Love Hina: Watcher

Prologue: Reawakening

Sakura petals filled the air, blowing in the breeze amongst the towering trees which were themselves covered in the pinkish-white blossoms. Beneath one of these trees a black haired young man spread out a blanket. His rather large, rounded-off square glasses betrayed his bookish tendencies, and he looked slightly out of place amidst the group of young women whose ages were as diverse as their personalities.

"Wow Shinobu, that looks really good!" The brown-skinned green-eyed fourteen-year-old hovered around the table where the resident cook (also fourteen) was preparing the snacks for the upcoming Spring Festival. She was a bundle of energy, and with no other chores assigned to her for the Festival, she was busying herself keeping everyone's spirits up (this mainly consisted of walking the fine line of getting in the way without causing enough trouble to get yelled at).

Shinobu blushed as she continued setting out dishes. "Thanks Koalla, but you'll have to wait for everyone to get here before we start eating."

"Oh please, Shinobu?" Koalla bounced around the young blue-haired cook, a long string of drool swinging crazily from her open mouth as her stomach made sounds reminiscent of a thunderstorm. "Please please please??"

"Suu-chan! Could you bring me those carrots?" The strong voice of Motoko Aoyama caused the young girl to pause in her bouncing. To call Motoko a tom-boy would be so wrong as to be laughable. Her creamy white skin and long silky black hair screamed femininity, but she practiced Kendo, and rarely went anywhere dressed in anything but her kendo outfit with her ample chest bound up securely. In many ways all of this only served to increase her charm, however, much to the chagrin of the girls around her.

"Sure Motoko-sama!" She knew exactly what her friend had in mind, and snatched several carrots off the table, throwing them up into the air in Motoko's general direction.

The tall swords-mistress shifted into a lower stance, gripping her sheathed katana with her left hand and cracking the seal with her thumb, revealing an inch of the blade. The carrots arced through the air, and she drew the sword in one smooth motion, her arm blurring almost into invisibility as she sliced the vegetables into pieces. Grabbing a plate from the table, she caught the pieces before they fell to the ground. Her long black hair billowed as she handed the plate to Shinobu.

"Wow, you're so cool Motoko-sama!" the young blue-haired girl exclaimed, clapping her hands.

"Keitaro, you finished spreading that blanket?" The southern drawl of the close-cropped blond-haired woman jerked his attention away from Motoko's astonishing swordplay.

"Yeah Kitsune, it's all set up." The black-haired young man glanced back towards the main building of Hinata-Sou, the all-girls-dormitory that he managed.

"I know that look. What's the matter honey?"

"It's Narusegawa. I think she's still depressed over something."

"Well, I know just what to do about that. We'll all celebrate and party like there's no tomorrow! That'll cheer her up!"

"Good idea...!" Shinobu exclaimed, having drifted over towards the conversation.

"Yeah, I'm in! Let's do it!" Koalla jumped up and down excitedly.

"It's okay with me." Motoko crossed her arms.

"Well, that settles it," Kitsune drawled. "Keitaro, go to Haruka, get some drinks, and let's get it started!"

"Okay!" Keitaro said cheerfully, turning and jogging down the hill towards the Tea House his Aunt managed.


"The Spring Festival, huh? Not a bad idea. I'll be right over after I turn on the lights... Oh, here, don't forget the Sake!" Haruka tossed the two cans into the already-over-filled cardboard box that held all manner of wine, juice, and soft-drinks.

"...waaaah!" Keitaro tilted the box to one side, trying to keep the contents from spilling all over the ground.

Some of them are minors, should they be drinking this?

He wasn't one to gainsay his aunt, however, so he dutifully headed back up the stairs leading to the front of Hinata-Sou.

"Don't forget to save some of the good stuff for me, or I won't pay you!" she called after him.

"Haha, don't worry!" he yelled back. She's not kidding, is she? I'll have to watch Kitsune like a hawk.

As he ascended the cracked and chipped stone steps, he began to feel a kind of pressure in his head.

