Love Hina: Kenshin the Keeper
Hey there folks, this is Arganaut bringing you the next installment of this story! Not to much new to report, or anything to talk about so let's get on with the reviews;
Mitsumaru- Yeah well I couldn't really think of a better place to stop it so you'll have to forgive me.
Raenef the 6th- Glad you liked it.
charles ho- Well you see I created that phobia for the classic Love Hina reason. Motoko has an irrational fear of turtles, and so Kenshin has one of clowns (though his is slightly more rational because he read 'It' when he was younger so...).
Aoirann- Sock puppets? Where would you get that idea?
Anyway, reviews are done so let's get on with the next chapter of Love Hina: Kenshin the Keeper!!!
Chapter 7: Something Tsuruko This Way Comes
Flashback
As I ran I heard a familiar cooing sound coming from above me. I stopped and looked up to see Tsuruko's bird flying down towards me, and what appeared to be another letter tied to her leg. I smiled as I outstretched my arm, and the bird landed on it. I pet it a few times before speaking. "Hello there bird-san, how are you today?" I asked as the bird cooed happily, and then motioned its head to the letter. "For me?" I asked as it nodded. "Thank you bird-san, here's a little payment." I said as I reached into my, what I now call it, sunflower seed pocket, and pulled out a hand full of sunflower seed.
The bird cooed happily as it began eating the sunflower seeds and after finishing them I untied the letter from its leg, and then it flew off, out to who knows where. I shrugged as I opened the letter, and began reading its contents...
"Oh my this is certainly a suprise." I said as I read the letter...
Flashback End
Dear Himura-san,
Hello, it is me, Tsuruko Aoyama, and I'm writing you this to give you some rather good news. You see, my husband is leaving for a buisness meeting as I write, and so I have no services to do for either him, or my family. So I though, why not give my little sister a visit, after all did you know that she never calls me? But that's besides the point, like I said I will be paying your house a visit, and I am very excited to not only see my sister, but also to meet you and the other members of Hinata Sou.
I will be arriving in a few days to see you all, look for me around town. It will be very nice to see you Himura-san.
See you soon,
Tsuruko Aoyama
I smiled as I folded up the letter and put it into my pocket. I continued running down the street, and began contemplating what would happen during Aoyama-san's visit...
A Few Days Later
It was a few days later and I was waiting around with Keitaro and his friends, they were checking on their test scores. I figured I would go along to see how well they had done, but also because today was supposently the day that Aoyama-san was to show up, and I wanted to find her rather quickly. I just figured that going with Keitaro and his friends into town would give me a better chance of finding her. Shirai, Haitani, and Keitaro stood absolutely still for several seconds, Keitaro with his mouth gaping open. It was raining, the perfect backdrop of the beginning of this day.
"Keitaro-san, Haitani-san, Shirai-san, how did the three of you do on your tests." I asked in a happy tone. The three of them simply slowly looked at me with slightly dazed looks.
"I have a 30 chance of getting into my first choice of college..." Shirai muttered as one sweat drop grew on my head.
"I have a 25 chance of getting into my first choice of college..." Haitani muttered as another sweat drop grew on my head.
"I have a 2 chance of getting into my first choice of college..." Keitaro muttered as half of a sweat drop grew on my head. The only thing keeping it from being a whole sweat drop was the fact that we had been studying since that test.
"WAAAAAAHHHH!" Haitani suddenly screamed up to the sky and holding his hand to his head. "Its the middle of November and we're still failing?!" Haitani shouted as he ripped some of the hair off of his head.
"Looks like none of us are getting into our first choice of college... maybe we should lower our standards..." Shirai muttered as his head lowered very much. I looked at Keitaro for a moment who was staring at his test results.
"2 lower than our tax rate.." Keitaro muttered as I sweat dropped and Haitani suddenly stiffened up.
"... Well no point in worrying about it." Haitani said as he readjusted his glasses. "Let's go meet some babes and forget aboout this whole ordeal!" Haitani shouted as Keitaro and Shirai face vaulted.
"What good would that do!?" Shirai and Haitani shouted as I began holding them back.
"Maybe it would be good for the three of you guys, after all, Keitaro, you've done practically nothing but study for the past couple weeks. And Shirai, though I am not sure how hard you have been studying, I am sure that you have been studying hard as well, that I am." I said as Keitaro and Shirai nodded as Haitani anounced the beginning of what he called 'The Hunt'. We walked for a few blocks before Haitani stopped in front of us and took a deep breath through his nostrils.
"Ahhh. There's nothing more I love than the thrill of The Hunt! The smell of perfume in the air, the sight of spent credit cards laid upon the ground." Haitani said as Keitaro, Shirai and I suddenly noticed the smell of perfume in the air, and I looked on the ground to see several credit cards on the ground. "And most importantly the sound of a girl giggle in the distance." Haitani said as we all heard the sound of girlish giggles resonating in the distance. Haitani suddenly became very serious as he put his hands to his mouth. "SHOE SALE! SHOE SALE!" Haitani shouted as suddenly birds flew out of the trees in the distance. "THERE FOLLOW ME!" Haitani shouted as he suddenly began sprinting, and we began following him, in Keitaro's and Shirai's case, as fast as we could.
Soon afterwards we caught up with Haitani who slowed down to walking speed. "Yeah my tracking skills are just as great as ever! And look at our catch of the day, not bad, not bad at all." Haitani said as he pointed to three girls, who seemed freakishly familiar looking. "I like the one with the black hair in the middle, but she is a but too tall..." Haitani said as something clicked in my head.
"The one on the left has a nice body." Shirai said as I Haitani looked at him with a slightly disgusted look.
"Idiot she looks like she's in grade school!" Haitani shouted as something else clicked in my head, something was definelty familiar about them.
"I like the one on the right..." Keitaro muttered as said girl on the right glanced back, and upon seeing us blushed profusely and almost tripped over her own two feet. That was it, that was what told me who those three were. Before he could even take another step fowards I grabbed Keitaro's shoulder and pulled him a step back as Haitani and Shirai ran foward... straight into their own demise...
