THE LEGEND OF THE HINA BLADE
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Death's Head - I do not own Love Hina, Ken Akamatsu does. All I own are the original characters, which will be appearing in this story.
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Chapter One :
Keitaro Urashima sighed as he gazed at the new maps on display in the window of Williams map supplies. As a Cartographer, maps were his life, and whenever new maps were found, he'd take great joy in even getting a small glimpse of them. It was that attribute which annoyed his long-suffering friend to no end.
Markus Casewell, a scholar by trade, again tried to pull Keitaro away from the window, this time succeeding.
"Come on Keitaro, you know you'll never be able to afford it. As it is, we can barely afford to pay the rent to Mrs. Kensington. And if we can't pay the rent… "
Keitaro finished.
"We need to look elsewhere to lodge. I know Markus, I know. Still, one can dream right?"
Markus looked at his friend and nodded.
"True, but dreams can't keep a roof over one's head, or food in one's stomach. Or even pay your assistant. How long must she wait for her pay Keitaro?"
Keitaro looked at his feet.
"I don't know. No one needs a cartographer anymore."
Markus sighed and put his hand on his forehead.
"We'll find work somehow Keitaro, but for now we need to figure out what to do with ourselves and for Shinobu as well."
Keitaro looked up at Markus.
"Well, what would you suggest Markus? I don't know, get aboard a ship and become pirates?"
Before Markus could respond, Keitaro's assistant, Shinobu Maehara, came running up to them, panting.
"Keitaro! Markus! You have to head back to the Inn now!"
Markus and Keitaro looked at each other.
"Oh great."
Markus nodded.
"Exactly."
As the three headed back towards the Inn, a figure stepped out of an alcove and watched them.
"Interesting. So they're the ones Captain Fyre wants watched eh? Well she pays me well so, I guess I'd better keep my end of the bargain."
The figure pulled it's cloak tighter around itself, and followed the cartographer, scholar and the young woman.
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Inside the Red Dragon Inn :
Markus, Keitaro and Shinobu entered the Inn, and looked over at the Innkeeper, Mrs. Kensington. She motioned over at a table near the fireplace, where a man was sitting. Keitaro and Markus looked at each other, instantly suspicious of the man. He smiled disarmingly at them, and bade them, and Shinobu, to join him.
No sooner had they sat down, the man cleared his throat.
"Ahem, allow me to introduce myself. I am Seta Noriyasa, noted adventurer and fun seeker."
Markus, Keitaro and Shinobu paled at the mention of his name. Seta Noriyasa was indeed an adventurer, and misfortune rained down on those who happened to be traveling with him.
Seta, however, continued to talk.
"Now, I've happen to come across a little map, which I'm certain leads to a hidden empire. An empire of what, I'm not certain. But one thing I am certain of, is that where there's an empire, there's also treasure to be found and fame."
Markus raised a hand to stop him.
"You sound like a pirate." He muttered before continuing "Excuse me, but why would you have need of us? I'm just a simple scholar and Keitaro here is just a cartographer, with an assistant. You say you have a map, so I can hazard a guess as to why Keitaro and Shinobu MAY be of use to you, but why me?"
Seta paused and shifted in his seat.
"Well, think of it this way. As a scholar, you're in search of knowledge. Therefore, if you come along, who knows of what you could find which could be of great importance to your peers?"
Markus frowned. He didn't like the way this Seta was thinking. Keitaro on the other hand, had almost fallen off of his seat at the mention of the word 'map', He had a glazed look in his eyes, and Shinobu herself looked a little flustered as well. Markus decided to ask another question.
"Alright then, why us?"
Seta smiled.
"Because, from what I understand from the delightful Mrs. Kensington, the three of you no longer have a place to stay. I'm offering the three of you work, and the chance of a lifetime. What do you have to say?"
Keitaro jumped to his feet, excitement in his eyes.
"WE ACCEPT!!"
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Death's Head - Next chapter will have three more Love Hina characters introduced in their new roles. Let me know what you think so far, yes? R&R please.