Another headache?

No, he decided. It's just like the time back on the cruise ship, where we met Mutsumi.

He had felt a kind of pulsing inside his head, and then he and Naru had run into the Okinawan. Literally. The pressure suddenly increased, and his eyes watered momentarily causing him to stumble. The two cans of Sake dislodged themselves from their precarious position as he tried to keep hold on the box, but he saw that it was too late.

Damn it! he thought as the cans fell towards the ground. Haruka's not going to be happy.

It was at that point that a heavily calloused hand blurred into view, snatching the two cans out of the air with inhuman speed before they could hit the ground.

"Um..." Keitaro stuttered, hefting the box so that it was no longer in danger of spilling its contents. He fell silent when he saw who had saved the drinks. The man cut a dashing figure in his black shirt and pants and knee-length white lab coat. He wore stylishly thin glasses that allowed a full view of his eyes, which were fixed on Keitaro as if the man were looking into his very soul. For a moment the man's eyes had a timeless feel to them, as if he had done and seen countless things over countless lifetimes, and still lived to tell about it. Then the moment was broken, and he lifted the two cans up, his eyes becoming upside-down U's as he smiled.

"You should be more careful with these next time," he said, returning the cans to the box.

"Hey Keitaro, what's taking so long?!" Kitsune's yell caused him to turn his head.

"Sorry! I'm coming back now!" he yelled up the stairs, then turned back to face the kind stranger. "Thank you sir... oh." The man was gone, leaving only floating Sakura petals drifting in the wind. He's fast. He had turned away for only a second, and the man had been over two dozen steps from the street below, but he had disappeared without a trace and without a sound. He made his way back up the stairs and over to the table where everything was being set up.

"Aww, thanks baby doll," Mitsune crooned, as she pulled a big wine bottle from the box Keitaro had just set down on the table. "You know just what a woman wants!" She winked and laughed as he blushed slightly.

I can't believe she's drunk already... He noted her faintly red cheeks.

"Oh, Sempai! Hurry up, we've already started!" Shinobu waved to someone out of sight down the hill

Keitaro looked up, and his heart skipped a beat as the young woman came into view. The sight of her walking through the floating Sakura petals took his breath away. Her silky light-brown hair fell to her waist, strands of it blowing this way and that as she approached, and her normally cheerful voice was only slightly subdued.

"That's right, I had forgotten we were having a party!" Her seemingly cheerful demeanor was betrayed only by her eyes, and even then only to those who knew her. Her happy smile almost reached to her eyes, but not quite.

"Cheer up, Naru!" slurred Kitsune. "You're not like you usually are! Why, a less-than-ecstatic Naru is like Sake without snacks..." she laughed at her impromptu joke.

"What...?" Naru wondered, a slightly incredulous look on her face at her best friend's antics.

"Hey Naru!" Koalla's voice drew her attention, and she sweat-dropped. Somehow the Molmolian had found a trenchcoat, a fedora, and a pair of sunglasses, and was surreptitiously motioning to her "If you're short on cash, I have connections!" she cracked open a briefcase full of Molmol currency.

"Um..."

"Sempai!" Shinobu's frantically happy voice drew her attention, and she looked on as the young girl edged around Suu. "I cooked plenty of food to cheer you up!" She balanced two platters like an expert waiter, one with a meat dish on it, the other full of steamed buns.

Even Motoko looked a little pained as she held out a large bottle with enigmatic Kanji on it. "If you're concerned about your weight, I've brought our secret family herb-concoction that can help you lose ten kilograms in just three days. Here, take it!"

Naru held up her hands in surrender. "What? ...wait a minute..."

"We're all worried about you, Narusegawa!" Keitaro chimed in, looking at the stunned young woman with warmth in his eyes.

Kitsune chose that moment to wobble forward and place a small package in Naru's hands. "Here Naru, take this," she said with a solemn hiccup.

"What... is it?" Naru sweat-dropped again, knowing exactly what 'it' was.