"Ladies wanna go out with me!?" Haitani shouted as he ran foward.
"Hey wait up!" Shirai shouted as he ran foward as well.
"You guys are annoying me." The one in the middle, Motoko... said grimly as Haitani and Shirai stopped just a few feet behind her. Suddenly Motoko spun around while launchin a horizontal Ki attack, nailing Haitani in the gut and Shirai in the head. The blast was coming for Keitaro and I so I threw Keitaro onto the ground and I did a front flip over the Ki attack. As I landed on the ground, and as Keitaro got up we looked back to see the Ki attack blow up many more random people on the street before it ended.
"Sorry! Are you alright?" I asked as there came only moans and groans from down the street.
"HEY! Its you two, Keitaro Urashima and Kenshin Himura..." Motoko said practically growling the words out.
'Looks like she's not completely convinced yet...' I thought as she continued to glare at us.
"Hey what did my friends, or those random people for that matter, do to deserve that!? I mean you shouldn't go slicing someone up when you first meet them!" Keitaro shouted as I nodded along with him.
"He's right Motoko-san..." I said as her glare picked up a little more. "... Aoyama-san, that's very abusive of your skills... but then again I suppose I'm not one to talk since I use my own to do the chores... does that still count, I'm going to have to ask Hiko-san..." I said as I tapped my finger to my chin as everyone else just kinda stared, all of them having similar thoughts.
'He could be sliced up by Motoko/me and he's standing there more concerned about that?" They all thought as Naru and Su walked over.
"Listen, a piece of advice, don't talk to Motoko like that, especially since you're a guy, last one who told her stuff like that ended up lost in the Pacific Ocean..." Naru said snapping me out of my thoughts and sending Keitaro into a small state of panic.
"What reasons have we given her to do anything to us!?" I asked as Motoko pointed her umbrella towards us.
"You two Himura have given me more than enough reasons!" Motoko said as she slung her sword over her shoulder. "Not only are both of you males, the more pig-headed of the two genders, but both of you are perverts as well as thieves." She said as I suddenly realized that my breakfast had absolutely no effect on her... "Plus Urashima, you have failed twice and yet you still have time to chase after women!" Motoko said as I was about to try and correct her before she cut me off. "And Himura, you say your a swordsman, and you do train, but you should be training so much more if you are the swords-MAN you claim to be." Motoko said effectively shutting me up after she practically growled out man.
As Motoko, Naru, and Su began walking away, Keitaro and I stood dumbfounded on the street, just staring at where they left. But he groans and moans of the random people behind us snapped us out of it, as well as the ones of Haitani and Shirai. "We should probably take them to the hospital." I said as Keitaro nodded and started helping pick up a few of the random people and helping me carry them to the hospital, though I'm not sure if they can treat Ki wounds...
After we dropped them off at the hospital we began walking back to Hinata Sou, thankfully it had cleared up after that. We began talking about a few things and even doing a few quick study questions, when all of a sudden I saw, or we both saw, Motoko walking down the street with a straw hat on her head. We both got into a defensive postition, and by that I mean we both got ready to grovle, when she just passed us by. I raised my eyebrow as I looked when all of a sudden Keitaro began screaming. I looked over to see a drunk truck driver, heading for us, going at most double the speed limit. Just as I was prepared to pull my sword the woman who looked like Motoko suddenly appeared behind us.
"Shinmeiryuu: Zanmaken (Way of Gods' Cries: Demonic Cleaving Sword)" I heard her mutter underneath her breath as she moved so fast that I could barely pick up on her movements. As far as I could tell she launched a Ki attack that split the truck straight down the middle. Leaving the drunken driver, relatively, safe, and saving both Keitaro and myself. "Excuse me." I heard her say in the next moment as Keitaro and I turned around to look at her.
"Would either one of you happen to know where Hinata-Sou is?" She asked as she took off her hat...
'Holy cow she's good looking...' I thought as I noticed that both Keitaro and myself were blushing.
"You see I'm looking for it, but it appears that I have become lost, can you help me?" She asked as suddenly bird-san appeared out of no where and landed on her shoulder. I raised an eyebrow as I pointed at her.
"Pardon me, but would you happen to be Tsuruko Aoyama?" I asked as she nodded.
"Yes I am, and who might you be?" She asked as I put my hands together and bowed.
"it is very nice to finally meet you Aoyama-san, I am Kenshin Himura." I said as Tsuruko suddenly began giggling and I looked up.
"Please Himura-san I do not like such formality. Please call me Tsuruko-chan, or even Tsu-chan." She said as Keitaro looked back and forth between us and stared.
'Is she really Motoko's sister?!' We both thought as I stood straight up and smiled at her.
"Very well Ao... Tsuruko-chan, but I would ask that you do the same for me, I mean not call me chan but call me kun." I said as I sheepishly scratched the back of my head.
"Very well then Kenshin-kun, now would you please lead me to Hinata Sou, I would like to see this place my sister lives at." She said as both Keitaro and I nodded and we began leading Tsuruko to Hinata Sou.
"Hey Kenshin-san, how do you know Tsuruko-chan by the way?" Keitaro asked as I shrugged.
"It would take a while to explain Keitaro-san, but in short we have been writing letters to each other after I found her bird, bird-san." I said as Keitaro and I looked back to see Tsuruko petting bird-san on the top of its head. We both stared for a moment before we continued walking foward, leading our new friend to Hinata Sou.
Hinata Sou
About an hour later, after riding on the train over here, we finally arrived at the top of the stairs to Hinata Sou, Tsuruko stared at its majestic form for a few minutes before looking at us. "So this wonderful place belongs to the both of you?" She asked with a smile as both Keitaro and myself nodded. "Well what are we waiting for, please lead the way." She said as we both nodded again and led her into our home. The first stop we made was to the kitchen/living area (the explosion from the breakfast incident caused most of the wall seperating the two to crumble) where Shinobu was preparing something for us to eat.
