"Blind Leading The Blind"
By MakKeiUra
A Love Hina/Doctor Who crossover fanfiction
Send all comments, critiques, and other assorted nonsense to:
makkeiura
DISCLAIMER: I do not own Love Hina, Ken Akamatsu does, nor do I own Doctor Who. The BBC and its various units and writers own the good Doctor. No profit is being made from this.
NOTES: For Love Hina, this story takes place in an alternate universe/future to the anime-only continuity. For Doctor Who, this takes place in between whatever comes next for the 12th Doctor after "The Husbands of River Song" but before the next canon adventure… which the BBC tells us will be another Steven Moffat penned Christmas special. On the part of Love Hina, as I was always too damned poor to acquire the manga, any extras you see in this story that don't quite jive with the anime are freely absorbed from almost fifteen years of reading Love Hina fan fiction. For simplicity sake, the major point of departure is the end of the TV series, including episode 25. Just ignore everything that happened on screen after that. While I do acknowledge that, obviously, this story will alter a lot of the background purposes of what drives the main characters in Love Hina, I suspect that this is what you are here for.
000
October 17th, 2009, God's Cry Kendo dojo, Kyoto Prefecture
"Dammit!" Keitaro Urashima cursed as he lost his grip on the shinai. The bamboo practice sword sailed smoothly through the air to imbed itself in the shoji screen wall of the dojo. He sighed and shrugged. "I am sorry, Tsuruko-sensei."
"It is fine, Keitaro-kun." She nodded for him to retrieve another shinai. Once Keitaro had done so, he took his position. On this day, Tsuruko was leading his training since Anzai Aoyama, Keitaro's soon-to-be father in law, was attending to some business in Kyoto City.
"Resume your katas," Tsuruko stated.
Keitaro did so. He performed a number of sword strikes for around fifteen minutes, before…
"Dammit!" Another shinai now ended up in the ceiling of the dojo.
Keitaro closed his eyes, breathing deep in the way that Motoko had taught him to help deal with flustration and achieve patience.
"Retrieve another one," Tsuruko said, utterly patient.
Keitaro exhaled slowly. "And after the other one?"
"The same."
"Is this ever going to end?" Keitaro asked, louder than he had meant it.
Tsuruko gave a small smile. *That* smile. "It already has."
"Huh?" Keitaro gave Tsuruko an incredulous look.
"How many shinais have you lost your grip on this month?"
"Probably about twelve." Keitaro closed his eyes again, as if that would make the shame easier to bear.
"Eleven, actually." Tsuruko chuckled. "How many did you drop or throw your first month?"
"I… don't remember."
"I do. Thirty-five." Tsuruko said. "You have improved considerably."
"Somehow I just don't feel it right now." Keitaro said bitterly.
"My father would have you do laps around the gardens if he were here right now for such an attitude." Tsuruko gave a short laugh.
Keitaro nodded. "Maybe that's what I need right now."
"And then Motoko-han would want to tan your hide for good measure," Tsuruko stated dryly. "But I think she is saving that for the honeymoon."
Keitaro blushed furiously. His wedding to Motoko was less than a week away and Tsuruko seemed to delight in dropping innuendos and other comments daily to both Keitaro and Motoko about what was to come. Though they shared the same room since his arrival after the events of the "Battle of Pepperpot Point," they had both agreed to enjoy only up to making out until their marriage. Indeed, though they slept side by side, they had separate futons. This would change once they were married. Motoko had meticulously arranged for a western style bed for them. When Keitaro expressed surprise that she would indulge in such a luxury, Motoko simply smiled, then kissed him fiercely telling him she will enjoy the luxury of him every night once they are married.
"I just wish I was making actual progress I could see..." Keitaro remarked quietly.
"Hmm?" Tsuruko asked. "What was that, Kei-kun?"
Keitaro repeated what he said a bit louder.
Tsuruko's expression took on a serious look, then she smiled. An actual different smile from her this time. "Very well then, follow me." She turned around and led him out the back door of the dojo. Soon, Keitaro was following past a set of hedges, and past a sign that read:
"URASHIMA KENDO TRAINING! PROTECTIVE HEADGEAR REQUIRED UNLESS KI CERTIFIED SIXTH DAN!"
They rounded the corner of a wooden fence. This was a part of the dojo grounds that Keitaro had not walked through before.
"Here." Tsuruko pointed along the fence. Neatly lined up against the fence were shoji screens with shinais and the occasional bokken through them. Underneath each screen was a sign denoting the number and type of weapon thrown through it and the corresponding week. Keitaro's eyes followed. Week one, two, three, four… at first it was only one shinai or bokken less than the preceding week, but literally right before his eyes was the evidence that he had asked of Tsuruko.
"I don't believe it." Keitaro whispered.
"In time you will." Tsuruko smiled.
000
Anzai and Motoko removed their shoes and put on their house slippers, and then almost in unison, proceeded inside the former's office and plunked down their briefcases on Motoko's desk.
"Well that meeting was fruitless, wasn't it, Motoko-chan?" Anzai grumbled.
"Indeed it was, father." Motoko agreed. They had just gone to a meeting in the office of the Governor of Kyoto Prefecture. The meeting covered the Dalek threat, Su-Narsuegawa labs ongoing efforts to create both a method of early detection of the Daleks but also a kind of dimensional "shell" or shield to protect them, considerations of public relations as it regarded the God's Cry School, and finally considerations of national and family politics.
Motoko cast a sidelong glance at her father. "I will not allow Kei-kun to become a political pawn, father."
