Love Hina – Beautiful Dreamer



Fanfic by Steven Biggs

Chapter Seven – A Dark Visitor in the Night

Saturday Evening

After dinner, Keitaro sneaks back to his room and rummages through the closet for the supplies he will need for his night's work. He hangs a 'Do Not Disturb' sign on the door to Shinobu's room and begins to prepare some tricks to keep Motoko distracted. Sitting on the floor, he puts together some quick ghosts made from old sheets, balloons, string and small lights.

"I hope these will work. Motoko-chan isn't that easy to fool."

His 'ghosts' completed, Keitaro pulls a black ninja costume from another bag.

"I'm glad I found this old party costume. This will make me almost invisible in the dark. I am such a genius!"

He pulls the suit on, not noticing the white smiling face on the back of the shirt. As he smoothes the material, he notices something in the pockets. He pulls out a small paper bag.

"What's this?"

Inside the bag are some small flash bombs, a few dull plastic shurukins, a rubberized string, a few packets of fake blood, and a plastic dagger.

"These are so cool! Too bad, they're just toys. They wouldn't help me if I got into real trouble."

Placing the items back into his pockets and pulling a robe over his costume, Keitaro turns off the light and waits for the others go to sleep.

In her room, Motoko prepares herself to confront the spirit that they saw last night. She kneels on the floor in meditation, whispering her mantra to strengthen herself. If she falls, the other residents will be defenseless.

"Oh great Ancestors, hear my plea. Provide me the strength of will to resists this spirit's power. Strengthen my arm so that my strikes are just. Give me clarity of mind so that my aim is true. Make me swift so that I may protect all who depend upon my skills. Oh great Ancestors, hear my plea."

Saturday Midnight

Keitaro quietly moves to the door, listening for any sound that would tell him if Motoko is making her rounds. All is silent. He slides the door open a crack to look. A pair of eyes stares back at him from the darkened hallway, causing Keitaro's blood to freeze in his veins. The eyes move closer and a soft voice speaks.

"Urashima."

He jumps at the sound of his name.

"Eeeeeeek!"

Motoko places the sheath of her sword in the door to prevent it from closing. After a few seconds, Keitaro realizes who it is and sighs in relief.

"Oh, it's just you, Motoko-chan. You almost scared me to death. What are you doing outside my door?"

"I am making the rounds of Hinata-sou and was just checking to see if you were safe. This spirit has not reappeared yet, but I just wanted to make sure. Have you heard or seen anything unusual this evening?"

He answers, but he feels guilty for lying to her.

"There was a strange sound in the wind a little while ago when I went to the bathroom. It sounded like it was in front of the inn, but I'm not sure."

Motoko grasps the hilt of her sword tightly.

"I shall go immediately and investigate. Urashima, you must stay in this room, please."

"Okay, Motoko-chan."

Motoko runs down the hallway without making a sound. Keitaro removes his robe, pulls the mask over his face and waits until she turns down the stairs. He then gathers his supplies and heads for the kitchen. As he passes through the dining room, he inflates one of the balloon ghosts from a small tank of helium and releases it out the window. The wind carries it up and over the building. After a few seconds, he can hear Motoko chasing it and sending blasts from her sword skyward. He laughs to himself.

"This may be easier than I thought."

Using a small flashlight, Keitaro crawls under the sink and starts repairing a leak in the faucet. As he finishes his first job of the night, he hears someone moving through the dining room.

"Oh no, Motoko-chan got back quicker than I thought!"

He pulls his legs inside the cramped space and pulls the door closed all but a few millimeters. The door slides open and the lights come on. Keitaro catches his breath as he spots Naru walking through the room, her robe loosely pulled around her body. She makes her way to the refrigerator and pulls out a pitcher of tea. She then moves to the sink and reaches into the cabinet to get a glass.

He can't help staring at her as she stands in front of his hiding place. As Naru reaches up, her robe falls open, revealing that she is wearing a pair of pink and white striped panties and nothing else. Keitaro pinches his nose as he fights to control his shaking hands. He whispers in his mind as he slowly pulls the door closed.