"Hello Shinobu-chan." I said as Shinobu turned around and blushed.
"Hello Kenshin-kun, Keitaro-kun." Shinobu said as she saw Tsuruko. "And who's this?" She asked as we pushed Tsuruko foward.
"This is Motoko-san's sister, Tsuruko-chan, and she'll be staying with us for a while so if you wouldn't mind making more food for her tonight Shinobu-chan?" I asked as Shinobu shook her said side to side.
"No Kenshin-kun, I wouldn't mind that at all." She said as Tsuruko bowed.
"Thank you Shinobu-chan." She said as Shinobu nodded and went back to her cooking. We led Tsuruko all over Hinata Sou, showing her the hot springs, the courtyard, and eventually to our room. As we led her in Keitaro got out a dusty old book and laid it in front of Tsuruko.
"Well Tsuruko-chan if you plan on staying the night I would like to ask if you would sign this." Keitaro asked as he opened the book, revealing it to be a guest book. Tsuruko nodded and signed her name in the book. "Your room will be the room right on the other side of ours, so if you need anything just tell us okay?" Keitaro asked as Tsuruko nodded and smiled.
"Thank you both, that is very kind of you two." Tsuruko said as we both nodded and walked back down the stairs. Shinobu was just about ready to start dinner, and everyone was there except Motoko, and Su strangely. So we voted on who would get the swordswoman, figuring Su would be with her, which confused Tsuruko a bit till we explained a bit about what had happened earlier that day. "So she's still uneasy around men..." I heard Tsuruko mutter as something flashed in her eyes before she smiled and voted me to go, along with everyone else. They apparently thought that if anyone should go, it should be me since I was the caretaker and I would be able to defend myself.
I walked to 'Motoko's new training ground' after I 'took' her old one. It was the place where we normally hung laundry one days it was sort of nice out like this. As I reached the top of the steps I saw her practicing, I walked over to the ledge and peeked up. I watched as she cut airborn leaves with grace, almost opposite of Hiten Mitsurugi. In what I've seen of both of our styles her style is more of a long ranged based style, those Ki blasts would make it seem so. It also seems that her attacks are more suited for 'demons' since the attacks are pure energy... probably why no one dies when she hits them with one of her blasts.
However, in this day and age, the Ki blasts would be seen as more of a show more than anything, especially since there are no more 'demons' to hunt. Hiten Mitsurugi however... is very much the opposite. Its close up, in your face, if you're not fast enough you're going to die, kinda sword style. Hiko even told me that during earlier eras the most powerful assassins and man slayers used Hiten Mitsurugi. Now that I can believe opposed to the 'demon hunter' tale that Naro informed me of Motoko's style.
But as she cut the leaves in mid-air, I couldn't help but stare at how easily she did it, granted I can do it, but it takes a lot of practice to do it at such an early age. 'She is the heir to our school...' Rang through my head again as I felt a pang of guilt, despite her blunt and rash attitude, towards the swordswoman in front of me. Suddenly I noticed she was reaching into her coat pocket, and pulled out a small knife.
"A SPY!" She shouted as she threw the knife right towards me, but I grabbed the ledge I was hanging onto as tight as I could, and launched myself over the ledge, and therefore the knife. As I landed on the 'platform' area Motoko sheathed her sword and crossed her arms. "First you chase girls, then you peep on people Himura." Motoko said as I remained quite, hey I was wrong this time, I was spying on her, I suppose. "Remember, I am not like Naru or the others, if you try anything funny on me..." She said as she slung her sheathed sword over her shoulder. "I'll have to force you out!" She said aggresively as she forced out a section of her sword out of its sheath with her thumb. "Got it?" She said as she began walking off.
"Yoohoo, Motoko-chan, Rurouni-kun!" We heard Su's voice come from out of nowhere, we both looked around for a lttle while before... "DINNER TIME!" Su shouted as she jumped out of the tree in front of Motoko, scaring her half to death. I watched as the shocked Motoko slipped and fell backwards from the shock of Su's sudden appearance. I quickly ran to Motoko's side and caught her before she hit the ground, but the position we were in was semi-awkward, it reminded of me of those wierd romance movies.
'Wow she's very light for her height...' I thought as I continued looking at her.
"Are you okay?" I asked as I noticed a huge blush appearing on Motoko's face before she began to struggle.
"Let go of me! I don't need your help, I can take care of myself!" She shouted as she began stomping off with Su. I stood there for a moment before I began following her back to Hinata Sou. Motoko slammed/slid the door open into Hinata Sou, and began walking into Hinata Sou, right in front of her sister.
"Hello their Motoko-chan." Tsuruko said as Motoko stormed by.
"Hello sister." Motoko said as she stormed up the stairs, leaving all of us in shock, while Tsuruko just smiled and put a finger on her left wrist.
"Three, two, one." She said as suddenly Motoko ran down stairs and stared in shock at her sister.
"SISTER! Wh-wh-what are you doing here?!" Motoko shouted as Tsuruko smiled.
"Well I came to visit my darling little sister, after all you don't call me at all anymore." Tsuruko said as we all sweat dropped. "And also Kenshin-kun over there invited me so that I could meet all of you." Tsuruko said as she pointed to me and I kinda looked scared at the moment.
"YOU INVITED MY SISTER!?" Motoko shouted as I shook my head back and forth.
"N-no! She actually invited herself in the last letter she sent me!" I shouted as Motoko's jaw dropped and she pointed an accusing finger at Tsuruko.
"LETTERS!? Sister have you no shame!? You're married... to a man... but married none the less!" Motoko shouted as Tsuruko just giggled.
