Disclaimer: I don't own Love Hina, nor am I making money from this.
WARNING: None that wasn't in the previous chapters.
Authors Note: Ano… sorry it took so long to get this up; shit hit the fan, and fanfics kinda took a backseat to life in general. Then there's the Negima story I started up too… but anyway, I wasn't just going to quit this, so here's a nice chapter to make up for the gap. Oh, and about Naru's reaction, since it was brought up a couple'a times: just wait and see, but I promise you she's not homophobic.
Without further ado…
Love Hina: All-Girls Dorm Edition
Chapter 4:Christmas Presents
"Move Urashima!"
Boom!
"Ah! I am moving!"
Crash! Snap! Boom!
"No! Don't stop and throw punches like that! Keep moving!"
Crick! Pop! Boom! Crunch!
"Ah! My shoulder!"
"Suck it up! Now come on!"
"Are you trying to kill me?!"
BOOM!!
"AAAHHH!!"
"Uuuhhh…" Keika whined as she, quite literally, dragged the majority of her up the steps of Hinata-sou, a training garb clad woman behind him.
"We will be late for breakfast if you do not hurry up, Urashima-san." Motoko said matter-of-factly "It would upset Shinobu if we were late."
"I can't feel my legs enough to walk!" Keika whined as she continued to drag herself up the steps, most likely doing more damage to her already destroyed 'training garb' (aka. sweatpants and a sweatshirt, though she still wore the gloves, which were the only undamaged articles of clothing).
"You should be used to the training by now, Urashima-san." Motoko said, once again in a matter-of-fact tone of voice "You seem to do so well every other day of the week."
"We don't actually try to kill each other every day of the week!" Keika retorted as she continued dragging herself, now painfully, up the steps "Ah… why did I actually duel you?!"
Eventually, she made it to the top of the steps, which is when Motoko finally gave in and helped out her 'apprentice'. It had been two weeks already since Motoko had begun what Keika had to consider to be the 'training from hell', and she personally found it hard to believe that Motoko was not a deranged psychopath if this is what she had to go through as a child. Still, the first day had been easy…
Flashback
"Do we have to be up this early?" Keika asked, her eyes barely open in the barely risen sunlight.
"Early to bed, early to rise." Motoko said simply "Get in your stance."
"Wait, you mean the one I fought you with?" Keika asked, simply for clarification.
"Of course."
Mentally shrugging her shoulders, Keika did as she was told and took up her Soyokaze-ryu stance.
"Now, here is the first reason I'm teaching you Shinmei-ryu: your style does not fit you." Motoko began, receiving a confused look from the woman she was now calling her 'apprentice' "Despite the 'soft' nature of the style, and the fact that there's the chance you won't have to ever physically touch your opponent, the fact remains that the style is an offensive-defensive style focused on power with blocking as the primary defensive technique."
"Wow… you figured that out from one fight?" Keika responded, slipping from her stance in amazement.
"Keep your stance!" Motoko ordered, and Keika followed "Now, such a style is designed for you to 'stand and fight' while not letting the enemy get the chance to attack you by overwhelming them with attacks. Now, that's not necessarily a bad way to fight, but it's not the way you specialize in fighting."
"Wha?" Keika asked, confused, but maintaining her stance this time.
"Which was easier for you yesterday, Urashima-san: blocking my attacks, or dodging my attacks?"
Keika thought for a moment.
"…dodging them." Keika said simply, and then it clicked "But my style teaches me not to dodge, but to block instead!"
"Exactly. Further, the nature of the style requires you to be willing to take the initiative in assaulting your opponent, and you have an aversion to harm others, it would seem." Motoko continued, walking around to Keika's back "Plus, it is rather difficult to simultaneously attack and defend with this style, given the power and focus required for each attack or defense. Finally, your style is extremely lethal."
"Wait, what?!" Keika retorted in shock "What do you-"
"You put a lot of ki and focus into each attack; any single attack yesterday would have easily torn me apart." Motoko explained "Combined with the inappropriate defensive techniques, inappropriate offensive strategy, and your aversion to harming others, this style is wholly inappropriate for you."