"(Narusegawa, I'm sorry. I didn't realize that this would happen.)"

He then smiles to himself.

"(Narusegawa sure is beautiful! And her breasts are really cute!)"

Naru takes her glass and leaves. After a few seconds, Keitaro crawls out of the cabinet and into the darkened kitchen. As he gathers his tools and heads for his next task, one of the plastic shurukins falls to the floor. As he turns back to the sink and picks it up, the lights come on. He spins around and sees Naru walking in. She stares at him for a few seconds and then her eyes move to the shurukin in his hand. She whispers as her glass falls to the floor.

"Wh-what are you d-doing here?"

Keitaro freezes in place, unable to think of what to do. If he moves for the exit, Naru may scream and that would bring Motoko. If he speaks, she will know that it's him. He decides that the only way to salvage his plan is to take Naru hostage. He raises a finger to his mouth, indicating that Naru should remain silent. He then holds his palm up in what he hopes is a reassuring gesture.

Using hand motions, he directs Naru to turn around and place her hands behind her back. Keitaro takes the string from his pocket and firmly, but gently ties her wrists. As he turns her around, he notices that her robe is starting to come loose again. He carefully rearranges it and ties the sash firmly.

Naru watches him with an unreadable expression as he thinks about where to hide her. Gently taking her arm, he heads for the changing room. Before going outside, he takes Naru's slippers and helps her put them on her feet. As they move outside, he hears Motoko running into the kitchen. He realizes that she must have heard when the glass shattered on the floor. Keitaro pulls Naru into the boiler room and closes the door.

He cleans off a box and motions for Naru to sit. She watches him as he paces in the dim light coming from the furnace. She thinks to herself.

"(That ninja costume is the same one I wore for our masquerade party last year; I recognize the smiling face on it. That must be Keitaro. Only he would be stupid enough to wear his glasses while in a disguise. And why isn't he resting in bed?)"

Naru looks down at the bag he was carrying. In it, she can see the inn's diary and Keitaro's tool bag.

"(He's doing his chores! But, why would he be working?)"

Naru's logically leaps to a brilliant conclusion. Unfortunately, her logic is not much better than Keitaro's.

"(Keitaro really is planning to leave! He must be trying to finish the work he had left before he hires a new manager. We don't have much time left!)"

"Ninja-san, what are you going to do with me? Are you going to search me for any weapons?"

Keitaro stops pacing a looks at her. Naru can tell even in the dim light that he is blushing strongly. She decides to have a little fun with him and maybe give him a stronger incentive to stay.

She turns her back to him and shrugs her shoulders until her robe falls to her waist. She looks over her shoulder.

"Would you like to search me now, or are you going to stand there and give me the silent treatment?"

Keitaro backs up and leans against the door. He can't believe that Naru would act this way to a total stranger, a stranger that in fact kidnapped her. However, in spite of himself, he cannot take his eyes off her. Naru can hear him swallowing the lump in his throat. She leans forward and shakes her head, causing her hair to fall over her breasts. As she turns and walks towards him, he sees the curves of her arms and shoulders delicately highlighted by the soft orange light from the furnace. Her hair bounces in slow waves as she takes each step.

He holds up one hand in a gesture for her to stop. Naru tilts her head and continues closing the distance between them. Naru halts a foot away from him.

"You can search me now, if you like."

Sweat dripping from his forehead, Keitaro presses harder against the door. Shaking his head and raising both hands, his eyes show Naru that he is terrified. His breathing becomes labored and he moves one hand to his injured ribs. As Naru sees his movement she back away slightly.

"Oh, I'm so sorry . . . . ."

Before she can finish, the door pushes open from the outside. Keitaro falls forward, his hands reaching out and closing on Naru's breasts. As they fall to the floor, Naru pulls her hands loose from the rubber string and does everything she can to protect him from the impact. As he lies on top of her, she looks over his shoulder and sees Motoko standing in the door.

"Motoko-chan, what are you doing here?"

Keitaro rolls off Naru and stares at the sword master. His blood runs cold as he realizes that her look of surprise is turning into a scowl.

"Eeeek!"

