An Empire Underneath - Emotions

Disclaimer: I don't own Love Hina or any of the characters, but if you find any character here that is not in the Love Hina character list, that one is mine.

"Keitarooo~!" a voice pierced through Keitaro's head as he suddenly looked up from the book he was reading. And surely enough, a foot landed on his face. "Konnichiwa (Good afternoon)!"
"Su-chan!" Keitaro exclaimed as he regained his composure.
"Keitaro, let's explore the ruins with me!" Kaolla exclaimed as she jumped around the room, to the walls, then floor, then walls again, like a human rubber ball.
"I can't, Su-chan." Keitaro said. "I'm having a test next week, and I'm to study overnight!"
"Then let's study as we explore!" Kaolla continued to jump around.
"I can't do that!" Keitaro exclaimed.
"Heey, be quiet down there!" A shout came from the hole on the ceiling.
"Ah, Narusegawa! I'm sorry!" Keitaro said. Then at Kaolla, "Su-chan, onegai (please)."
Kaolla landed and fumed. "Ah, you're no fun." She then jumped out of the window.
Keitaro sighed.
Naru popped her head through the hole. "Hey, Keitaro." she called.
Keitaro looked up to her. "What is it?" he asked.
"Su-chan seemed desperate in finding a friend to explore since Sarah-chan went with Seta-san on another excavation." said Naru. "She even asked me."
Keitaro took a breath. "Hmm, maybe she's lonely." he said. "Maybe I should've gone with her."
"Do what you think is necessary, Kanrinin (inn manager)." Naru said as she went back up, not forgetting to close the hole.

LOVE HINA Special Episode! #1

The Empire Underneath

Chapter 1: Emotions

Shinobu was preparing for lunch when Kaolla crept behind her. Luckily, she spotted her first. "Ah, Kaolla. We're having your favorite, today! Extra Chilly Curry!"
Kaolla's eyes went starry. "Wai! Thank you, Shinobu! Now, as thanks, let's go explore the ruins!"
Shinobu's face showed uncertainty and fear. "Uh, ah, I still have to prepare lunch..."
Kaolla sighed. She threw herself onto her usual seat on the dining table. "Ah, that's alright." Her face showed extreme disappointment, a real rarity.

That night...
"Eh, won't Su-chan be eating with us?" asked Keitaro as he took a seat and saw that everyone was there except Kaolla.
"She said she has something to do." Shinobu replied. "She took her food to her room. Do you want me to call her, Urashima-senpai?"
"No, thanks, Shinobu-chan." said Keitaro. "If she's busy then we shouldn't be bothering her."
"Ah, that's something new, coming from you." Mitsune commented. "Are you sure you're not Ranba-san?"
Laughter filled the dining room.

Meanwhile...
"So what if no one's going to play with me." Kaolla was putting her dinner into a can before shutting it tight. "I'll go myself." She put the can into a filled backpack. She then took it and wore it, then stood up. She opened a small blue book. It was Sarah's hand-drawn map of the secret passageways of Hinata-sou.

The next day, Sunday morning...
"Eh, Su-chan isn't here again?" Keitaro asked.
"Um," Shinobu replied as she swallowed her breakfast. "She didn't answer when I knocked her room this morning, so I presume she's still sleeping after exhausting herself last night."
Keitaro nodded, but his face showed concern.
"Relax, Keitaro." Mitsune said. "And lose that face. It doesn't fit you."
Laughter filled the dining room once again.

Still Sunday, nearing lunchtime.
A tap was heard on the Kanrinin's room's door.
Keitaro took his face off his book and went to the door. "What is it...?" But to his surprise, as he opened the door, Shinobu jumped in and hugged him, crying like there's no tomorrow. "N-Nani (What)? Shinobu-chan? What's wrong?"
The commotion lured Naru's attention and she jumped down from her room. All she saw was Keitaro hugging a crying Shinobu. "K-Keitaro!" She exclaimed before letting her fist fly.
"Matte (Wait)! Naru-senpai!" Shinobu exclaimed, stopping Naru's fist inches from Keitaro's face. "I came here because... because...Kaolla...She's nowhere in her room!"
"Nani~?!"

Keitaro opened Kaolla's room's door and sighed at the sight of the jungle inside. "Whoa. This room amazes me whenever I look at it." Keitaro mumbled. Behind him was everyone from Hinata-sou.
"Are you sure you've searched everywhere?" asked Mitsune. "This...forest has a lot of hiding spots."
"I'm sure." Shinobu was still stifling her cry. "I've even threatened her not to make any more spicy meals if she didn't come out, but she didn't."
"Hmm, that sure is weird." said Mitsune.
"Come on." Keitaro said as he entered the room. "We might be able to know where she went if we search the room."