Keika was dumbfounded for quite some time as she took it all in. She was also surprised at how easily Motoko had picked apart her style, but that was a wholly different type of confusion.
"So… instead of Soyokaze-ryu, you want to teach me a style that fights with an extremely lethal sword?" Keika asked, now thoroughly confused.
"It is true that Shinmei-ryu teaches us to fight primarily with a blade, but to rely solely on one's weapon is not only stupid, but asking for you to be killed." Motoko explained, moving back around to Keika's front "We teach a variant unarmed style, though it is not as… strict and structured as the sword forms, so you'll have some ply to… express your abilities to their fullest. The style's basis though is centered around evasion, speed, movement, and is generally far less lethal."
"I don't know if I want to learn how to fight better…"
"Urashima, you lost the duel, and I intend to make you grow a backbone one way or another." Motoko said, interrupting Keika's protesting "Now, the best way I know to build character is to teach you my art, so that's what I'm going to do, understand?"
"H-Hai, Motoko-san-"
"That's 'Motoko-sensei' now."
"H-Hai M-Motoko-s-sensei!"
End Flashback
Then came thirteen days of physical training, since Motoko needed her to be in good shape before she could teach her the style. Keika lost track of how many miles she had run that day alone, and then there were the muscle building exercises…
"Well look who returned! It's the mighty warrior woman duo!" Kitsune announced as Motoko dragged Keika into the room "Who won the battle sugar?"
"Ugh…" was all Keika responded with as Motoko set her into a chair nearby, adjusting her legs so she appeared normal.
"…Ah take it ya didn't win, sugar?" Kitsune asked rhetorically as she saw just how badly damaged Keika appeared to be "Did'ja break her legs Motoko?"
"No. She lost, so she had to run." Motoko said as she calmly as she began to eat her breakfast.
"Seven miles… in an hour…" Keika said as she, rather shakily, dug into her breakfast "Can't… walk…"
"Ano… will you be alright sempai?" Shinobu asked in concern.
"I've… had worse…" Keika said with a forced grin, moments before she fell forward into her food, unconscious.
"AAUUU! Sempai!"
"Damn, girl, ya runnin' that gal back there ragged." Kitsune said as she and Motoko stepped out of Keika's room, having just finished putting the girl into her futon to sleep off the effects of training "Has she gotten the chance ta study for that test next week?"
"Yes. Luckily, that is one of the things she and Naru still do together." Motoko said calmly, though she was a bit worried for her apprentice "Though they have a tendency to ask me to sit in with them while they study."
"Naru's still a bit paranoid eh?"
"Of course." Motoko answered with a nod "I fail to see why Urashima-san's sexuality would be a problem for Naru; she's not like those perverted friends of hers."
"Well of course you wouldn't, would ya?" Kitsune said with a grin, which got her a glare shot back at her "Oh quit that; it don't work and ya know it."
"Hmph. In regards to your initial concern, Konno-san-"
"Kitsune."
"-Konno-san, it may be tough on her, but the fact that she is willing to endure the hardships is a sign that she is not truly the coward she seems to be at times." Motoko finished explaining "Besides, the only reason it is so hard is because she has had little to no physical training. Though she is quite skilled with ki, Shinmei-ryu requires the mind, body, and spirit to be in unison in order to work effectively."
"Still, she couldn't even walk, Motoko."
"I am giving her no more slack than I would any other apprentice." Motoko stated "I am giving her no less either."
Sighing, Kitsune simply made her way to the couch, as the duo had just finished going down the stairs into the main room.
"Whatever… just don't kill 'er, or ruin what th' two of ya have goin'." Kitsune said as she plopped on the couch, switching on a horse race and opening up the sake bottle she had brought with her.
Motoko, though she outwardly rolled her eyes at what Kitsune was saying, did start to think some things over.