"Nor will I." Anzai said. "But we're going to have to tell him. It's only going to be a matter of time. These offers are not going to go away… for him, for you, or for me, either." He laughed ruefully. "There was a time I would have jumped at a chance to be allowed onto the party list for an election, let alone running in an actual district. Now…" he shook his head. "The world and the dojo needs more than just politics."
Motoko's eyes narrowed. "I can tell some of them are looking down at him. They have done the research into Kei-kun's past, and they think to make a puppet out of him. But he is meant for more than just being a member of the Diet, House of Councillors, or even the Governor of Kanagawa."
"Right now, they're thinking of Hinata City council…" Anzai said offhand. "If it comes down to it, I will discuss with your mother and aunt if it is time for me to enter public life."
Motoko reached up to touch her father's shoulder. "If it must be, then the LDP will have no finer candidate for whatever they deem best."
Anzai clasped Motoko's hand. "If it must be, then you let me take that role, and you protect and train my son-in-law to be." He grinned, laughing. "I trust the Aoyama women to whip that boy into shape."
"He tries so hard, sometimes in his sleep at night he repeats the kata names." Motoko said.
"Make certain he does not work himself too hard," Anzai said seriously. "I know he is frightened by the Daleks; more so than anyone with good reason, but his skills are coming along nicely."
"Thus big sister and I have told him." Motoko shook her head. "He still wrestles with the past sometimes."
"So do all great warriors," Anzai smiled. "The greater glory goes to those who wrestle with it and still come out on top."
Motoko nodded. "Well, Kei-kun should be done with his practice for the morning. Let's go tell him what the government ministers had to say."
000
After Tsuruko had shown Keitaro his training progress, she led him back to the dojo where she simply said it was time for him to meditate on this morning's session. Tsuruko said ordinarily she would join him, but it was time for Mitsuru to depart to his next assignment and she needed to go watch their son after bidding her husband farewell, safe journey, and happy demon hunting.
Keitaro meditated for his usual amount of time. He focused on his breath and the sounds of the room around him. He was alone, but the sounds of the other students of the dojo could be overheard as a class was practicing some hand to hand maneuvers on the green outside. He reflected on his progress, but also the strength of the enemy they were (potentially) facing. Keitaro knew that he was getting better, but would it be enough?
He opened his eyes. Keitaro knew it was time to go freshen up and meet Motoko and her father. He stood up, stretched a bit, then exited the dojo.
"Why good morning, Keitaro-san!" Konoha Aoyama called in her lilting voice.
"Ah, our newest student," Kaede's voice, slightly dryer and deeper but just as musical met his ears.
Keitaro bowed deep and slow. "Good morning to you, Konoha-san, Kaede-san."
The two raven haired sisters smiled, then laughed. "Soon it will be son-in-law," Konoha smirked.
"Is this about my wedding kimono fitting?" Keitaro asked. "I took your advice, Konoha-san to lay off the sweets, really I have!" Keitaro laughed, scratching the back of his head.
"And only partaking in light beer when you drink with my brother-in-law," Kaede cut in.
"Uh, yeah, that too." Keitaro nodded. "What brings you two to the practice yard today?"
"Enjoying a pleasant fall afternoon." Konoha said, glancing around, enjoying the afternoon breeze.
"Stretching my legs away from the usual clan politics." Kaede rubbed her temples, Keitaro could tell that her eyes were still adjusting to the bright sunlight. He recalled his first meeting with her shortly after his arrival at the dojo back in April. The head of the clan and God's Cry dojo had scarcely been beyond the grounds of the family compound in years. Some days she did not go outdoors. On that day he first met Kaede, Keitaro had to allow his eyes a minute to adjust to the low light level in Kaede's office. The only thing illuminated was a large wall-mounted map of the world with little push-pins and post-it notes on it. After exchanging pleasantries and greetings, Kaede had made her first request of the God's Cry School's newest student; please pour her a stout glass of whiskey. Keitaro had done so, and over the next hour they had a pleasant conversation about his life and his experiences in the incident with the Daleks. She told him to give the dojo his all; but not to forget to be a well-rounded individual but she had very little worry of that given what she already knows about him from Motoko and Tsuruko. Three things stuck out in Keitaro's mind from this meeting. One, in response to his query Kaede enthusiastically explained that the map of the world did indeed show the various senior ki practitioners of the dojo and what operations or missions they were conducting. Two, a small smile rarely ever left Kaede's lips but it almost seemed like it was in response to not what was happening in the room but some kind of private joke or hearing pleasant music inside one's head. Third, in contrast to most drinkers Keitaro knew, Kaede was a slow sipper; they spoke for an entire hour and Kaede never quite finished the glass.
Keitaro took a look around, and yes it was a nice fall afternoon. It was amazing, really, ever since what happened with the Daleks some days seemed just so tangible in how gorgeous they were.
"Sounds great, ladies," Keitaro smiled. "I was just on my way to get cleaned up for tea with Motoko-chan."
"Mind if we accompany you?" Konoha asked.
Keitaro blushed instinctively. "Ah, what?"
The two sisters laughed.
"Only over to the main building," Kaede said, still laughing. "We leave anything further to Motoko-chan."
"No wish for a family soap opera." Konoha grinned.
And so, with one lady on each arm, the three of them casually strolled through the gardens meandering in the general direction of the dojo;s main building. The three of them chatted pleasantly about the upcoming wedding, the reception, and Su's insistence on Keitaro and Motoko going to MolMol where they can be protected at all times while still enjoying a paradise.
Perhaps Kaede noted the slight droop of his shoulders as he said this last, but she made her presence known to him at his left side somehow. Keitaro turned to look.
"You disagree with Su's plan?" Kaede asked.
"No," Keitaro replied. "I just wish such precautions weren't necessary for us."