An hour of search and the result was nothing. Shinobu had excused herself half an hour before to start making lunch. The others were sitting under a tree, resting from the vigorous search.
"Where could she have gone to?" asked Motoko. "This is not like her."
"Maybe she's just exploring the hidden passageways here. Why do we bother looking for her, anyway?" asked Mitsune.
"Exploring...?!" Keitaro said. He and Naru then exclaimed together: "The Ruins!"
"Huh? Nani?" Motoko asked.
"She asked me yesterday to accompany her exploring the ruins." said Keitaro.
"Me too." said Naru. "I think she's going to find the turtle empire we found that day."
"The mechanical robot turtles?" asked Mitsune.
"Turtle?! Where!?" Motoko jumped to stand.
"We should look for her." Keitaro said as he stood up.
"Why are you suddenly cared so much for her?" Naru stood up next to him, her fists ready.
"I'm the Kanrinin!" Keitaro exclaimed back. Then, softer, "And besides, I genuinely cared for anyone."
"Well said, Keitaro!" Mitsune slapped a hand on his back. "Come on! Let's try to find an entrance!"

After lunch...
"D-Do I really have to come too?" Motoko said as they gathered near the stairwell. One of the tunnels that lead to the Turtle Empire started under it.
"Of course, Motoko-san." Keitaro said. "You're the only one we can count on in these kind of missions."
Motoko grumbled as she shakily went under the stairwell, followed by Keitaro, Naru, Mitsune, and lastly, Shinobu.
"It's very dark here." said Mitsune as she turned on her flashlight.
"Um," Shinobu agreed. "Senpai, may I hold your hand?" she asked Keitaro.
"A-Anoo..." Keitaro was surprised, moreover with Naru behind Shinobu, with her eyes flashing red.
"Keitaro! What are you doing to a Junior High student?!" Naru exclaimed as she hit him hard, making him fly further into the tunnel.

Not long, they came to a fork on the road. "Which one? Left or right?" asked Keitaro.
Naru hummed. "Last time, we took the right one and ended up under Haruka-san's tea house, right?" she asked.
"Ah, that's right!" Keitaro nodded. "We'll take the left route then."
"But Shinobu and I took it and got to where Mecha-Tama was feeding itself with our electronic stuff." said Mitsune.
Motoko frowned. "But, are you sure that it was a dead end?"
Mitsune raised both shoulders. "Do you remember, Shinobu-chan?"
Shinobu shook head. "I don't remember, gomen (sorry)."
"Let's try it anyway, since we're here already." said Keitaro.

"Here it is." said Mitsune as they arrive on a steel door.
"It's rusted shut." said Keitaro as he tried to open it. The door didn't budge.
"Out of the way, yowai na otoko (weak man)! Hiken Zankuusen!" Motoko exclaimed, her sword swung forwards.
The door opened with a loud noise and crashed onto the opposite wall, with Keitaro on it, his eyes formed anime-style swirls. Apparently, he didn't have time to get out of the way.
"Ah! Senpai!" Shinobu hurried to Keitaro's side.
"Miru (Look)! Another door!" Mitsune pointed.
"So, it's not a dead end after all." Naru said.
"Come on, minna (everyone)! This is getting interesting." said Mitsune as she went to the door, with a foxy smile she use to have on her face whenever she's getting excited.
"Ah! Matte!" Shinobu was still trying to get Keitaro to consciousness.
"Let me try, Shinobu-chan." Naru said as she knelt beside Keitaro. She lowered her face to him, and they seemed like they were about to kiss.
Shinobu was already acting strange. "A-Anoo...Auuu...Naru-senpai..."
But Naru didn't kiss him, she just whispered into his ear, very softly, "Keitaro...-chan"
As expected, Keitaro opened his eyes in an instant. "N-Narusegawa?!"
Naru stood up with a winner's face. "Hah, told you! Isoide (Hurry up), Keitaro, or you'll be left behind!" she said as she went through the door.
"Ahhh..." Keitaro sighed, his face showed disappointment.
"Anoo, senpai, we'd best go." Shinobu reminded him.
"Hai (yes/right)."