Keika was getting used to waking up at five in the morning. In fact, if she had to be honest, she'd have to say that the training, which had been going on for about four weeks now, wasn't nearly as bad as it had been. She had more energy during the days, and she generally felt better from the physical activity. She actually found herself able to focus on studying better, and her grades even improved because of it. Her grades might have gotten even better if Naru would stop being so paranoid around her and help her more.
Since the incident with Su, things had changed regarding Keika. Though Motoko and Su treated her the same, except for Motoko's training of course, the other girls had changed a bit. Kitsune would use this 'newfound knowledge' to her advantage when asking for money, as well as the brunt of some jokes. Shinobu seemed to always be blushing around Keika, though Keika hadn't a clue why. Then there was Naru, who refused to take baths with her, would misunderstand some statements as being sexually charged, and was generally wary around her. According to Kitsune, a friend of Naru's for quite some time, it wasn't homophobia, but Keika didn't know what else to call Naru's behavior.
But anyway, Keika now had nothing to study as she awaited the results of the mock exam due back at 4:00 pm on December 24, which was today. School was out for the rest of the Hinata-sou girls as well, though she seemed to be the only one without anything to do, besides train with her 'sensei', that is.
Boom!
Unfortunately, Motoko loved to train in her free time.
"Remember to keep moving Urashima!" Motok shouted as she swooped in with another ki charged slash.
Keika ducked under the strike and then shot to one side, pausing for the briefest of moments to stop herself and launch at Motoko, her hands layered in enough ki to serve as a means to block a blade. That was a good thing, as the strike was parried by Motoko's blade with a significant ease.
"You're still reserved!" Motoko declared as she through back Keika's punch "Stop trying to hit me, and hit me already!"
"Ougi: Zankuushou!" Keika shouted as she threw a punch forward, letting loose a 'bullet' of ki that was quickly dodged by Motoko who threw a bladed version of the same attack back at Keika a moment later.
Keika put up a ki defense, canceling the attack, which is when the fight stopped.
"Urashima!" Motoko shouted harshly "I instructed you to not rely on your previous training!"
"I'm sorry Motoko-sensei! It's reflexive!" Keika replied, cowering a bit under the younger girl's loud voice.
"That's why you focus on not doing it!" Motoko continued, her tone still harsh "Ten miles! You have an hour!"
Silently swearing to herself, Keika looked down at her watch to set the timer…
…and noticed that it was already past four.
"The scores…" Keika muttered, wide eyed "…the scores!"
"What was tha-" Motoko asked just before Keika ran by her faster than she'd expected "Urashima!"
"Sorry sensei! They already released the scores!" was all Keika shouted as she ran through the trees to Hinata-sou "I'll run the twelve miles later!"
Motoko didn't even get the chance to correct the older woman's mileage before she was out of earshot. Motoko did, however, smile, and subtly blush to a degree, as she watched Keika leave her vision.
'I hope she does well…'
"I don't believe this…" Keika muttered as she traversed the steps of Hinata-sou "I… Kami-sama… this is…"
She held her test score out in front of her, mindlessly making her way to the door to Hinata-sou in the process. She would later wonder how she managed to find her way home, but at the moment, that was rather low on her list of concerns. Once inside the dorm, she had sense enough to remove her shoes before continuing on, not noticing until it was too late that Su was about to greet her in a rather Su-like fashion.
"Heyas Keika-chan!" Su shouted as she attempted to dislocate Keika's jaw with a flying side kick, which sent the older woman barreling across the room and over the couch which was, luckily, unoccupied.
"Uh… Su… hey…" Keika managed as she managed to attain her bearings once more "Where's Motoko-sensei?"
"Right here!" Su shouted, as it appeared she had moved to the other side of the room, near to where a banner sat across the way.
Having just noticed the banner, which had 'Merry Christmas' written across it, Keika was surprised to see that every member of the household, save Haruka of course, was looking at her from a table they had set up near their Christmas tree. It didn't escape Keika's attention that Shinobu made a very cute fem-Santa, and that even Motoko had donned a hat in an odd burst of holiday spirit.
"What's this?" Keika asked as she rolled backwards on the couch, landing on her feet once more.
