same day every year, different and solemn, and then he'd be gone for the whole day, returning only in time for dinner. She didn't know what was going on in his mind, but she felt a miniscule fraction of his emotions spilling out, like a dam blocking a torrent every time she saw his face on this particular day.
That small bit of emotion was enough that she felt was enough to make her struggle between the urge to run up to the boy and protect him from the pain he was hiding or to simply break down and cry until she fell asleep.
The girls followed him around the city that he got off the train at, where he seemed to wander around aimlessly. He eventually ended up in a cinema, and entered it to watch the latest movie of Star Wars (I don't own it, in case you're wondering. Don't bother trying to sue me). They of course followed him inside. After the movie, he went to have lunch in a very expensive five-star restaurant that was the very same one that he went with someone to a long time ago. The girls, even after trying to pool their money, couldn't afford to enter.
'Is he on a date?' All of the Hinata girls thought simultaneously. 'Who is it with?'
Everyone was greatly surprised that he actually was able to afford eating in such a classy place, Kitsune more so than anyone else, since she always used her above-average figure and teasing to swindle money from the poor guy, never figuring that he would have this much left over after she got through with him.
They were perplexed though, as they saw him exit the restaurant alone.
They continued to follow him, ducking behind every bush they find before they saw him enter the aquarium. Thinking that he was going to meet his date there, the girls went in after him. They were disappointed again as he exited the aquarium alone. He continued walking, slowly yet purposefully, enjoying every step as though he was on an actual date, much to the confusion of the girls. He stopped in front of a stuffed toy store and peered briefly inside, he then continued on his way afterwards.
'I wish sempai would take me on a date like this,' Shinobu thought, not knowing that the rest of the Hinata girls mirrored her sentiments.
He finally arrived at the last stop of his reflective journey as he reached the middle of the suspension bridge, connecting two sides of the river together. He put his hands on the railing and looked out towards the sea, watching ships, birds, along with everything else, pass him by. He stood there for hours looking out to the same spot as he had been earlier, waiting perhaps for something to happen, some small glimmer of hope that SHE was out there, waiting for him to find her.
He kept looking, until the sun set in the horizon and well into the evening.
By that time, the Hinata girls already quite tired from their cross-town jaunt, taking turns in observing their kanrinrin from the distance, hidden behind a steel pillar. None of them could explain his secretive behavior.
They didn't notice as tears were slowly but surly dropping onto the railing of the bridge from his face.
The girls had long since returned to the Hinata So, convinced that at how late it already was that he wasn't going anywhere else for the evening. Turning back to where he came from he sprinted off the bridge, passing where his tired tenants had hidden earlier. Now near the river bank, he sat down in a bench and looked out to the very familiar spot before him. He remembered that one moment when everything seemed right. He saw a phantasm of himself bleeding in her arms as she whispered something in his ear.
Words that he would give almost anything to hear again.
"I have finally realized it… All this time, you were my scabbard."