"Ssh!" Motoko suddenly hissed. The people behind her stopped on their tracks immediately including Keitaro and Shinobu who had caught up a few minutes before. "I heard voices."
They sharpened their hearing, and indeed, they heard some voices. Mechanical voices. Also a very familiar shouting voice.
"Lemme go! Hey, come on! Lemme go!"
"That's...Su-chan?" asked Keitaro.
"That does sound like her." Naru agreed.
"We have to help her..." Shinobu said. "We have to find a way!"
"Of course, Shinobu-chan." Keitaro tapped the blue-haired girl's head. "We'll save her."
"A-Anoo, but before, shouldn't we save ourselves first?" Naru asked.
Only then did they notice that all around them were thousands of Mecha-Tama, surrounding them from all sides.
"K-Kame (turtle)...doko ni mo (everywhere)..." Motoko mumbled before she raised her sword.
"Matte! Motoko-san!" Keitaro exclaimed. "You destroyed the roof last time..."
But he was too late. "Hiken Fuujin Ranbu!" A gust of wind appeared and swept the mechanical turtles away. Thankfully, unlike the previous encounter, the roof didn't collapse. But the mechanical turtles immediately returned to surround them.
"They're everywhere!" Keitaro exclaimed.
"They kept coming back!" Mitsune exclaimed.
"Hiken Fuujin Ranbu!" Motoko retried her technique, but the Mecha-Tama kept returning.
"Auu...Senpai!!" Shinobu cried as she hugged Keitaro's arm tightly.
"Keitaro!!" Naru shot a fist and Keitaro flew over the Mecha-Tama, onto the wall, then through the wall.
After the dust diminished, the room behind the wall was exposed. "Su-chan!" Mitsune exclaimed as she saw her tied onto a steel chair, Keitaro on her lap.
"Wai, minna! You came for me?!" Kaolla exclaimed happily as usual.
Then, a bigger version of Mecha-Tama appeared behind Kaolla. It stood up, and its belly opened.
"It's going to fire!" Mitsune exclaimed.
"Noooo...!"
The Big Mecha-Tama fired, and gas suddenly filled the room.

LOVE HINA: The Empire Underneath...not for sale or rent :)

Thousands of Mecha-Tama sat around the Big Mecha-Tama, generally making noises.
The Big Mecha-Tama hissed, and the Mecha-Tama silenced. "Collection of samples complete?" A mechanical voice was audible. It seemed that the Big Mecha-Tama was their leader.
"Complete." one Mecha-Tama nodded. "Samples for every emotion available." Then, it pointed to some cubic glass cages on the corner of the room, side to side. There were 5 of them, each containing, from the corner, Shinobu, Kaolla, Motoko, Mitsune, while the last one had both Keitaro and Naru, all of them were out cold. The gas seemed to be knock-out gas.
"Specification?"
"Sadness." The Mecha-Tama pointed to Shinobu. "Happiness." It pointed to Kaolla. "Fear." Motoko. "Jealousy." Mitsune. "Love." Keitaro and Naru.
"Continue operation."
"Continue operation!" The Mecha-Tama exclaimed.

"Uuuh..." Shinobu moaned as she came to. She held her aching head as she tried to sit. She opened her eyes and found herself in her old room, back when her parents haven't divorced. "T-This room..." she whispered. Then, she heard a commotion outside. Despite her aching head, she stood up and went to the door.
"It's your fault!"
"No! It's your fault!"
Shinobu watched as her parents fought each other. Tears began to swell on her eyes. "No...Why should I experience this again...?" She tried to move away, but she couldn't. She couldn't move. She couldn't move a muscle. Couldn't turn around, couldn't look away, couldn't close her eyes. She was forced to watch the fight. "Nooo...!!" She cried.

"Sadness operation complete." One Mecha-Tama reported. "Data saved." It was operating a panel next to Shinobu's glass cage. In it, she was stopped in her tracks, crying heavily, looking outside the glass. "Memory Virtual Reality effectiveness: 99%."
"Continue." The Big Mecha-Tama ordered.

"Eh?" Kaolla found herself sitting on a tree, facing a setting sun into the sea. She was wearing her adult clothes. "Where am I?"
"Don't tell me you've forgotten your own country." a voice came from behind her.
Kaolla turned immediately and found, "Onii-sama (Brother)!" She jumped onto him.
"Welcome home, Kaolla." Ranba said as he hugged his little sister.
"Hey, don't get too close, now, Kaolla." Amalla suddenly appeared behind them. "Let's not forget who has married who."
They all laughed as the sun set into the sea next to them.