"Just take it! It's 'that' time of month for you, right?" Kitsune asked.

"I think you're a little too worried about her!" squeaked Keitaro, a few strands of his hair standing on end as he realized what Kitsune had given her.

Naru put a hand to her mouth, trying to suppress the giggle that threatened to emerge. Finally she doubled over laughing, and Keitaro and Kitsune flinched slightly.

"D-d'you think she snapped?" Kitsune whispered to him.

"...umm," Keitaro's answer was interrupted as she sat down, a happy grin on her face, and tears of laughter at the edges of her eyes.

"Thanks you guys, but really, I'm fine!"

"All right! Naru's happy, let's start the party!" Kitsune yelled.

Keitaro handed Naru a drink, which she accepted with a smile, and his breath caught in his throat once again as their eyes met. She really is beautiful. I don't think she has any idea what she does to me...

The two of them wandered off away from the craziness that was beginning to erupt around Suu and Kitsune, and Keitaro's heart soared. They sat down on the grass some distance up the hill where they could have a good view of the pandemonium below.

"Mitsune sure is enjoying herself..." Naru murmured, a faraway look in her eyes.

"We were really worried about you..." he said with a smile. She looked down st the party below, and he could see that despite the underlying worry, she truly was looking more upbeat.

"You don't have to worry about me, I'm perfectly happy to cherish this moment forever. I'm just trying not to worry about what I'm going to do next year..."

"If there's something bothering you, just tell me," he said, his heart pounding at his forward words. "You know I'm always here for you."

She looked over at him, and gave him one of those heart-stopping smiles. "Thank you."

For Keitaro, everything around them seemed to disappear, and he saw her mouth open as if to say something else, when the inevitable happened. He felt a devastating twin impact on the side of his face, and heard Kitsune's yell of glee.

"Hey, how come you guys are so close?! You're having a romantic moment, right??"

When his head cleared, he found himself on his side against the soft ground, and he looked over to see Suu's ecstatic face and Kitsune's drunken smile. "Damn it, why'd you guys hit me??" he blurted out. His face was slightly swollen, but it was his emotions that were more hurt. Kitsune of all people should know how difficult it is between Naru and me. We get few enough moments as it is, and I usually end up screwing things up. He sighed mentally, suppressing the anger he felt. I can't blame her, she's just drunk. It was at that moment that he noticed what he was lying on. Hey, the ground isn't that soft...

"...aaaaah!" he squeaked out in surprise. His hand was on Naru's breast, and her cheeks had gone a deep red. She had not yet switched to anger-mode, but when he panicked, he made the mistake of squeezing slightly before ordering his hand to release itself. And then he froze.

"You're in trouble now, boyo..." mumbled Kitsune as Naru's beautiful features clouded over with rage.

"What do you think you're doing, you big idiot!??" she screamed, her voice shaking with fury as she put everything she had into the side of his head via her right fist.

"WAAA!" he yelled as he flew off the hill and into the night.

Motoko's katana was already in her hand, and she charged after Keitaro at full speed. She had seen Kitsune's attack on Keitaro, and had assumed the woman was punishing him for some transgression. She had noted earlier that Keitaro and Naru were alone on the hill, and had prepared herself for this inevitable outcome.

How dare he. After all we've done to make Naru-sempai happy, he has the gall to commit his usual lecherous acts...!

So furious was she that she did not even call out to him, berating him as she usually did.

My blade will do the talking this time!

"Hundred Petal Chaos!" she yelled, slicing her sword in a complex weave, infusing the many Sakura blooms in front of her with enough Ki to send the boy to oblivion.

Either he will survive like he usually does, or I will have 'accidentally' killed him. Either way is fine with me...

A diffuse beam of light blew right through Keitaro's retreating form, and hundreds of deadly pink sparks shot downrange. With some amount of satisfaction Motoko saw the boy's eyes bulge comically out of his face, and she heard his wail fade into the distance.