"Oh please Motoko-chan, we are simply pen pals. Maybe I should tell you the little story that goes along with this." Tsuruko said as Motoko calmed down a bit and everyone sat around and listened to Tsuruko talk about how she started contacting me. "You see, one day I was going grocery shopping for my husband and the family, when all of a sudden my bird came swooping down. When I asked what was wrong it told me about a young man by the name of Kenshin Himura who was staying at Hinata Sou." Tsuruko said as everyone nodded at once and Motoko just cringed.
General POV
'Not this again, this happens everytime, my sister just comes right in, and practically entrances everyone she meets...' Motoko said as she looked at her sister. 'But that's what would have made her such an excellent head to the Shinmeiryuu school...' Motoko thought as she continued to listen.
:"Anyway, my bird told me that this Kenshin was the grounds keeper and resident 'samurai' of Hinata Sou. You see he caught my bird flying around Hinata Sou, watching all of you early in the morning." Tsuruko said non-chalantly as everyone sweat dropped. "He actually managed to capture my bird and told it 'That if his owner had any malicious intent towards the tenants of Hinata Sou they would have to answer to him'." Tsuruko said as Motoko's eyes widened and she looked at Kenshin.
'He actually said that to my sister, and through her bird no less!?' Motoko thought, and she thought about Kenshin her cheeks began turning a bit red. Motoko shook her head as she tried to stop thinking. 'What the hell is wrong with me?' Motoko thought as everyone continued listening to the story.
Kenshin POV
"So I wrote him a letter back, explaining everything, and ever since we have been trading letters back and forth with each other." Tsuruko said as suddenly there was a 'ding' sound coming from the kitchen.
"Oh dinner's ready everyone, please go to the table while I go get it." Shinobu said as she ran to the kitchen and we all began sitting in our respective seats, myself sitting besides Motoko. As Shinobu put the food around the table everyone began drooling over it. This wasn't dinner, it was a feast!
"My the food looks wonderful Shinobu-chan." Tsuruko said as she took a bite of food.
"Th-thank you Aoya..." Shinobu said before Tsuruko cut her off.
"Please, Tsuruko-chan or Tsu-chan will do." Tsuruko said as Shinobu nodded and everyone continued eating for a while, and everything was going normally. But then something happened, as I reached for the soy sauce I failed to noticed Motoko's hand was reaching for it too. Our hands touched for a little while as Motoko looked at me with this weird look. But then I remembered who I was dealing with so I snapped my hand back before it would be cut off.
"I'm sorry!" I shouted as Tsuruko looked at me with a weird look, yet understanding, look. Motoko simply 'humphed' before beginning to pour her soy sauce, but she didn't look like she was paying any attention and it began pouring out. "Isn't that a little too much soy sauce?" I asked as Motoko pulled the sauce back while Tsuruko simply giggled. Motoko then picked up the bowl of rice and ate even faster than Su, but not as fast as I could, and then slammed the plate on the table.
"I'm done eating!" Motoko shouted as I kinda stared.
"Umm... Motoko." I said as she glared at me.
"What? What do you want!?" She yelled causing me to be reduced to chibi-form.
"Well... umm... you have some rice on your..." I said as I pointed to a spot on my cheek. Motoko blushed viciously as she began running off... right into a pillar. As she was dazed from he bumping into the pillar she stummbled onto/into a bucket, and she walked off while trying to get the bucket off of her foot. We heard crashing sounds a few minutes later. "Did I say something wrong?" I asked as everyone stared at me with a 'Did you do something' look while Tsuruko and Su simply got up and began following Motoko.
General POV
Motoko dumped a bucket of warm water over her head in the hot springs as she tried to calm herself. The incident at dinner was so embarrassing, and what was confusing was why it was so embarrassing to her? I mean it was just some male, not like it was anyone important. "Dammit what's wrong with me..." Motoko muttered as she heard the sliding door open. She looked over to see her sister and Su coming into the hot springs with smiles on their faces.
"Well hello Motoko-chan, how are you?" Tsuruko asked as Motoko blushed and looked down. Tsuruko knew that all Motoko had wrong with her was a cold, and she knew that this was going to be wrong, but she couldn't resist the chance to tease her little sister. "What's wrong little sister, that thing at dinner, don't worry about it. I mean its not as if you goofed up in front of your lover or something. Right?" Tsuruko asked slyly as the blush on Motoko's face suddenly grew ten fold and her eyes widened.
'Jackpot.' Tsuruko thought as Su asked if Motoko was okay.
'Could she be right!? I mean I just looked at Himura and I got all nervous and I started blushing. My heart kept pounding and my mind kept going blank... there's no other explanation, this must be what the mangas and novels call... TRUE LOVE! Is this it!? But how can this be!?" Motoko thought as Su started hanging around her neck. Tsuruko watched in sheer joy as she watched her flustered little sister sink herself into the water. 'Now that I think about it I've been training every single day for fifteen years. I've never really spoken to a guy before, Kenshin's one of the first...' Motoko thought as Su kept jumping around her, begging her to play with her.
'But... yet... still...' Motoko thought as suddenly anger rose in her as Su cried on land and as Tsuruko just giggled.
"STILL I WILL NEVER ADMIT THAT YOU'RE... YOU'RE MY FIRST LOVE!!! KENSHIN HIMURA!!!" Motoko shouted as Tsuruko just started laughing and Su just stared at her.
Kenshin POV
"Yes did someone call for me?" I asked as I walked into the hot spring... right at the moment that Motoko, Su, and Tsuruko were naked... at least Tsuruko was in the water. I stared in fear as I looked at Motoko, hoping that her next move wouldn't be my last. Motoko just looked at me with a huge blush on her face as Tsuruko giggled more.
"Hello Kenshin-kun, would you like to join us we could use some company!" She shouted as the blush on Motoko's face (and the one on mine) increased. Motoko suddenly started shaking as I could only cower in fear of what could possibly happen next...