"Perhaps someday they will not be, Keitaro-san." Konoha said
Kaede nodded slowly. "We can always hope."
"It's just hard to feel completely relaxed and do something like go out to dinner when you know there's fifteen ninjas just out of sight in case anything happens, you know?" Keitaro sighed. "But I know it's necessary for our safety."
"Keep training hard and someday you will easily match your guards," Kaede smirked.
"And perhaps even my daughters, too." Konoha winked.
The two ladies good humor made Keitaro laugh. He barely felt his left foot catch on a slightly upraised portion of grass, his body just began its forward momentum for him to go ass over tea kettle, when his center of gravity corrected itself and he regained his footing and step momentum with the two Aoyama women on his arms.
"That was close," Konoha said, "wasn't it, sister?"
"Indeed it was." Kaede chuckled.
"Woah, what happened?" Keitaro asked.
The two women tittered.
"The combined good luck from our ki's must have saved you from your fall." Konoha said lightly.
"But your work here helped make that trick work," Kaede said pointedly. "Just a few months ago, you would have tumbled to the ground and us along with you."
"Probably in an embarrassing position, too." Keitaro found himself unable to not say that.
The two women laughed. Keitaro's reputation preceding itself.
"Ah!" Anzai's voice called from across the grounds. "There you all are!"
"Kei-kun!" Motoko called out pleasantly.
"Motoko-chan!" Keitaro beamed.
"Sister," Konoha said in a lilting voice, "it would seem Motoko-chan has cut our walk short."
"In such an agreeable fashion, too." Kaede snickered.
000
After exchanging pleasantries and affectionate greetings between a married couple and a soon to be married couple, Anzai, Motoko, and Keitaro sat on a long stone bench next to the stream that flowed from the dojo's hot spring.
"Me? Politics?" Keitaro's astonishment could hardly be contained. Nor his hesitance.
"I am only telling you this now to prepare you for when they start asking you." Anzai said. "And even if you tell them 'hell no' a thousand times they will always find a way to ask another way at another time for another reason." The bearded Aoyama man nodded towards his daughter sitting hand-in-hand with Keitaro, "why will also ask Motoko-chan too."
Keitaro squeezed his fiance's hand. "But we can't run for office; there's an alien invasion threat!"
"Exactly," Anzai said, "that's why it might be me stepping forward." He laughed. "The government and the parties want an Aoyama to either lionize or demonize for the effort to protect against the Daleks."
"Aoyama-san…" Keitaro said, "there must be another way…" he trailed off. Keitaro, unlike many younger Japanese, actually had a fairly high opinion of those who took on the role of statesman both nationally and locally. A life of compromise and struggle had taught Keitaro not to apply differing standards of honesty and integrity to those who either worked in business, law enforcement, religion, government, or just the workaday world. All were either capable of the greatest heights or the most despicable lows. Furthermore, while as a voter Keitaro regularly rejected radicals at either end of the political spectrum; he was honest and clear-headed enough to have a fairly high opinion of his humble, effective, and hardworking local ward representative on the Hinata City council, even if the man was a card-carrying Communist.
"Kei-kun," Motoko said. "Remember what I told you about sacrifice being needed."
Keitaro nodded slowly. "You said not just from us, but also our families as well." He smiled weakly over at Anzai. "I just didn't want to drag my future father-in-law into the spotlight with me."
Anzai shrugged. "Each to his fate when the chimes of destiny do ring."
"This might be the best way to keep the clan in the loop when it comes to important developments regarding the Dalek threat," Motoko said. "And to also advocate for even more funding for the dimensional shield project of Naru and Su's."
"Can't they see what the risk is, and they're arguing over money?" Keitaro asked incredulously.
"Hundreds of trillions of yen." Anzai shook his head at the magnitude.
"What about Su's family?" Keitaro asked.
"They are trying." Motoko said. "I will be meeting with Naru-chan this afternoon," her face brightened a touch, "Mutsumi-chan will be joining her."
Keitaro smiled. "That's great, it'll be nice to see them again."
"Always nice to have more company at the long table with the students." Anzai smiled.
"Especially when you tell them about the great Aoyama samurais of the Eighteenth and Nineteenth centuries." Motoko smirked. "For the thousandth time."
Anzai wagged a finger at his youngest daughter. "Always someone new at table these days who was not heard the tales."
"Mutsumi-chan will enjoy them."
'Naru-chan about fell asleep the last time she heard them.' Motoko thought, hoping this time would not mark the first time the scientist nodded off hearing her father tell a rousing tale of samurai derring-do. She smiled at Keitaro's enthusiasm, the developing friendship and mentorship between her fiance and her father was one of the joys of her life now. Motoko was also heartened at how her mother and aunt loved treating Keitaro like doting big sisters.
'Not unlike how Big Sister treats me,' Motoko groaned inwardly. Now she knew she was not alone in that feeling.
"I will put in a grand performance for Otohime-san tonight, then." Anzai grinned, he rose, straightened his black business suit, bowed, "it is time for practice with Kono-chan."
"Practice well, father," Motoko rose, bowed with a smile.
"See you at dinner, Aoyama-san," Keitaro followed suit.
000
After Anzai had left, Keitaro and Motoko had adjourned to her office for what had now become a regular ritual for the couple; enjoying tea on the deck outside next to the gardens. Recently though, while Tsuruko and Mitsuru had attempted to do most of the planning for them, wedding preparations was the main topic of conversation between them when preparations for the defense against the Daleks was not.
"How was training this morning?" Motoko sipped her still hot tea gingerly.
"I've been shown I am making progress, even if I don't see it." Keitaro said evenly.