He was truly frightened. Good, perhaps he will finally get the message.

She had watched the infuriating male survive horrific blows from Naru on multiple occasions, but this was by far the worst damage she had ever seen him take.

"Umm... Hello everyone..." Haruka said unnecessarily as she watched the spectacle playing out before her. She sighed, a pained expression crossing her face. Surely my nephew isn't as bad as these girls make him out to be... She watched the boy disappear into the distance. I'm going to have to keep a closer eye on things. If that didn't kill him, then I don't know what will. And after he worked so hard to make a normal life...

As he flew through the darkened forest, Keitaro knew he was done for. He had suffered punishments from Naru, and from Motoko before, but this was many times worse. Kitsune and Suu were no slouches, but their unwitting attack had made Naru's punch far more devastating. On top of that, Naru herself had been angrier than he had ever seen her, but that made sense. Her world had just fallen apart with her failure to get into Tokyo-U a few days earlier, and his usual clumsiness gave her a good excuse to release some tension on him.

Naru, I'm sorry for all I've done to you, and I forgive you. I only wish I wasn't about to die and cause you even more pain.

Tears stung his eyes as he caromed off a tree and began bouncing along the ground. The deadly pink Sakura blossoms sliced through his body, and he felt atleast one puncture his heart as well as his lungs as everything went strangely quiet around him.

Maybe this is for the best. She suffers whenever I'm around anyway, with all my clumsiness. I'm always embarrassing her, and ruining what few romantic moments she has... I...

The lights went out as he impacted a massive tree trunk dead on.


He awoke with a start, taking a sudden deep breath as what felt like an electric shock traveled from his head to his toes.

I'm alive.

Reaching a hand up to his throbbing head, he was surprised to find his glasses gone, most likely lost in his flight through the forest.

But I can still see even without them... How is this possible?

Sitting up, he could make out the lights in the distance that must have been Haruka's Tea Shop, and the multitude of other lights representing the different houses of the surrounding town. Looking down at his shredded shirt, he could clearly see that his chest was unharmed. Standing slowly, he scratched the back of his head.

Nothing's broken, in fact I feel better than I've ever felt.

He knew it was no good to go back immediately and apologize. That would probably just make the girls angrier. Deciding to wait till later, perhaps even the next day, he set out through the forest.

I'll just take a walk. It's been a while, and I need to clear my mind...

Naru must really hate me now. This kind of mistake isn't something she'll easily forget, especially with it happening so soon after her failure to get into Tokyo-U. I can understand Motoko's anger. After we did so much to cheer Naru up, I had to go and ruin it.

Without meaning to, his meandering steps took him to the door of the hidden Urashima armory. Placing his hand on the heavy wood of the massive door, he marveled at how little he knew of Hinata-Sou.

There's a lot of history here, I'll bet.

Searching through his keys, he found the appropriately ancient-looking piece of metal and unlocked the door. He walked into the room and felt a feather-light touch on his face. Jumping slightly, he reached up, discovering that it was just a piece of string hanging from the ceiling. He pulled it, and with a slight click, the dull amber glow from a single light bulb illuminated the small room. Turning a slow circle, he whistled appreciatively.

Lining the walls were katanas of various makes, and displayed prominently on two massive floor stands were a couple of nodachis. The massive Japanese great-swords were stunning to the eye, and it was obvious that everything here was well kept. This surprised him, for he knew what pains it took Motoko to keep up her own blade. He briefly wondered who it was that took care of all that was before him. The inky black hilt and sheath of the Hina blade was hung above the floor stands for the nodachis.

Although his eyes hovered over the Hina blade, he found himself drawn to a more traditionally-sized katana hanging almost haphazardly on one of the side walls. The handle was very ornately carved, and the golden tsuba at the base of the blade shone as if it had been recently polished. The sheath's smooth black wooden surface shone with a dark luster, and at the bottom was a small gold ornamented end cap. His hands moved lovingly down the sheath, and before he knew what he was doing, he had left with the sword in his hands.