The Forest/Waterfall Area Behind Hinata Sou
It was difficult to describe how the entire residence of Hinata Sou and I ended up in the forest area behind Hinata Sou. Motoko, who didn't beat me to a pulp, suprisingly, told me that if I wished to redeem myself that I would meet her in the forest behind Hinata Sou in one half-hour. I did so, and when I arrived she was in her normal training, with two wooden bokens with her. The other tenants of Hinata Sou, and Tsuruko, sat on a different 'island' that was pretty far away from where Motoko and I were standing.
Motoko suddenly threw me the boken and pointed her's towards me. "Kenshin Himura, I officially challenge you! If you win, I'll forget about this whole buisness! But if I win, you better get the hell out of Hinata Sou!" She yelled suddenly as I stared at her intently, with slightly narrowed eyes.
General POV
"Can we stop them?" Naru asked as she turned towards Kitsune.
"I doubt anyone can stop Motoko." Kitsune said as she grinned.
"YAY! FIGHT, FIGHT, FIGHT, FIGHT!" Su shouted as she waved around a few flags with Motoko's face on them.
"I hope Kenshin-kun will be alright." Shinobu said as she blushed.
'Maybe I teased Motoko a little... to much.' Tsuruko thought as she watched the upcoming battle. 'Though this will be a good way for me to measure Kenshin-kun's skills.' She thought as she narrowed her eyes.
Kenshin POV
I stared Motoko right in the eye for several seconds before I lifted the boken into the air, and threw it down onto the ground. Motoko smirked at this action, she was being cocky. "So you're giving up so quickly eh? What kind of Samurai are you?" She asked as she then gasped as I pulled my sheathed sword out of the sash on my robe and then took off the undershirt that was under the robe, which I noticed caused some blushing among the women.
I tore the undershirt into one long cloth and began tieing that cloth around the part of the sword where the sheath met the tsuba. I finished with a nice and firm knot and swung my sword around a few times. When I saw that the sheath would not come off of the sword I smirked as I turned my attention to Motoko. "My techniques are highly stressful ones, a wooden sword would probably break into pieces before even using five." I said as Motoko stared. "My sheath, though much tougher than wood, should cause no additional damage to you. If you wouldn't mind I would prefer to use it like this." I said as Motoko only grunted.
"It doesn't matter, I will defeat you! Even if you are a skilled swordsman, your style will not stand up to the Shinmeiryuu!" Motoko shouted as my eyes narrowed further.
"If that is so how about we place a little bet?" I asked as Motoko, and everyone else raised an eyebrow. "In conjunction with your victory conditions, I would like to bet one of my techniques to one of yours." I said as everyone's eyes widened. "If you win I'll teach you one Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu technique, and the ability to use the speed I do. However if by chance I win you must teach me a Shinmeiryuu technique, and the ability to control ki along with it. Do we have a deal?" I asked as Motoko glanced at Tsuruko, who only gave an affirmative nod.
"I accept you condition Himura, and may the best woman win!" She said as she got down into a stance.
"Your over-confidence shall be your downfall Aoyama-san." I said as I too got into my stance.
We both stood there for several seconds, waiting for the other to make the first move. However I proved to be far more patient than Motoko who began dashing fowards towards me. "Shinmeiryuu: Zanganken (Way of God's Cry: Stone Cleaving Sword)!" Motoko shouted as her sword became engulfed in Ki. I saw her move coming and quickly dodged out of the way, while Motoko's technique only managed to cut a boulder that was behind me in half. I quickly recovered from my jump and charged at Motoko. I swung my sheathed sword horizontally towards the meeting place of Motoko's shoulder and neck, hoping to end this fight in one swing. Motoko however recovered from her technique fairly quickly and brought up her boken to block it.
She and I clashed boken and sheathed sword for a little while, neither one of us gaining a decisive lead over the other. After my failed attempt to knock her out, Motoko took the liberty of forcing me back a couple feet, and went for a stab-like blow to the stomach. I quickly parried this and then sent the hilt of my sword into Motoko's stomach, causing her to lose her breath and step back a few feet. I then went for a similar stab-like attack, only this one was meant for her forehead, I just needed to knock her out. Motoko simply dodged her head to the side and then tried to land a vertical swing to my head, which I simply parried by thrusting my swords hilt into her shoulder, causing her attack to go off course.
I leapt back a few feet and stared her down while she nursed her shoulder. "You can't beat me in close range combat Aoyama-san, its something all users of Hiten Mitsurugi are specialized at!" I shouted at her as she glared.
"Thanks for the tip!" She shouted as ki once again surrounded her blade. "Shinmeiryuu: Zankuusen (Way of God's Cry: Air Cleaving Flash)!" Motoko shouted as she suddenly began creating circles in the air, which ended up sending Ki attacks hurdling towards me. I quickly jumped to the side, then to the other side, and even above the attacks to dodge them, I eventually just began running around, dodging her attacks with my superior speed, while I tried to think of a plan of action.
General POV
Everyone stared as they watched Keitaro and Motoko fight it out on that island. They were all completely silent, their attentions caught by the magnificence of the battle, as they watched me run to avoid Motoko's attacks. Tsuruko watched on in awe as well, she had expected Kenshin to be a fair fighter, however she did not expect him to be able to best Motoko in close, or any other kind of combat. 'Truly he is an extremely skills swordsman... maybe the idea of my sister getting together with him wasn't such a bad idea, would produce very powerful offspring.' Tsuruko thought as she continued to watch the battle.
Kenshin POV
I was getting very tired, very fast, of being 'shot' at by Motoko's attacks. By now I was getting very tired of running, and I could tell that whatever energy Motoko used for these attacks were not going to run out anytime soon. "Alright that's it, time for a counter attack!" I shouted as I began running straight towards Motoko. Motoko smirked at me as she launched one more of her Zankuusens at me. I was not able to use any Battojutsu in order to destroy the ki, so I was going to have to hope that another technique would work.