Motoko listened. There were times she had to drag her fiance back from bouts of despair. She had remembered those feelings all too acutely within herself. Even with therapy, Motoko knew it was, potentially, a life-long process considering Keitaro's long-term battle with poor self-esteem. The couple had also discussed with Dr. Amagi that while a good relationship, marriage, and family can help, none of them were cures in an of itself for what Keitaro would have to deal with for the long-term. Not the least of which all of this happening in Keitaro's life while dealing with the Dalek threat.
"I just… have those dreams sometimes that they come back, and I'm not strong enough to fight them." Keitaro said, looking down into his own cup of steaming tea.
"You will be." Motoko said firmly. "Just keep your mind and your ki on your katas and the rest will follow."
Keitaro looked up, smiled at her. "One question… is Kitsune running a pool on how many shinais or bokkens I put through a screen in a week?"
"Tsuruko and I told her no gambling on premises as a condition of her employment." Motoko said with mock seriousness.
"I bet a part of her died when you two told her that."
"Not as large a part when I told her she would have to drink one cup of vinegar at dinner before her sake." Motoko smirked, it struck Keitaro she looked not unlike her sister then.
"You *know* she has her private supply," Keitaro scoffed.
"Oh, Tsuruko and I know, but we enjoy chiding her and making sure she has her vinegar-and proper exercise, too." Motoko's lectures to the legendary fox of Hinata Inn about her health and watching her figure had only increased over the years.
Keitaro chuckled, happy to know he was not alone in the daily cup of vinegar to go along with his training regiment.
They fell silent, for a few minutes they enjoyed their tea and the clear fall afternoon. Some leaves fell, a stray bird chirped, and off in the distance on an adjacent field, a class of students were learning katas; specifically ones that could be used in real combat.
"What's Su's latest update?" Keitaro asked.
Motoko frowned. The e-mail she had read this morning was disappointing save for Su's constant use of banana emoticons. "She said they are having trouble with the dimensional shield and portal detector prototypes, still. Moe-Chan says the answer is close, but she is not sure if the technology on hand is… *right*... for the task. Something more like her might be needed to regulate the energies. That's why Naru-chan is coming to see me today, to show me some data and materials they did not want being sent as an e-mail attachment or fax."
Keitaro sighed. "Sounds like Naru and Su might be asking you or Tsuruko to try and make something like Moe-Chan to make this shield or detector or whatever work."
Motoko nodded slowly. "So it would seem." She reached down with her free hand to clutch Keitaro's. "That would be the absolute last resort, I suspect."
Keitaro mulled the problem over in his head. If animating another doll somehow made it easier to protect the Earth and the universe from the Daleks; then it might be a necessary price to pay. On the other hand, it was to him still creating a conscious being to fight on their behalf. The idea turned his stomach.
Motoko sighed, noting the expression on her fiance's face. "Well, let us not jump to conclusions. I will be meeting Naru-chan and Mitsumi-chan in a few minutes. I will see what Su-chan refused to send over the internet. And you…" she raised her index finger to lightly tap Keitaro's nose, "need a bath before dinner."
Keitaro nodded, smiling. "Don't forget I also need to read Moe-Chan the newspaper, too."
"Yes, yes, I am well aware how much your little doll enjoys the opinion-editorial section."
With that, the couple silently finished their tea, set aside the cups to be cleaned later, kissed and wished each other a good rest of the afternoon until dinner. After Keitaro had left, Motoko quickly cleaned the cups in the small kitchen she had attached to her office, while mentally reviewing what exactly she would say to Naru if some of the proposals of Su-Narsuegawa Labs was not to God's Cry School liking.
000
"My my, Motoko-sama, you look splendid!" Mutsumi Otohime said as she gave a short bow to Motoko. The Turtle Lady dressed smartly in a green pencil skirt with a red blouse, clearly dressed for dinner.
"As do you, Mutsumi-san." Motoko bowed. "My best wishes to your husband."
"Thank you! Junichiro-kun wanted to come but he had to supervise a vendor meeting for the market."
Motoko smiled. "Ah, agriculture."
"And for you, the law." Mutsumi giggled.
"Now to saving the universe," Naru cut in, smirking as she adjusted her thick glasses, then instinctively smoothed the wrinkles out of her white lab coat.
"By all means," Motoko indicated the freshly cleared top of her oak desk.
Naru opened her attache case and produced several documents. She carefully showed each document and picture to Motoko, explaining each in layman's terms as well as possible, while Mutsumi, with their permission, texted on her phone between her husband and the various vendors at their farmer's market in Okinawa. This went on for about twenty minutes before Naru sat back in her seat with a "humph!"
"So, essentially, the transdimensional sensors keep overheating and nearly causing an explosion every time we bring them to full power." Naru sighed, removing her glasses and rubbing her temples.
Motoko absorbed this. She thought on the information presented for about a moment. Then, she remembered something. She had very little grasp on what the specifics were of what she was about to ask Naru, but she felt it was the right question to ask the scientist. "Have you tried reversing the polarity of the neutron flow?"
Instantly, Naru shot up in her seat. "W-what?"
"Have you?" Motoko raised an eyebrow.
"W-w-well, n-no. To tell the truth Su-chan, Sakata-kun, and I never thought of trying *that.*" Naru thought out loud. "But won't that just mess up the field detector and overload things like before and maybe take the whole control system with it?"
"Well," Motoko said, with perhaps a hint of smugness in her voice, "I am not the expert, but is it not worth a try?"
Naru nodded slowly, "yes, it is," she whispered, then louder: "Hell yes it is!" Busily, Naru started texting to Su on her phone.
Motoko smiled.