Why did I pick this up? I've never been into swords, and I've never seen this one before in my life.

As he walked along the trail back towards Hinata-Sou the breeze seemed to be unusually strong.

But why aren't the branches of the trees moving?

As the feeling grew stronger, it almost felt like a pressure in his head, or wind against his soul. Without thinking, he drew the katana from its sheath and spun around in one smooth motion, blocking the sword that flashed towards his throat.


The lone figure sat atop the pinnacle of the roof, almost invisible in the dark solitude of the night. From this vantage point most of the city could be seen, and the smattering of lights indicated the presence of the orderly rows of houses and shops. He saw none of this, however, for his gaze was turned inward.

The ring of hardened steel against hardened steel was deafening, and for a moment the two combatants were locked together, blades crossed and eyes close as they measured each other up.

Keitaro's mouth twitched as the memories flashed across his consciousness. There, at the beginning of the fight, the unknown assailant had been a mystery to him.

The man's eyes locked with his, the challenge evident in the deep black orbs, and for a moment his sword wavered. The man sensed this, and drew back slightly to take advantage of the small flinch. As the unknown assailant pressed the attack, however, his own blade once again moved naturally to the defensive, his body unconsciously set itself, preparing to receive the flurry of blows.

The fight had not lasted long, perhaps a half-minute in total. It had ended with the man's head being separated from his shoulders in a move that felt so natural to him he could have sworn he had performed it hundreds of times. Seconds later he had fallen to his knees, the adrenaline of battle having quickly faded, and as the katana slipped from his lifeless fingers, he felt a buzzing sensation before sinking into unconsciousness.

He had awoken to find the blade lying in the grass, all traces of the battle gone. There was no blood on the katana, there was no body, and there was no head. It was as if it had never happened, and he was beginning to wonder if he had imagined the entire thing. Opening his eyes and looking out over the dark city, he once again tried to reach for the easy excuse.

I've been studying too hard. Naru is always on me to get out and do more, and maybe she's right. All this pressure is making me stir-crazy. I fell asleep and had a dream. Lucky for me I didn't chop my own head off in my sleep...

He shifted, getting to his feet slowly in the near-pitch-black conditions atop the roof of Hinata-Sou.

Y'know, this really wasn't one of my brighter ideas considering how clumsy I usually am.

He stumbled slightly as he reached down to retrieve the katana that had been resting beside him on the roof-top, angled downward to prevent it from rolling off to the ground below.

I'm lucky I haven't cut off one of my fingers in the dark here...

He did not remember ever wielding the blade before, except for the brief snatches of memory he had of fighting his nameless attacker. Yet as he gripped the hilt, a sense of deja-vu passed through him. It felt familiar, and at the same time utterly alien. He shivered slightly, for a part of him was tense, as if ready to strike, and another part of him screamed in terror, knowing that with his usual clumsiness he was more likely to cut off his own leg. Something felt wrong. He shifted his stance, moving his foot back, lowering his front arm, adjusting his hands on the hilt until the shivering stopped.

That's better. But how do I know that?

It felt like he was at the beginning of some kind of set piece, waiting expectantly for something, anything. He imagined once more his previous attacker, standing before him, Katana in mid-guard, waiting. His imaginary attacker moved slightly, shifting his weight, and that was the opening. Blurring into motion, he brought the katana up to a high guard as he took a quick step forward, and then pivoted on his heel, using the momentum of his turn to bring the sword around in a vicious lateral swing that would have decapitated the imaginary opponent whose guard he had just slipped under. He came to rest in a low solid stance, the sword still parallel to the ground and rock steady. Not daring to move a muscle or even breathe, his mind gibbered helplessly.

What... what was that?

Very slowly he unlocked his muscles, and bent down to retrieve the scabbard. The pale moonlight flickered slightly as high thin clouds eclipsed it momentarily. His foot gently tapped against the end of the long wooden sheath, and he stretched his hand out, groping desperately as it begin to slide down the roof. Overbalancing, he dropped the katana and watched helplessly as it and the scabbard slid down the roof and over the edge. He cringed, waiting for the clatter, but it never came.