"Hiten Mitsurugi Ryuu: Ryusuisen (Super Sonic Sword Style: Dragon Hammer Strike)!" I shouted as I suddenly jumped twenty feet into the air, over the Zankuusen. Motoko stared in shock as she launched another Zankuusen up into the air at me. "ZAN (Tragedy)!" I shouted as I brought the sheathed sword into a more stabbing position, and as the Zankuusen approached I stabbed the sword as fast as I could, and as hard as I could into its center. The technique and my sheath fought each other for dominace, my sheath even cracked under the pressure, but the attack gave away, allowing me to go through.
Everyone stared in awe as I brough the sword into a position favoring the non-lethal vertical swing as I approached Motoko. I brought the sword down, only to have it blocked my Motoko. Then I did something no one saw coming. I brought my two feet up, and pushed off of Motoko's stomach, I landed a few feet back and Motoko stummbled and I brought up my sword for the next attack. "Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu: Ryusosen (Super Sonic Sword Technique: Dragon's Nest Strike)!" I shouted as I ran towards Motoko with my sword at my side, and when I took that first swing with the technique at her... something happend. Something that absolutely no one, not even Nostradamas, could predict. Even God stared in awe as he watched the fight, and demons screamed in pain as snow fell in hell as the event took place...
Motoko Ayoama, the heir to the Shinmeiryuu School... was being pushed back...
After the first swing of my technique Motoko was forced back a few steps as she blocked it, for she had not recovered from the push to the stomach. Then the following techniques, which held the God-like speed of the Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu, forced her back even further, and further, and further. I could tell it was taking Motoko everything she had not to fall on her butt while blocking my insanely fast sword strikes. I eventually pushed her so far back that she was on the very edge of the island we were on. Motoko's arms were swinging around as she tried to maintain her balance. I simply smirked while I walked a bit closer, which incidentally caused her to blush, took a deep breath, and blew on her. That did it, Motoko couldn't keep her balance, she fell back into the water, completely.
I smirked as I put my sheathed sword back into the sash in my robe and began walking towards the other side of the island, to announce my victory over Motoko. When I felt a highly powerful Ki signature from behind me. I turned around and looked on with wide eyes as I watched the water blow around Motoko as strong gusts of wind forced them away from her. Motoko's eyes had become more demonic as she glared at me, pure rage behind the glare.
"So you think you could make a fool out of me!" She shouted as I looked on in shock. "I will destroy you, you vile male!" Motoko shouted as she rushed towards me. I tried desperately to get my sheather sword out of my sash, only to get it our half way before Motoko was right in front of me. Motoko began savagely beating me with her boken, hitting me in the ribs, arms, legs, hips, and even a few shots to the head. I was being bruised badly, and the spots where the bruises were bad enough even began bleeding a bit. Eventually Motoko drew her sword back and began charging Ki into it. "Shinmeiryuu: Zankuusen!" Motoko shouted as she drew a sword into the air... and a very powerful Zankuusen crashed into me, sending me several feet backwards. I landed with a loud thud, as Motoko's eyes went back to normal and she smirked.
But that smirk was quickly withdrawn when... I began standing up. I did so shakily, but I still managed to stand after some effort. I began chuckling as Motoko stared at me with an estranged look. "You think that beating was bad?" I asked as I looked at her with my non-bruised eyes. "You should see the ones I got while training with my father, now those were some intense beatings. I could barely even move my pinky toe when a day of his training was over." I said with a chuckle. "You wanna know what one of his pet names for me was?" I asked as she continued staring. "His pet name was Hiten Mitsurugi Ryusai (roughly translates to 'one who has mastered Super Sonic Sword Techniques'), you want to know why?" I said as Motoko nodded quickly.
"He called me that because I was able to create a combination of Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu style techniques that had once knocked out my father in a spar. I hope that you enjoy it, it is going to be good." I said as I got out my sword and prepared for my technique. Everyone waited while I stood there, my eyes closed as I focused my energy into my entire body. And when I opened my eyes I saw the shocked look in Motoko's eyes.
General POV
'Those eyes... they're the same ones I saw in the hall... and his Ki... its completely changed...' Motoko thought as she stared.
Kenshin POV
My attack was ready, I launched myself fowards towards Motoko at my God-like speed. Motoko looked stunned at first but then she launched a Zankuusen at me. I smirked as brought my sword behind me. "Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu: Doryusen (Super Sonic Speed Sword Technique: Earth Dragon Strike)!" I shouted as I shoved my sword in the the ground, and flung several boulders towards the Zankuusen. The boulders and the Zankuusen cancled each other out in a minor explosion, as dust filled the spot where they hit. Motoko tried to see through the dust, and didn't notice me coming out of the top.
"Here is my technique Aoyama-san!" I shouted as she looked up to see me. "Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu: Ryusuishosen!" I shouted as I brought my sword down, to have it blocked by her again. But this time I didn't push her away, instead I ducked down underneath her. And I jumped up, and delivered an upward, double-handed slash to her stomach. As she coughed up her breath I began spinning into the air. "Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu: Ryukansen Arashi (Super Sonic Sword Technique: Dragon Spiral Strike Storm)!" I shouted as I began to bring my sword down.
General POV
Motoko closed her eyes, knowing that she couldn't possibly block Kenshin's attack. When she was expecting a hard hit, followed with a loud 'BAM'. But instead she felt a tap, and heard a minor 'plunk'. When she opened her eyes she saw Kenshin looking up at her, smiling his usual smile, his ki back to normal.
"Now Aoyama-san, do you honestly think I would hurt you too badly?" He asked as he smiled and reached up and ruffled Motoko's hair which caused her to blushed profusely.
Motoko was reminded of something from a long time ago... she was reminded of her spars with her sister. Every spar she would have with her sister would end the same way, her sister would have the ability to knock her out cold easily, but would always end up just tapping her and ruffling her hair... 'My God... am I really in love with this... this...' Motoko thought as she began to black out. The heat must've been affecting her head because her last thought was something so unlike Motoko it was scary. 'Honorable swordsman...' She thought as she collapsed onto Kenshin, who caught her as she fell.