"Oh!" Naru looked up from her phone. "Can you, Kei-kun, Moe-Chan, and Tsuruko-sama come down to the lab tomorrow, we need to take some scans of all three of you since you all were on that Dalek ship and breathing its air and interacting with its environment."
Motoko nodded. "Of course, but can your scans tell us anything? It has been months already."
"That is partly what we are trying to find out," Naru said. "Residual particle readings should still be present after all this time, though."
"We will be there. How does half-past one o'clock sound?"
"Great!" Naru smiled, texting Su and Sakata.
"My, my…" Mutsumi said as she stood up from her seat, stretching as she had just woken up from a quick nap after texting her husband. "Are we ready to discuss more pleasant topics?"
"Hmmhmm!" Naru vocalized happily as she quickly collected the documents in her attache case."
"So… reception menu all set?" Mutsumi giggled.
"Yes," Motoko nodded. "Traditional Kyoto cuisine with some international additions and fusions courtesy of Shinobu-chan."
"Looking forward to that!" Naru commented.
"Everything set with attire?" Mutsumi asked, rubbing her palms together excitedly.
Motoko simply nodded. She and Keitaro and personally approved their wedding kimonos this morning.
"How is the clan going to deal with the media?"
"By katana-point and ki blasts," Motoko replied simply. "Kitsune and her photography team will release pictures we approve of, we will release a pre-prepared statement, and then it's off to MolMol."
"I see this is going to be a traditional Shinto wedding," Naru said offhand as she organized her papers and secured them in her attache case. "I always thought Kei-kun wanted a Western Christian church ceremony."
"Oh yes," Mutsumi chirped, "I remember all those times Su-chan put her mind-reader helmet on him and there was always a darling church ceremony on the campus of Tokyo U. A student wedding!"
Motoko's eye twitched.
"Oh yeah!" Naru laughed, "that was always what he wanted, wasn't it? I remember all those brochures he acquired on the sly about that."
Mutsumi giggled. "Remember all those men fashion magazines, with the white tuxedos?"
Motoko clenched her right fist.
"Oh, I do!" Naru chuckled. "That idiot had so much planned out…" Naru made her final check on her documents and the attache' case. "Motoko-chan, you know you two can always change your plans to a western style cerem-what's wrong?"
Naru found herself face to face with Motoko's glare.
Mutsum dropped her mobile phone, instantly sensing the dropping temperature in the office between her friends.
Motoko spoke coldly, efficiently, and with authority: "You two abdicated any say in this matter *years* ago."
Mutsumi and Naru were stone silent. Finally, Mutsumi raised her hand. "Motoko-chan, we meant no harm."
"Yeah, nothing like that." Naru waved her hands in front of her for emphasis.
Motoko regarded her two friends soberly, but in silence. This was something she did not care to let happen again, especially if Keitaro was around. "Kei-kun is no longer part of you two ladies little 'promise' anymore except as a friend… as I am your friend. But know this, you do not speak for him based on something that happened almost ten years ago that he may have said, or thought, said in a dream, or who knows what else."
Naru and Mutsumi listened, shame evident on their features.
Motoko continued: "Kei-kun is my love, my husband-to-be, I do not care one whit what occurred in the past, I only care about what he says here and now. And I tell you both, we both want you two at our wedding and reception, but if I hear anything like I just heard from you two, I will not hesitate to consult with Keitaro about this and voice my opinion for you two to be disinvited. Once again," Motoko spoke with absolute authority," he is *my* husband and I am *his* wife."
In unison, the two friends lowered their gaze. Mutsumi was the first to raise hers. "We apologize for speaking out of turn, Motoko-sama, we were thoughtless and careless with our words."
Naru nodded. "I am sorry. I really did not mean it to sound like it did."
For a moment silence, then Motoko sighed. "I accept your apologies. But remember you two are our friends, we forgive much, but the only 'promise' that matters now is the one Kei-kun and I will make at our wedding."
The two other women nodded.
Motoko breathed deeply. Part of her wanted to ask them both to leave, to come back tomorrow or the day after that after her anger had cooled, but she remembered how much Keitaro's mood had brightened when he heard that they would be joining them at table for dinner…
'Keitaro has forgiven them, so should you… finally, once and for all,' she thought to herself.
"Very well then," Motoko exhaled slowly as she looked down. "I understand if you two are upset with me at this time and wish to leave, but I would like my friends to join me for some sake on the deck… will you, please? A new beginning?" She bowed to them deeply in turn, once then twice. "You two are our friends. Kei-kun and I do not wish to lose you both due to the childish mistakes of the past. We have been through so much together, let us talk on the deck and move past this..."
Naru and Mutsumi looked at each other, smiled, and nodded that they would like that.
000
The next day Motoko, Keitaro, Moe-Chan, and Tsuruko were driven by a discrete clan escort (only three vehicles) to Su-Narsuegawa's famed laboratory located near the Kyoto City limits, which Keitaro had recently learned had been renamed by his old friend's Shirai and Haitani (who now were employed by said laboratory as corporate head-hunters) as "The Big Yellow Joint" in reference to Su's insistence on giant bananas and also to some American situation comedy that had a devoted, worldwide cult following of which Shirai and Haitani were a part of.
Speaking of them, they had just arrived back in Kyoto from a cross-country trip visiting colleges to specifically put the "hard sell" on recent and soon-to-be graduates of science, engineering, and computer programs to "join the winning team" as they put it. This was an approach that Su and Naru had approved of, and in fact this "winning team" atmosphere was fostered extensively in the culture of the lab and its various related enterprises.
The arrival at the lab's security entrance was uneventful. They exited their vehicles, were checked over, re-checked, and were ushered into an express elevator down into the bowels of the laboratory.