"Well, ah figured ya could use a party 'cuz of the test result." Kitsune answered for the group, already half-way sloshed "How'd ya do by the way?"
"Well…" Keika began as she produced the 'dreaded' paper "…I passed!"
"What?!" was the collective response from the majority of the other tenants.
"Well, just barely with a 70, but I have a twenty-seven percent chance of getting into Toudai!" Keika was exclaiming, clearly overjoyed as she came closer to the table "If my grades keep improving like this…"
"Excellent job, Urashima-san." Motoko congratulated with a wide smile.
"Good job, sempai!" was yet another congratulations from the youngest tenant.
"Well damn, girl! Ah think we just found another reason ta have a party on Christmas Eve!" Kitsune announced as she broke open the bottle of champagne "Merry Christmas y'all!"
And so began the Christmas Eve/Christmas party of Hinata-sou, to which there was much a merrymaking and inebriation… especially the inebriation.
"Uh… I think… I think that's my limit…" Keika muttered to herself as she wobbled amongst the littered, drunken bodies.
She knew it was a lie; she could have drank twice as much and still be relatively lucid. She never reached that point though, not anymore at least. It was only herself, Motoko, and, to some degree, Naru who were still even awake, and it was all they could do to cover the others up with blankets and sheets retrieved from various areas about the inn. Having covered Shinobu with the last blanket, Keika went to take a seat next to Motoko, who appeared to be faring the best of all of them.
"Leave it to Konno-san to have a party like this…" Motoko muttered under her breath, though she was a lot louder than she thought she was being.
"Yeah… but hey, I don't mind." Keika replied, a short, obviously drunken, giggle escaping her lips "I think that score deserved a good party."
"That was a good score, Keika-ch-ah!" Motoko began, but stopped suddenly "… Urashima-san."
Keika didn't seem to catch it though, and Motoko was thankful.
"You know, I had thought something bad was going to happen today." Keika said with yet another giggle pervading her speech "I guess I was wrong though…"
Not two seconds later, there came a knock at the nearby front door, which startled two of the three inebriated occupants.
"What? Someone's here?" Keika said, furrowing her brow in confusion "It's… 2 am… why would…?"
"Nobody of a legitimate purpose would come here at this hour." Motoko said sternly as she got to her feet "Let me handle this."
"No no, I've got it." Keika said, getting up and making sure to block Motoko's path "Just stay behind me, in case something's up."
Motoko nodded, knowing that, unlike herself, Keika could heal anything short of a decapitation or dismemberment. That, and Motoko didn't trust her own judgement when drunk like she was. So, Keika went to the door, opened it slowly, and revealed that out in the cold snow there was…
…nobody. Just snow, and footprints that were either a younger person's or a woman's. Motoko and herself took a few steps out into the cold, which sobered them a bit, and it wasn't until Motoko stepped on a sheet of paper that she said anything.
"What's this?" Motoko said aloud as she retrieved the sheet, which turned out to be a photograph that she could see with the light from the house.
Motoko's eyes went wide, and her mouth dropped. Keika noticed Motoko's expression, and came over to see what was on the photo. Her eyes too went wide, her face paling as she saw the image in the photo. It was of a woman's torso, a rather well endowed one at that. She wore a red blouse, which was unbuttoned entirely and held open with the woman's hands. There, in the center of the woman's chest was a scar in a starbust pattern, spreading slightly onto the edges of her breasts.
That, however, wasn't what had Keika frightened to the bone. No, what scared her were the kanji written up on either side of the image.
Remember me, Keika-chan? I remember you…
"…Urashima-san…" Motoko finally managed to say "What is this?"
Keika didn't respond. She couldn't respond. Instead she did the one thing she could manage: she broke down and wept, then and there in the cold and the snow.
End Chapter 4
Author's Note: Well, there ya go. You know the drill: Review please! If I know people like the fic, I'll keep it a-goin'! Hopefully the next update won't take so long; I don't like making you all think this is a 'dead' fic. It will be completed, or (insert extreme punishment here)! But yeah, please review, and please offer suggestions if you have them, for they are appreciated wholly and honestly.