Everyone on the other island was staring, this was the first time anyone, except Tsuruko, had seen Motoko defeaten. And to say they were shocked was a massive understatement, they were all practically frozen in shock as they looked on. Tsuruko was even shocked beyond belief, she did not expect the battle to turn out like this. She stared in awe at this young man who beat her sister. 'This was definetly a good trip to have made...' Tsuruko thought as she stared on.
Kenshin POV
I caught Motoko and lowered myself to the ground. I looked at Motoko's face and she was seriously red. I put my hand to her forehead and pulled it back, she was burning up. "Can someone help me! Motoko is seriously sick!" I shouted, forgetting about formalities, as everyone was snapped out of their shock and ran foward as they gathered around me and helped me life Motoko up, and carry her back to Hinata Sou.
General POV
Motoko woke up with a very bad headache and she felt like she was on fire. She tried to move only to find several hands stopping her. She opened her eyes to see all of the tenants of Hinata Sou, except for Kenshin and Keitaro, around her with worried looks in their eyes. "Motoko you shouldn't move so much you have a really bad cold!" Shinobu shouted as Motoko sniffled and looked at her.
"A cold?" She asked as Naru put a cold, wet cloth on her forehead.
"Yeah, but that's what you get for practicing out in the rain!" Su shouted as Motoko sighed what sounded like a sigh of relief.
'Good it wasn'y my first love...' Motoko thought, though she didn't find that thought as comforting as she thought she would. Motoko looked around for Kenshin again, but couldn't find him anywhere.
"Where is Himura anyway?" Motoko asked in a raspy as everyone looked at her sort of shocked before shaking themselves out of it.
"He's upstairs in his room being taken care of by Keitaro-san." Naru said as Motoko nodded. "You did hurt him pretty badly, Tsuruko here said that you must've at least broken a few ribs, and possibly even gave him a concussion." Naru also said as Motoko looked over at her sister who was smiling at her.
"You did well, even with that cold little sister. You are becoming an excellent swordswoman." Tsuruko said which shocked Motoko at first, but then she smiled a bit.
'But Kenshin Himura... was apparently better...' Tsuruko thought a she smirked. 'I'm going to have to keep an eye on him.' Tsuruko thought as everyone began talking to Motoko. Then everyone began hearing sounds coming from the kitchen, sounded almost like a struggle.
"I'm telling you Kenshin-san you should be resting, those are some pretty serious injuries." They heard Keitaro's voice say as they kept on listening.
"And I'm telling you Keitaro-san that I have had worse, and that I'll be able to handle myself, that I can." They heard Kenshin's voice say in the next instant as suddenly Kenshin came through the door.
Kenshin POV
As I walked in wearing my full usual attire (not including the bandages wrapped around my head.), everyone stared at me with a bit of worry as I walked over with a cup of tea in my hands. I kneeled down beside Motoko and started lifting her head up. Everyone kinda stared at me with wide eyes as they watched Motoko struggle a bit. "Don't worry, my father used this tea on me whenever I was sick, trust me it will knock your cold right out." I said as she stopped struggling. I slowly allowed the tea to drain into her mouth, as she drank every last drop. As she finished swallowing she looked at me with a strange look.
"Why are you doing this? I nearly tried to destroy you.. and you try to help me get better?" Motoko asked me as I smiled at her and ruffled her head, which caused her red face to get even more red.
"Aoyama-san, why wouldn't I do it. If anyone here were sick I would do the same for them, because you all are really my new family now." I said earning; a blush from Shinobu, a giggle from Su, a smile from Naru, a cocky smile from Kitsune, a smile from Keitaro, and... a wierd looking smile from Tsuruko. And finally a long stare, followed up with her whole face turning red from Motoko. Though in the next instant that red, turned from red to light pink. I put my hand on her forehead and she felt immediately cooler than she had a few minutes ago.
"Well it appears I made the recipe correctly, and if I am correct you can sit up now Motoko." I said as everyone's jaws dropped as they watched Motoko sit up in the futon, a bit easily at that. She felt her own forehead and then looked over at me with wide eyes. "My father wasn't just great at making Sake." I said as I picked up the glass and put it back on the tray. "By the looks of it one more dose should do it. Just sit tight and I'll make another brew of it. After all I want you better by tomorrow." I said as I began walking away.
"Why do you want me better by tomorrow?" Motoko asked as I turned around to smile at her.
"Well after all, tomorrow you have to hold up your end of the bargain and teach me a Shinmeiryuu technique." I said as suddenly Motoko's jaw dropped as I walked through the door. I couldn't wait for my new technique.
General POV
Motoko sat there shocked out of her mind, she had forgotten about having to teach Kenshin a technique tomorrow. She looked at her sister who shrugged. "Don't look at me, I'm leaving tomorrow morning." She said as Motoko just sighed and looked towards the door Kenshin had left in. She decided that she had made that bet with Kenshin, and like an honorable swordswoman, she was going to hold up her side of the bargain. After all now it was the least she could do after what he was doing... wait did she think that?
Kenshin POV
I walked back into the room where Motoko was as she looked up to me. I walked over and handed her the cup of tea as she drank it down faster than before. When she was done she looked at me seriously. "Tomorrow, I want to see you in the forest behind Hinata Sou at six in the morning. Be ready for your training." Motoko said as she laid the glass down. "Now if everyone wouldn't mind, I feel exhausted and need some rest." She said as everyone nodded and left the room.
I went back to Keitaro's and my room and laid down in my futon. I set the alarm clock for five-thirty in the morning, figuring I would need the extra sleep for whatever Motoko had planned for training. I still couldn't wait for my new technique.
5:45 In The Morning: The Forest Behind Hinata Sou
I could barely sleep last night. After mastering all of the techniques in the Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu, I always wanted to learn new moves. Sure I created my own, and still could if I tried hard enough, but I wanted to have a little bit of variety when it came to techniques, not having all of them within the same style. I waited for fifteen minutes, swinging my sword for pratice until Motoko would show up and teach me the new technique. Eventually, fifteen minutes later, right on schedule, Motoko showed up... but strangely her sword was not with her. I walked foward and bowed to her while she just stared at me.