"You fiend! How dare you break into our home and attack Naru-sempai. My sword will bring a swift end to your miserable existence!"

Keitaro runs behind the furnace in an attempt to shield himself from Motoko's up-coming attack. As he scrambles for safety, one of the flash bombs falls from his pocket. Before Naru can warn her that it is only Keitaro, Motoko rushes in for the attack. She steps on the bomb, causing it to go off. The bright light and smoke temporarily blinds her and she spins around, slashing wildly with her sword.

"You vile trickster! Face me honorably like a true warrior!"

Naru backs up to avoid the blade and trips over Keitaro's bag. She falls hard, stunning herself for a few seconds. Keitaro peeks from his hiding place and, seeing his chance, rushes for the door, grabbing his bag on the way. He turns right and heads for the back of the inn. Motoko, her eyesight slowly returning, staggers out the door. In the darkness, she is unable to tell which way he went. Thinking that he will try to escape the grounds, she turns left and heads for the front of the inn.

Keitaro crawls into a large bush to hide from Motoko. He sits as quietly as possible, listening for any sign of pursuit. Motoko runs by a few minutes later, still trying to find the intruder. As she turns and disappears around the corner, Keitaro carefully fills another balloon and sends it floating up and over the inn. As he heads back to start his next job in the changing room, Naru steps out of the boiler room door. They stare at each other for a few seconds. Finally, Naru holds her hands out.

"Okay, you got me again. I'll go quietly."

He hangs his head and thinks to himself.

"(I'll never get anything done with Narusegawa around. I've got to get away from her.)"

Keitaro takes Naru's hand and leads her up to the second floor. He slides open the door to his room and motions for her to enter.

Naru raises her hands to her cheeks and blushes.

"Oh, what are you going to do to me in here? Do you plan to ravish my body?"

Under his mask, blood drips from Keitaro's nose. As he stares at her, Naru moves to his futon and lies down.

"Oh, I feel so embarrassed! To think that my body will be taken by a stranger. And, in the manager's room, no less. Oh, who will save me from this fate?"

Under his mask, blood continues to drip from Keitaro's nose. Naru slips under the covers and, after a few seconds, she places her robe on the floor next to the futon.

"Please, finish this quickly and go! I'll never be able to face my family after this! Who will want to marry me now? I am to become damaged goods!"

She demurely looks up at Keitaro.

"But, to tell the truth, I've always dreamed of being taken by a strong, dark stranger. Come, take me now, quickly!"

Keitaro kneels next to the futon. He slowly reaches out and touches Naru's hair. Naru's eyes go wide.

"(Will he really try to do something? Keitaro, you wouldn't!)"

He picks up her robe and gently places it in her hands. He stands and walks to the door, motioning with his hand to tell her to stay in the room. As he slides to door closed, Naru calls out to him.

"Please, do not leave me like this! Come back to me, Ninja-san!"

Keitaro leans on the wall.

"Gack!"

"Fiend! I have you now!"

He looks up the hall and sees Motoko bearing down on him.

"Eeeek!"

Without thinking, he reaches into his pocket. His hand closes on the plastic dagger and a fake blood packet and he draws them out. Another flash bomb falls to the floor. Motoko halts and measures her opponent.

"So, you have decided to face me after all! Prepare yourself then!"

Naru slides open the door and wraps her arms around the Keitaro.

"Ninja-san! Take me with you! I can no longer live here after you have had your way with me!"

"Huh?"

As she presses against him, the packet ruptures, spilling fake blood on the dagger and Naru's robe. Naru feels the liquid and reacts as if she was really stabbed.

"No, Ninja-san! Do not end it this way!"

Naru falls to the floor and places her hand over her fake wound. Keitaro, bloody dagger in hand, freaks out and runs for the stairs. Motoko rushes over to her fallen friend.

"Naru-sempai! You are injured! I will call for Hikari-san! I will . . . . . why are you laughing?"

"I'm not hurt. It's fake blood, see?"

Motoko leaps up and runs for the stairs.

"That vile, loathsome trickster! He fooled me again! I swear that he will not catch me off guard a again!"