"Happiness operation complete." Another Mecha-Tama reported. "Data saved." Just like the previous, it was operation a panel next to Kaolla's glass cage, in which she was laughing like crazy (um, like her usual self), suspended in mid-air, exactly like when she's hanging on her brother. "Memory Virtual Reality effectiveness: 89%."
"Continue."

Motoko opened her eyes and found herself in her room, meditating. She frowned. "Something is not right." she said. She stood up, took her sword, and went to the door. As she opened it, a huge Tama was sitting in front of Hinata-sou. Its face filled Motoko's door. "K-K-K-K-Kame!" Motoko panicked. "Hiken Zankuusen!" But the blow went through the giant Tama without hurting it. "N-No! It can't be!"
Then, from the window, appeared a seemingly unending flow of Tama, filling the room. Soon enough, Motoko was trapped in a sea of Tama. Her eyes were already swirling. "K-K-Kame...doko ni mo..." And then she fainted.

"Fear operation complete." Another Mecha-Tama reported. "Data saved." The glass cage next to it had Motoko with swirling eyes, mumbling "K-Kame...doko ni mo...". "Memory Virtual Reality effectiveness: 92%."
"Continue."

"Kitsune..."
Mitsune turned and saw Naru, in high school age and uniform. She then looked at herself, and found that she was also a high school girl, in a high school uniform. She went back to Naru. "Huh? N-Nani?"
"I...I kinda liked Seta-san."
That sentence felt like an ice knife through her heart. Mitsune realized this. Yet...'Why am I experiencing this all over again?' she thought as she looked at her attire.
"I think I'm going to marry him someday."
Mitsune looked up to her. "Chotto (Wait a minute)! What about Keitaro?!"
Naru looked at her in confusion. "Who?"
Mitsune gulped. "You know, this really nice guy at Hinata-sou."
Naru smiled. "Then why don't you and him go together, and become our best man and best maid of honor?"
Mitsune raised an eyebrow. "Eh?"
"We're going to marry! We are! We are!" Naru excitedly said as she showed a ring on her left hand.
Mitsune's eyes bulged out.

"Jealousy operation in progress..." Another Mecha-Tama reported. "Data saved for backup." The glass cage next to it had Mitsune, her eyes bulging out at nothing. "Memory Virtual Reality effectiveness: 56%. Some additional scenes have been created to enhance effectiveness."
"Proceed."
"Proceeding with operation...adding more scenes." The Mecha-Tama next to Mitsune's cage seemed to be working hard.
The Big Mecha-Tama turned to the last cage. A Mecha-Tama came to the panel next to it and began to operate it. "Begin Love operation."
"Operation begins." The Mecha-Tama replied.

Keitaro sighed as he opened his eyes. They bulged out about 3 inches when he realized who he was hugging under a blanket. 'Narusegawa!!' Keitaro exclaimed in thoughts. He didn't dare to move a muscle, afraid that he might be accompanying the moon as earth's satellite if Naru woke up and start swinging her fist.
After a while, his pounding heart slowed and he began to calm down. He looked at Naru, exploring her face. 'She's so beautiful...' he thought.
"Kei...tarou..." Naru sighed.
Keitaro's heart beat quadrupled in a second, thinking that she'd awakened and ready to hit him away. But he calmed again when he realized that she was still sleeping. He then blushed. 'She said my name in her sleep...?' He then felt something on his back that made the hair behind his neck rose. 'N-Nani kore wa (What's this)?' he thought. He gulped when he realized that it was Naru's hand, sweeping over his back.
"Kei...tarou..." Naru sighed again.
'Kami-sama (God)! What is she dreaming?!' Keitaro thought. 'She can't be dreaming of...of...that!? With...me?' He blushed again.
"Kei...tarou..." Naru neared her face with his.
Keitaro panicked. "N-N-Narusegawa!" he exclaimed.
That did it. Naru woke up, and when she saw Keitaro next to her, them under a blanket, arms around each other, she panicked even more. "K-Keitaro...!" she exclaimed as she pushed him away.
"Gomen nasai (I'm very sorry), Narusegawa!" Keitaro bowed over and over again to her.
"Eh?" Naru forgot what happened when she realized where she was. "Nee (Hey), Keitaro, we've been here before, haven't we?"
Keitaro stopped bowing and took a look around. "Yeah, isn't this Kyoto, where we had to spend the night in a room..." He blushed again. He looked at Naru, and found that she was also blushing.
"And...this was the room, right?" Naru asked.
"Hai." Keitaro replied shortly.
And then there were silence.