"Today I'll be teaching you two things." She said as I looked up and smiled. "I will be teaching you how to use ki in your techniques." She said as my anticipation built up. "And then... I'll teach you the Gurenken (Red Lotus Fist), a Shinmeiryuu ken (fist) attack." Motoko said as I stared at her. She got me, I was expecting a sword attack, but this would be good. After all I didn't way which style move she had to give me. "Now then to begin with I want you to sit under that waterfall in a medatation position, I'll call you out when you're ready." Motoko said as I nodded, and began taking off the upper half of my robe.
General POV
Motoko stared as Kenshin took of the upper hald of his robes. She watched with a slight blush as he threw them in random places among the ground, and then leapt to the waterfall. Motoko tried to get any thoughts out of her head, and tried to watch Kenshin with a straight face. But watching him in a medatation position with no shirt on, shivering from the cold while the water from the falls cascaded down his physically fit and trim body... Motoko slapped herself twice and banged her head on a tree a few times.
'The cold must be still effecting my thinking...' Motoko thought as she continued watching Kenshin mediate under the waterfall for the next few hourse. It was noon, in fact, and Motoko still continued to watch Kenshin for any sign of his Ki being released. Shinobu came by earlier, and after blushing profusely at the half naked rurouni, gave Motoko two boxes of food, saying that it was meant for them. As Shinobu walked away Motoko turned her attention back towards Kenshin... and was treated to an unexpected suprise.
Though the water was still coming down hard, none of it was touching Kenshin. Motoko looked and it appeared that he had done it, his body was releasing the ki to force the cold water from the waterfall, and the pressure caused by it, away from Kenshin's body. He must've meditated before cause this was one of the fastest times she had seen. Most people it took one or two whole days to release they're ki (though she and her sister had done it in much less). Motoko smirked as she picked up a rock and threw it at Kenshin's forehead. Causing him to lose focus, and therefore, lose the ki that was surrounding him, causing him to become completely soaked.
"Alright get out, you're done." Motoko said as Kenshin raised an eyebrow and walked out, shaking himself every now and then to get the cold water off of him.
Kenshin POV
I didn't really like the entire getting showered with cold water treatment Motoko gave me. And what's more I really didn't feel too different, I felt cold, but shouldn't be too odd seeing as I was just hit by water fall water. "Motoko are you sure we're done, I mean I don't feel too different." I said as Motoko smirked and pointed at me.
I want you to focus energy into your fists, focus as much as you can." Motoko said as I raised my eyebrows. "Just do it." Motoko said as I shurgged and began doing as she told me. I closed my eyes and began doing as she said, focusing my energy into my fists. At first there was nothing, I just felt the same as always whenever I focused, but then I felt something... warmth. I opened my eyes to see my hands engulfed in the same energy Motoko used last night in our battle.
"Go ahead, try punching that rock." Motoko said as she pointed to a rock. I didn't bother argueing with her and walked over to the rock and hit it with everything I had. The results suprised me as the rock cracked in several places, without my hand even feeling like it hit anything. I stared in awe at my hand while Motoko simply yawned and picked up two boxes. "Here." She said as she threw me a box. "This is your lunch, Shinobu made it for you." She said as I nodded. "Well see you later." Motoko said as my jaw dropped to the ground.
"Wait you mean there's nothing else!" I yelled as she kept on walking.
"Nope." She said as she opened her box of lunch.
"Not a cool sparring mach or some teacher to student talk?" I asked as she ate some rice.
"Nope." She said as she then ate a piece of chicken.
"Not even a sports montage (I could not resist)!?" I said as she nodded.
"Nope." She said as I sighed.
"Can you at least give me any tips?" I asked as she tapped her chin with her finger.
"Yes, learn some hand-to-hand combat for that move." She said as she suddenly spinted off, leaving me with a dry shirt and robe, and a wet everything else. I sighed as I opened my own box of lunch and decided to go back to my room. I finished my lunch as I laid down in my futon and stared at the ceiling.
"'Learn some some hand-to-hand combat for that move' where am I supposed to..." I said as a light bulb appeared above my head and the memory of a martial arts dojo I had passed by during my first day living here came to my mind. I shot up off the futon, picked up my bag of money, and ran through the streets of Hinata City, to get to the dojo I had remembered. When I arrived I got a better look at the outside then I first had. It was very old, and apparently not taken care of too well.
'Beggers can't be choosers.' I thought as I entered the dojo. It was as old, broken apart, and dusty as the outside. I walked around a bit till someone walked into the room, what they looked like I couldn't tell due to the poor lighting in the room.
"Who are you?" He asked in a calm, but definetly powerful voice.
"My name is Kenshin Himura, and I wish to enroll at this dojo, may I ask who you are?" I asked as he stepped foward into the sunlight provided by the outside. And I was shocked and scared at the same time. The man stood easily a couple feet taller than me. He was just about as pale as I was, though you really wouldn't pay attention to that. He wore baggy white pants, with black straps tieing the ends down to his ankles. His shoes were mostly black, with white sock type things. He wore an opened red, black, and white jacket, with nothing underneath. He also wore a red head band to keep the reddish, spiked hair from falling all about. His hair actually remined me of a roosters. I would also tell that he had the kanji for 'Evil' on his back.. by way of the reflection of the giant zanbato he carried on his back.. oh yeah did I forget to mention that.
He stared me down with blackish eyes before smirking at me. "Well as for if you can enter my dojo, yeah as long as you can pay... as for my name..." He said as he ran a hand through his hair.
"Is Sanosuke Sagara. And don't you forget it." He said as I stared in awe.
CLIFFHANGER!!! OMG SANOSKE! WHAT IS HE DOING HERE! Find out next time on LH: KTK!!! R&R!!!!!