Oh, right, it's just grass down that side. The deck is on the other side...

He regained his footing and stood, looking behind him at the deck and the gently rippling sheets that had been hung up to air out. The moonlight shone around the clouds once again, illuminating them with a stark whiteness as if they were pale apparitions floating in the breeze. A presence loomed over him, katana and scabbard in hand, and he panicked as the memory of his previous attacker resurfaced. Then he picking up the familiar scent of perfume, and panicked even more.

"AACK! M-Motoko!" His arms pinwheeled as he lost his balance and stumbled down the roof towards the ground, and a world of pain. A firm smoothly-calloused hand gripped his wrist, arresting his fall, and his panic went through the roof. "I'm sorry! I didn't mean to! I swear!" His apology was automatic and immediate, for he knew that if he didn't speak up quickly, he usually didn't get a chance at all, especially when confronted by one of the twin scions of Hinata-Sou.

"Urashima!" she hissed, releasing his hand with obvious distaste when he had regained his balance. "What is your business here?"

"I... I was just getting some fresh air. S-Study... break. Needed to get out..." He was not a good liar in the best of circumstances, but this was not really a lie. As he stumbled backwards, his eyes never left the woman, waiting for the punishment that was sure to follow.

"Urashima, look out!" She reached out, intending to stop him from falling, but it was too late. In any case, her sudden words and gesture had the opposite effect, causing him to jump in terror, propelling him out over the edge of the roof. He hung comically in mid-air for a moment, then fell with a crash to the ground below. She let her hand fall, sweat-dropping as she sighed.

That fool. Oh well, whatever it is he was hiding, he's been punished enough by his own actions.

She seated herself on the roof, closing her eyes to meditate for a few minutes before her nightly work-out.

"Still... alive..." she heard the softly groaned words from the courtyard below and grimaced slightly, marveling at the boy's seeming invincibility.


Cold emotionless eyes watched as the boy picked himself up from where he lay on the ground, dusted himself off, and walked around the corner out of sight. Moments later he reappeared, sheathed katana in hand, and set off towards the side entrance nearest to his room. As he disappeared around the other corner, the neutral gaze drifted up to where Motoko practiced on the roof.


Silence filled the air as he stepped into his room and slid the door closed behind him. He did not know why he had brought the sword back with him as opposed to returning it to the hidden armory, but it just felt right to keep it near him. As he softly padded across the room towards his dresser, he considered the lack of a sword-stand.

Maybe I'll get one from the armory tomorrow.

He set the sheathed katana down upon the dresser, his hand resting on it reverentially as he looked back towards his futon. He could not explain it, but he wanted nothing more than to lay it down beside the bed where he slept, but he snorted at how silly that notion seemed to his conscious mind. With an effort, he walked away from the dresser, undressed himself, pulled on his sleeping shorts, and slipped underneath the covers.


The woman's cool dispassionate gaze watched until the light in the manager's room turned off. She had witnessed the fight, and his encounter with Motoko on the roof.

And so it begins. Fifteen years. I'm surprised he managed to avoid the Game for this long, but it looks like he can run no longer.

She knew how he had hated the Game, hated what he was, hated his origins even though he did not know them.

He's far too kindhearted for his own good, and yet that's exactly why he should be the one to survive.

She saluted the darkened room as she turned to leave.

I am a Watcher, part of a secret society of men and women who observe and record, but never interfere. I have already almost broken that rule more than once. We know the truth about Immortals. In the end there can be only one. May it be you, Keitaro Urashima.


Author's Notes: Just an idea I had, I feel excited about the possibilities in this kind of crossover, and was surprised when there were no other Love Hina/Highlander crossovers already out there. It seems like such a natural idea, but eh. Anyway, lemme know what you think, about the idea, about how I've presented it, or anything.