"Love operation in progress." Another Mecha-Tama reported. "Data saved for backup." The glass cage next to it had Naru and Keitaro sitting face to face, looking down, blushing. "Memory Virtual Reality effectiveness: 92%. Data retrieval is at very low level: 10%."
"Create additional scenes to optimize data retrieval." the Big Mecha-Tama ordered.
"Creating scenes..."

The door to the room opened, and an old lady entered. "Ah, the lovebirds have awakened." she said, making both Naru and Keitaro surprised. "Don't mind me, I'll just be taking the used sheets."
"L-Lovebirds? What are you talking about, obaa-san (old lady)." Keitaro asked.
The lady turned to them. "Eh? Don't tell me you lied when you registered here last night." she said to them. "I let you use the same room because you said you were married."
"N-NANI?!?!"
"Ja (Well), I'll leave you two alone, now." The lady went out with a pack of used sheets.
Silence dawned onto the room as they tried to comprehend what had just happened.
Keitaro's eyes caught sight of a bag next to him. "This...this is my bag..." he mumbled as he opened it, not exactly sure what made him. After a brief search, he took out some papers. His eyes bulged at the title.
Naru went to him and read it with him, and her eyes bulged out as well. "Marriage papers? So...Are we...really married?"
Keitaro gulped. "No! This must be a dream!" he exclaimed.
Naru nodded. "Yes, but whose dream? Yours or mine?"
Keitaro returned the papers back into his bag. "Well, this looks like my dream." he said.
"You mean...you've dreamt of marrying me?" Naru asked, blushing.
Keitaro blushed. "Well, yes." he replied. "Haven't you?"
That made Naru blush redder than a ripe tomato. "I...I..."
"N-Never mind." Keitaro waved his hands. "I shouldn't have..."
Naru shook her head. "No, to tell you the truth, I have dreamt the same..., Keitaro..."
Keitaro brightened. "Really?"
Naru nodded, still blushing. "Yes."
After a brief pause, "N-Narusegawa..."
Naru went to him and placed a finger on his lips, stopping his words. "Call me Naru..." she said.
Their blush went even redder. "N-Naru..."

"Data retrieval increased by 87%." The Mecha-Tama reported.
"Continue. This emotion is hard to understand. Gathering more data is imperative." ordered the Big Mecha-Tama.
"Adding more scenes." The Mecha-Tama reported.

"Huh?" Keitaro snapped back into reality, and he was suddenly on the beach, watching the sunset, Naru in his arm. "N-Nani?"
"Keitaro..." Naru sighed. She snuck herself towards Keitaro.
"N-Narusegawa...Ack!" Keitaro yelped as he felt his side pinched.
"I told you to call me Naru." she said.
"Ah, Naru...How did we get here?" Keitaro asked.
Naru opened her eyes and looked at the setting sun. She looked around. The beach was EMPTY, except for them. She turned to Keitaro. "I have no idea."
"So, this must be a dream." said Keitaro.
"I don't care anyways." Naru closed her eyes and laid her head onto Keitaro's chest, savoring his heartbeats.
"N-Naru..." Keitaro sighed as he looked at her. He then used his other hand to sweep her brown hair.
Naru sighed. "Keitaro...I...I..."
"Naru, I should say it first." Keitaro said, when he realized what she was about to say.
Naru chuckled. She took herself out of his hug and sat cross-legged on front of him. "Tell me, then."
Keitaro smiled. "I...I...I love you..."
Naru smiled at the words. "I...I love you too." she said. Then she lunged at him, making them fell backwards onto the warm sand.

"Data retrieval increased by another 96%." The Mecha-Tama reported. "Warning, data retrieval exceeds critical bandwidth limit. Warning, data storage is nearing full."
"Create new data lines, increase bandwidth by 200%. Create new data storage, double current storage. Divert further retrieved data to new data storage." the Big Mecha-Tama ordered, somehow panicked, something that a machine shouldn't have. Some Mecha-Tama hurried all over the place as they took various mechanical equipments to various places. "Continue retrieving data for Love."
Their business somehow lowered their alarm and they didn't notice a blonde-haired girl eavesdropping beside the hole that was created when Keitaro 'entered' the room.

TO BE CONTINUED...

Author Notes: Well, so I can do a Love Hina fic. I'm sorry for some OOC-ness. I'm sure any LH fans would know just where the OOC-ness are. Anyhow, why are they holding up our friends? These turtles better have a good explanation for this! And that blonde-haired girl...Who's that? Could it be...? Revelations and answers coming up next time on: The Empire Underneath.