Reaching Main R&D Room Beef Bowl (Su insisted on naming different parts of the massive lab complex after food items that met her approval; Naru simply threw her arms up and went along with it), Kentaro Sakata gave Motoko, Keitaro, and Tsuruko the basic tour of Su and Naru's latest mock-up a dimensional shield generator/detector with the assistance (and literal hand-holding courtesy of Moe-Chan. To Motoko, it looked like a nightmare. An unwieldy mass of conduits, wires, and old bits of various Mecha-Tamas that had been cannibalized and reimagined into something else altogether. The temperature was kept at a constant chill to help prevent the machinery from overheating; so much so that jackets were handed out when they entered the room.
"So…" Keitaro began as he took in the device (or devices) that reminded him of a giant spider from some old monster movie that stubbornly always showed up on late night television, "... is this the dimensional machine?"
"That it is," Kentaro nodded as he ran through calculations and made adjustments on a tablet in his hands. "I know it isn't *that* pretty-"
"-it is absolutely hideous," Motoko stated, then she turned to look back at Kentaro. "No offense, Sakata-san."
"None taken," Kentaro smiled, waving his hand. "The unwieldy nature of the machine's hardware helps us make adjustments on the fly."
"Probably much more cost-effective, too." Tsuruko nodded at the machine with something that could pass as approval.
Moe-Chan, holding Keitaro and Motoko's hands, nodded towards the device. "I will do my best, Kei-kun, to assist in any way I can."
"I know you will, Moe-Chan." Keitaro smiled.
Just then, the door opened, and in walked (and bounded) Naru and Su. "Heyas Motokos, Kay-taros, and Tsu-Lady!" The pair was dressed in their banana yellow radiation suits.
"Good morning to you all," Naru smiled. "Thank you for coming down here. Now, Keitaro… Motoko… Tsuruko… Moe-Chan hold still."
"Hold still?" Keitaro asked incredulously.
"In case-sies your clumsies might make that difficulties," Su grinned. "So just try your besties, okays?"
Naru smirked, nodding to Kentaro. The three of them produced devices that resembled, much to Motoko's annoyance and Tsuruko's amusement, small turtles. A small flash, not unlike the flash from an old-style camera, briefly blinded the trio. When their eyes readjusted, they saw Naru, Su, and Kentaro busily working on their tablets.
"What just happened?" Keitaro asked after a moment.
Su ignored them, continuing to work on her tablet.
Kentaro did the same, humming a happy tune as he grinned as he worked.
"Oh, um, what?" Naru asked, looking up from her tablet.
Tsuruko and Motoko groaned in unison. Moe-Chan smiled.
"Oh!" Naru laughed. "Sorry, you four can go behind the divider. We have the energy readings and dimensional particle residue signatures we need from your time on the Dalek ship." She returned her attention to her tablet, same as her colleagues.
"... okay. Great." Keitaro sighed. Soon he, his fiance, future sister-in-law, and mechanical friend were behind the protective shielding of the divider. Sakata joined them, and started making adjustments to several switches, knobs, and typing on a keyboard.
"Naru-san," Kentaro called. "Reversing the polarity of the neutron flow… now." He right-clicked the button on the computer mouse.
For Keitaro, Motoko, Tsuruko, Moe-Chan and Kentaro it felt like they had just been smacked with a ball of static electricity as a blinding ball of light filled the room and a strong gust of wind whipped them; completely unlike the gale of a ki blast as some kind of odd, dull screeching and whining sound echoed through the chamber. There was no time to shout or even react much for once the event had started it seemed to have passed, and the laboratory where the device was housed now had a new occupant; a blue rectangular shape with a square base.
"Naru! Su! You okay?!" Kentaro shouted over the intercom, sparing almost no time to blink his eyes to readjust them to the light levels in the lab.
"Yays! We're oki-dokies!" Su yelled.
"Just peachy, Kentaro." Naru bit back.
"Hmm," Kentaro glanced at the blue rectangular shape now occupying the room in front of them. He looked at one monitor, then another, then back at the object. "Looks like our meddling with the space-time continuum and the dimensional wall has attracted something's attention; fortunately not Dalek from the readings here."
"No shit, Sherlock." Naru shot back over the communication's link. "Get Security down here… oh no, and the medics, too!" Naru was frantic at the end of the sentence, and those behind the divider looked on as Naru and Su ran over behind the blue object.
Kentaro did as he was told. Tsuruko was about to leave the protected space to join Su and Naru when the playboy scientist threw out his hand to grasp the warrior woman's shoulder. "NO! That thing might be deadly!"
Tsuruko glanced at Kentaro, and could see that he was not just trying to sound smart or strictly follow lab procedure. She relented.
Motoko leaned in closer to Tsuruko as Keitaro started helping Kentaro read off data that was showing up on the screens in front of them. Moe-Chan only watched, for now. Motoko quickly shout whispered to her big sister: "A ki shield *will* do for protection!"
Tsuruko only shook her head in the negative. She was not about to let Motoko make any more rash decisions, not while she could help it.
The medics arrived. Security arrived and took up position, weapons drawn and at the ready. Su motioned the medics around the back of the blue object facing away from them where Naru was kneeling...
000
Naru knelt down next to the figure that was laying on the floor. A medic and the lab's doctor, a Dr. Takahiro Kitase knelt down on the other side of the person, a male, and started opening their packs to begin working.
"Right," Kitase spoke into the communicator embedded in his collar, his staff in the lab's infirmary listening in and preparing for if the patient could be treated on site or if they needed to be transported to the nearest trauma center. "Patient is male, approximately early to mid thirties, black hair… caucasian... appears uninjured." The medic assisted Kitase in checking the vital signs of the individual, who was wearing a black jacket, white shirt, and black trousers.