Motoko steps on the flash bomb, with obvious results.

"I will kill him, as soon as I can see again!"

Keitaro stops at the bottom of the stairs and inflates a special balloon.

"Sorry Motoko-chan, but I need more time to get away."

He lets the balloon float back up the stairs and then runs down the hall and the back stairs. Motoko, with her sword raised, charges down the steps. As she makes the last turn before the first floor she meets the balloon floating up towards her. She stops and prepares to attack. Her eyes go wide as she recognizes the shape.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA! TURTLE!"

She swings her sword at the offending floating object. As the blade slices through the balloon, it contacts the flash bomb hidden inside.

A few minutes later Motoko, her face covered with soot, stalks up and down the halls of the inn, determined to find and destroy the intruder.

"I will find you! You are almost as annoying as Urashima!"

She stops in her tracks.

"Urashima! Naru-sempai! I have forgotten to check on their safety!"

Motoko runs down the hall and opens the door to Naru's room. The futon lays on the floor, empty.

"Where is she? I would have thought that she would return here after I purchased her escape."

As Motoko is making her search, Keitaro returns to Shinobu's room. He decided that it is too risky to try to work with Motoko on the prowl. His slides the door closed and places his bag in the corner. As he walks to the bed, Naru sits up and looks at him.

"Ninja-san, you have found me again."

"Oh no."

With the blanket wrapped around her, Naru moves towards him.

"Take me now, Ninja-san!"

"Oh no!"

The door slides open and Motoko looks inside.

"Urashima, are you . . . . . YOU!"

"OH NO!"

Motoko's face burns red with rage as she finally corners her adversary. Chi swirls around her sword as she prepares her attack.

"SHINMEI SCHOOL SECRET ARTS! AIR SPLITTING SWORD!"

The vortex hurls from the slashing blade and bears down on Keitaro. Before the force strikes, Naru grabs him and pulls him out of danger. Motoko stares at her in disbelief.

"Naru-sempai, why did you save this fiend from my attack?"

Naru reaches up and pulls his mask off.

"Because he's Keitaro!"

"Urashima? I do not understand. Why are you dressed like that, and what have you been doing?"

Keitaro looks at Naru.

"How did you know it was me?"

"I knew from almost when I first saw you. I recognized this costume because of the smiling face on the back."

As he turns his head and looks on the back of the shirt, Naru reaches up and touches his glasses.

"Also, only you would be silly enough to wear your glasses when disguised."

The other girls, awakened by the sound of Motoko's attack, rush into the room. Kitsune surveys the scene.

"What the heck's goin' on in here? Why are ya dressed like that, Keitaro-san? And why are ya wearing a blanket Naru?"

Shinobu looks at the destruction in her room.

"Aaauuuuu! My stuffed animals!"

Su jumps on Motoko's shoulders.

"Did ya get the spook?"

Motoko lowers her sword and tilts her head.

"Was that also you last night, Urashima?"

He reaches into the hamper and pulls out the robe.

"Yes, I'm sorry. I didn't realize that it would get out of hand. I just wanted to keep working, but none of you would let me."

Naru guides him to the bed.

"That's right, you won't be doing anymore work. You shouldn't even be moving around so much. What if you got injured again?"

"But . . . . ."

"No buts! You are going to stay in here, even if one of us has to keep watch on you!"

Su leaps to the floor and sits on the end of the bed.

"Shucks! I was hoping that was a real spook! I wanted to see if I could merge it with my next Mecha-Tama!"

Shinobu wrings here hands.

"I'm glad it was only Sempai! I don't know what I'd do if a real ghost was around!"

Kitsune heads for the door.

"I'm gonna have a glass of sake if anyone wants to join me."

Motoko moves to follow her. Su jumps from the bed and cartwheels to the door.

"I'll have a shot of kumquat juice!"

Naru grabs the bag with Keitaro's supplies.

"I'll take these so you won't have anything to work with. Let's have some hot tea Shinobu, and bring some up for Keitaro too."

The girls all head downstairs, leaving Keitaro by himself. He changes into his pajamas and slips back into the bed.

"They really don't want me to work here anymore. I have to find another way to change their minds."

The others sit around the dining room table, discussing the night's events. Kitsune sips her sake.

"I wish I coulda seen your face when that flash bomb went off. I didn't realize that you'd fall for the same trick three times Motoko!"

Motoko lowers her glass of sake.

"Urashima seems to have an extraordinary amount of luck about him. No one has ever been able to outwit me in such a manner. But that last balloon was a bit extreme."

Su looks up from her juice.

"What was so special about it?"

"I am hesitant to say. It was quite devious, even for Keitaro."

Kitsune leans forward.

"Ya got us interested now, so ya'll had better come clean."

"It was in the form of a, a turtle."

Kitsune falls backwards onto the floor and holds her stomach as she laughs. Su giggles so hard that her juice shoots out of her nose. Motoko blushes and looks down at the table.

"I do not see the humor in that situation."

Kitsune sits back in her chair and wipes tears from her eyes.

"It's not the turtle balloon that's so funny; it's the fact that Keitaro-san was able to outsmart ya!"

A vein starts to pulse on Motoko's temple. Su wipes her nose and pours another glass.

"Who'da thought that Keitaro would get the best of ya three times outta three?"

Motoko grips the hilt of her sword as flames leap from her eyes.

"That vile, trickster! Urashima, I'll kill you for what you have done!"

The others grab Motoko and she struggles to free herself.

"Release me! I must kill him!"

"NO!"

"As you wish. Release me and I will just kill him a little bit!"

"NO!"

"All right, how about if I just separate his head from his body?"

"NEVER!"

"Then let me scratch one of his eyes out!"

"NOTHING DOING!"

"Then just let me break one of his legs to slow him down!"

"NOPE!"

"Will you allow me to give him a really nasty paper cut?"

"NO WAY!"

"How about if I just spill some warm tea on Urashima?"

"Uh, no!"

As he lies in bed, Keitaro shivers and then sneezes.

"Am I coming down with a cold?"

The girls finally convince Motoko to leave Keitaro alone and head to their rooms. As they reach the second floor, they see a round, white shape floating in the hallway. Motoko crosses her arms.

"Urashima still believes that his tricks can work against me. That shows how dim-witted he actually is. This spirit looks even more like a fake than the others he used."

She takes a few steps forward and shoves her sword through it.

There is no effect.

Motoko blinks twice.

"Oh my goodness."

Naru takes a step backwards.

"It's not one of Keitaro's!"

Kitsune's eyes go wide and she catches Shinobu as the inn's cook faints.

"Aaauuuuu!"

"What the heck is that thing?"

Su presses a button on a remote control and the apparition fades away.

"Since there aint any real spooks around, I might as well shut down my Spook Decoy Mark I."

Motoko rests a hand on Su's shoulder.

"Su-chan, if you ever let Urashima get hold of that device, there won't be enough of you left for Amalla-san to bring home in a walnut shell."

Su cocks her head at Motoko.

"Ya really get testy when ya can't whack on Keitaro, don't ya?"

Motoko hangs her head.

"Does it show that much? I have gotten used to our daily confrontations. We must ensure that he does not choose to leave Hinata-sou after he recovers."

The girls head to their rooms, confident, well somewhat confident, that nothing else will happen tonight. The next day, they help repair the damage in Shinobu's room while they make Keitaro clean her stuffed animals. After dinner, Naru and Kitsune go to see a movie. Shinobu spends the evening making new recipes to try out, ignoring Su's request to make everything triple-spicy. Keitaro goes to sleep early, knowing that he won't be able to do any more work at night.

Sunday Night

Motoko waits until Naru and Kitsune return from the show before quietly heading for her meeting with Keitaro and MV. Earlier that evening, she had Su check the programming in the device, because it seemed to be acting up since Kitsune used it. A quick check did not show anything wrong with the code, so Su let it go without making any modifications.

Motoko enters the room without making a sound and moves to the chair. She places the headsets on and then deposits the require coinage in the slot. Taking a deep, even breath to prepare for the transition, she flips the switch.

Colors swirl and then reform.

End of Chapter Seven.