Su now joined Naru. Seeing that Kitase and his medic were already beginning their work, the MolMolian princess and scientist took a moment to examine this uninvited object that had suddenly appeared in their lab. Besides the flash, the static electricity event, and gale of wind there had only been that odd sound.
"Weirdies," Su mumbled to herself as she looked at the object. It was rectangular, yes, but its base was a complete cube; four sided and it had square windows on all sides. At the top of this thing was written in English: "POLICE PUBLIC CALL BOX." Next to where the man was lying on the floor there was a door (There was a handle and a simple keyhole), and on it a sign bordered in white, and written in English black text, read: "POLICE FREE FOR USE OF PUBLIC-"
Su was about to read more when Kitase spoke up. "He's dead!"
"What? How can he be dead?" Naru spoke up. "He's not bleeding!"
Kitase and his medic dutifully checked the vital signs on the man again. Kitase looked up at Naru. "I'm sorry, Narsuegawa-sensei, but this man is indeed dead. We'll have to contact the police and get a full autopsy from the medical examiner because, as you said, there is no outward reason why he should be dead."
Naru cautiously stepped forward, looking over Kitase shoulder. She had been hoping for some answers to the blue object's sudden appearance, and meeting an interdimensional traveller who was not a Dalek bent on her home planet's destruction appealed to her, Su, and Kentaro immensely. She sighed, what a waste, he looked kind of cute too-
-The "dead" man shot up like a lightning bolt, gasping for air, his arms splayed out in front of him. Kitase and the medic fell back in shocked surprise; stunned into silence. The man's eyes shot open and his eyeballs briefly rolling back in his skull before returning to their right position and focusing just as his arms hit Naru's shoulders-
-Just in time to be met by Naru's fist as she screamed in abject terror and surprise.
The man *slid* across the lab's floor before he bumped into a wall, spun around briefly in reaction to that impact, and came to rest.
Su knelt next to her friend and colleague, embracing her. "It's okays, Naru-chan… Su is here." Su eyed the now living man with suspicion, if he was dangerous and Security was unable to handle him; she kept a deadly MolMolian hunting knife on her radiation suit's belt for such an occasion.
Naru, for her part, was shaking. It had been four years since she had hit someone for any reason whatsoever. While she knew intellectually she had a sound reason for what she did, another part of her awareness berated herself mercilessly for backsliding on all the work her therapist, Dr. Sakaguchi had been doing with her. Slowly, with Su's soothing, and the certain knowledge that the man who had come back from the dead was only briefly stunned, she calmed down.
Motoko, Keitaro, Tsuruko, Moe-Chan and Kentaro were now at Naru's side too. Asking if she was all right, and also casting wary eyes to the blue visitor and the mysterious man who was slowly coming to. All except Motoko, who was looking from the man to the box, and back again.
"..." Motoko blinked.
"What's wrong, Motoko-chan?" Keitaro asked.
Tsuruko raised a questioning eyebrow.
"I am fine, Kei-kun." Motoko replied, looking now at Naru. "Naru-san, you still with us?"
"What the hell are you all doing over here?" Naru asked them, concern evident in her harsh tone. "We told you all to stay behind the divider shield!"
"The readings just resolved themselves," Kentaro deadpanned. "It's completely safe in here. And then Mr. Cool over there did his Lazarus act."
Keitaro sighed. "Does this happen all the time here?"
"Noes!" Su snickered, giving a lopsided grin. "You should see Naru-chan at the lab Christmas Party."
"Oh I did!" Kentaro winked to Su.
"Story time?" Moe-Chan asked, hopefully.
"That's classified!" Naru groaned at the private joke between the three of them, she stood up with Su's help, composing herself. "Look," she nodded towards the man she had just decked in abject fright. "He's coming around."
The man in question had just propped himself up on his elbow, and with his free hand was stroking the sore spot on his jaw where Naru's punch had connected. "Wow, that's a hell of a right-hook you got, ma'am." He chuckled ruefully, "sorry about that suddenly-coming-back-to-life-bit; I'm still getting the hang of it." He blinked, "... this is going to sound strange, but I can almost *feel* that bruise healing up already."
"Well, good!" Naru shouted. "I see… hear you speak Japanese. You know, you frightened the living daylights out of me!" She stalked over past her friends towards the Security ring with weapons drawn around the man. "Who are you, and where did you come from?" Kentaro ran to catch up with Naru, Su close behind.
"I always answer the questions of beautiful women," he nodded once to Naru, and then to Kentaro: "And beautiful men, too… the name is Captain Jack Harkness." He winked at Naru, Su, and then Kentaro.
The three traded looks and completely dumbfounded expressions. For a moment they were completely uncertain of what to ask the strange visitor next.
Tsuruko, Motoko, Moe-Chan and Keitaro waited over by the door of the blue object as Dr. Kitase and his medic went over to assist the newly introduced Captain. This was partly to augment the Security officers already watching the Police Box, but also because the three knew more about what it might be than Naru and Su. Motoko hoped against hope, and also feared what might happen next. Tsuruko, for her part, simply for not the first time since the Daleks first appeared, longed for only having to deal with fighting evil spirits, teaching kendo, and prodding Motoko to do something about "the Keitaro question." Keitaro just shook his head at this new development, while he had a favorable first impression of this Captain Jack based on intangibles, he did find the man's ease of manner off-putting for such a serious event as coming back to life from the dead. Of course, both Tsuruko and Keitaro did not believe that this was the Doctor that Motoko had told them about; he did not match the description either visually or in his personality, but they both knew that something related to the events of last April was occurring right in front of them.
"Are you three going to just stand there staring at some trans-dimensional hitch-hiker who flirts too much or are you going to turn around?" A cranky male with a Scottish accent asked in perfect Japanese.
Motoko, Tsuruko, Moe-Chan and Keitaro spun around, agast expressions on their face. The three had heard nothing, sensed nothing, but right there in front of them stood a male figure, dressed in a deep black suit and coat with matching black vest but with a white dress shirt underneath. The new visitor had silver gray, curling hair, and the most notable characteristic about him was the red satin evident on the inside of his coat.
"I see you forgot your guitar," Motoko stated.
"Oh, I'm glad to see you, too, Aoyama-sama." He said.
"You said 'our time has come to an end' or some such." Motoko raised her voice a touch.
"And what would I say to that?" The man asked, seemingly impatient with the whole exchange already.
"'The Doctor lies'." Motoko sighed.
"The Doctor lies." The Doctor's lips held the hint of a smirk.
Tsuruko bowed to the Doctor, then looked to Motoko. "Is this Him?"
"Yes, it is, Big Sister." Motoko nodded, then turned to Keitaro. "Kei-kun… may I present to you the Doctor?"
The Doctor smiled as he nodded to Keitaro. "An honor, Urashima-san. But don't let that go to your head."
Keitaro smiled. "Don't worry, not many things do." Keitaro indicated Moe-Chan besides him. "My friend Moe-Chan."
The Doctor actually smiled at the automaton girl. "Good to meet you."
"Likewise," Moe-Chan did a small curtsy as best she could.
To Motoko, the Doctor turned now. "Wedding and reception all planned?"
"Yes, down to the last detail." She replied.
The Doctor shook his head. "You finalized the reception menu without *me*? For shame!"
"I would have sent you an invitation, but you did not leave an address." Motoko said with a hint of sarcasm.
The Doctor simply waved his hand dismissively in reply as he strode over to where Captain Jack Harkness lay on the floor enjoying all the varied attention being paid to him.
"Everyone, this man is a compulsive, equal opportunity flirt who loves almost everybody!" The Doctor declared, causing the assembled throng around the Captain to turn to him.
"And what are you doing with that blue box? Where's the Doctor? Was he travelling with a hot young Brit named Rose?" Captain Jack called back.
The Doctor's steps slowed as he focused on Jack, how he was dressed, and finally the questions being asked. He stopped. 'Oh Jack, I'm so sorry…' he thought as he regarded his old friend.
"Okay, I know his face probably changed considering all he went through." Jack remarked as he looked up at the Doctor. "That charming bloke with the big ears and the nice ass is gone; but which direction? Before or after?"
"After." The Doctor answered.
"How many?"
"Enough." The Doctor said softly.
Jack sighed. "Fine. The last thing I remember was dying then coming back to life after some random Dalek shot me. I got myself together as best I could; I could tell all the Daleks were dead and I could *feel* the energy event that had somehow passed through me. I ran to the TARDIS but it dematerialized before I could catch it with you and Rose inside. So I used the Vortex Manipulator-"
"-that piece of rubbish," the Doctor scoffed.
"Well, it got me here!" Jack snapped back. "So, fill in the blanks for me, Doctor."
The Doctor just stared at Jack.
Jack laughed. "Oh great, you can't, can you? I'm from that far back in your past?"
He said nothing.
"Answer me, Doc," Jack prodded. "Don't leave me in suspense."
"Jack, it's honestly better if I do no such thing." The Doctor said in a tone that could almost pass as being gentle.
Jack laid back on the ground, then he balled his fist and smacked the floor in flustration. He sighed. "What the hell… so why am I here?"
The Doctor shrugged, then noted that there were many Security personnel around Jack with weapons drawn. He reached into his coat, "Everyone, I am the Doctor and I represent the United Nations organization assisting your governments with the Dalek threat," he showed an ID badge, making certain everyone saw it," and this man is of no threat, in fact he is a friend and associate of mine. Lower your weapons. Now."
Upon receiving confirmation from Naru and Su, the Security detachment did as the Doctor commanded. The Doctor went to Jack and helped him to his feet.
"You all right?" The Doctor asked.
Jack scoffed. "Me? I only keep runnin' through my nine lives these days."
The Doctor's face took on a thoughtful expression. "Never quite thought of you as a cat before; funny not sure why as it is an apt metaphor."
"So why am I here?"
"Looks like random chance." The Doctor replied. "But it is good to see you again."
Jack smirked. "Yeah, but you got old. I was hoping your next face would be just as cute." Jack looked around as he noticed that Naru, Su, and Kentaro were now joined by Motoko, Tsuruko, Moe-Chan and Keitaro. "So many cute faces around here, though. You said there was a Dalek threat here too? Thought they were finally over with and done for."
The Doctor laughed. "You'll see."
"I do see," Jack spared a moment to give a kind, approving look to Kentaro, Keitaro as well as Motoko, Naru, Su, and Tsuruko. "Right now, so far as I'm concerned I've landed in Paradise City."
The Doctor smiled, telling himself to do it for Jack.
000
TO BE CONTINUED…
AFTERWARD: Yes. I just could not resist bringing Captain Jack Harkness into things. But this is the pre-Torchwood Captain Jack, immediately post Ninth Doctor. I figured with all the issues with regeneration and immortality it would be an interesting contrast. See you next chapter. Cue the Doctor Who theme, because yes this is now a full-on DW/LH crossover. I will keep this in its current place in the archive because, well, that is where readers probably remember to find it who are not following/favoriting it. That said, thank you to everyone who has supported this little story.
Oh, what's that? What's next for me? Well, the second chapter of Kendo Wife and the second chapter of a little story called Reforged, of course.