Love Hina: Battles of the Heart
A/N: Wow this chapter is the longest one I have ever done! The others usually take 3-4 pages using Open Office. This chapter was 6 pages long. It was finished a lot faster than expected since College didn't give me the wheelbarrow full of homework they usually do. That and I was feeling inspired.
Disclaimer: I do not, and probably never will, own Love Hina.
Chapter 11: Turmoil of the Heart
Keitaro awoke to a pair of green and blue eyes mere inches from his face. "WHAT THE HELL?" He yelled causing the staring person to jump back. "Ryukon? What were you doing?"
"Nothing," Ryukon shrugged. "Just following orders."
"Orders?" Keitaro frowned, but Ryukon merely winked and left, hands in his pockets. "What was he up to?"
"He was recording you talking in your sleep." Suu leaped onto Keitaro.
"Huh?" Keitaro clambered out of the small bed that he had been assigned. Each competitor had been given a luxurious room to stay in, except him. What had he got? A storage cupboard. His bed was two boxes with a cloth over them. Suu watched him stretch out.
"Keitaro?" Suu smiled uncertainly.
"Yes?" Keitaro was unnerved. Suu was always so cheerful but now she seemed serious. It was as unnerving as being attacked by a stuffed animal.
"Does Keitaro love Motoko?" Suu shuffled uneasily.
"Why do you ask?" Keitaro grinned nervously.
"Well... Keitaro was talking in his sleep about Motoko." Suu blushed.
"What did I say...?" Keitaro hoped he didn't say what he had been saying in his dreams. The theme of the dream was probably not suitable for Suu's ears.
"Well you..." Suu looked around and whispered in Keitaro's ears causing him to flush red.
"I said that? Can you promise not to tell anyone, especially Motoko and Naru?" Keitaro was practically begging.
"Of course!" Suu smiled. "So long as you don't ruin my master plan!"
"Master plan?"
"Yep! I am going to rule the world! And then all my friends will stay at the Hinata for ever, so we can always play together!" Suu's cheerful attitude had returned.
"I'll try not to interfere." Keitaro chuckled and wandered out of the room. Suu leapt onto his back and hummed contently.
Scene Change
"Is that so?" Tsuruko, who was wearing her usual attire rather than the dress, took the tape off of Ryukon. "Any mention of Naru?"
"Not while I was there." Ryukon looked around. Tsuruko had insisted that they meet outside the Dojo where no one would be able to eavesdrop.
"Good." Tsuruko smiled.
"May I ask why you are putting so much effort into this?" Ryukon frowned.
"Why do you care?"
"He is my cousin, no matter what Kanako claims. If I didn't care about his well being I wouldn't be much of a cousin."
"Well... if you had to choose between a fairly attractive woman with an aggressive streak a mile wide that constantly beats up Keitaro and an even more attractive women who cares deeply for Keitaro, who would choose as his bride?"
"The later." Ryukon tilted his head, "But I still don't get what you have to gain from this."
"I have to secure the legacy of the Shinmeiryuu School. Motoko would need a capable husband to help her on her path to the greatness I am sure she will achieve. She will even surpass me." Tsuruko looked off into the distance.
"Really." Ryukon smiled. "That I would like to see Tsuruko-sensei."
"Tsuruko!" Keitaro ran out to greet her.
"Well, I'm outta here TsuTsu!" Ryukon instantly changed from a serious looking youth into the bounding idiot he was the day before. "Hey Katie, don't you have a fight today?"
"Yeah," Keitaro nodded.
"Well, y' better not let the school down!" Ryukon winked and bounded away.
"What were you two up to?" Keitaro asked. "Are you the one who got Ryukon to spy on me?"
"No... That was Naru." Tsuruko hated lying like this, but it was for the greater good. Besides family came first and Tsuruko had a deep dislike of Naru for reasons she couldn't quite place. "I managed to use my influence with him to secure the tape recording of you he made."
"Really?" Keitaro looked relieved.
"I wonder what is on it to make you worry so." Tsuruko smiled as Keitaro went white with panic, "Don't worry, I have no intention of listening... although I will not deny that Ryukon told me most of the story."
"Really..."
"May I ask you something Urashima?" Tsuruko looked down at Keitaro. "Why if you have such vivid dreams about my sister, do you continue to see Naru?"
"I don't want to hurt her." Keitaro smiled humourlessly. "I really do love her you know."
"Yet she didn't come to watch you fight." Tsuruko shook her head.
"Well... no one did, except you and Mo-chan. Oh and Kanako."
"I happen to have run into Kitsune, your Aunt Haruka (Meanwhile at Tsuruko's dojo, Haruka picked up a plate, then reconsidered throwing it at Tsuruko and carefully put it back down) and the little chef Shinobu."
"They've come?" Keitaro was glad that his friends had shown up.
"Yes, they arrived yesterday and are staying with Motoko at my dojo while the competition is on."
"So... Naru didn't come then." Keitaro sighed sadly.
"No." Tsuruko patted him on the shoulder. "I guess that she doesn't care as much as you first thought. I mean here you are, at one of the most important events in your life, and she couldn't even be bothered to show up."
"If she doesn't care, why is she spying on me then?" Keitaro replied hotly.
"Because she views you as her property. Why else is she so careful to try and stop you being damaged? She doesn't want you to become 'faulty goods'." Tsuruko replied levelly.
"Why do you care?" Keitaro frowned.
"Because." For the first time in Keitaro's memory, he saw Tsuruko on the verge of tears. "I care about you... I can't explain why but I just want you to live up to your potential."
"My potential?" Keitaro was shocked by Tsuruko's expression.
"I have told you before." Tsuruko's smile returned.
"Oh yeah... the coffee shop." Keitaro remembered when Tsuruko first offered him training.
"Anyway, I am sure you have some pre-match training. Remember the deal." Tsuruko added in a sing song voice.
"What is that? Your new catchphrase?" Keitaro grinned and left Tsuruko. Man I wish Naru cared half as much as Tsuruko does.
"Oh, before you go know this," Tsuruko called out, "If you think I care for you, that's only a small fraction compared to my sister's feeling for you. Remember that," and with that final message Tsuruko left the Dojo, leaving Keitaro wondering if Tsuruko had the ability to read minds.
Scene Change
"Man this place is packed tight!" Kitsune looked around with a grin. "I didn't realise the tournament would be so popular."
"And this is only the preliminaries." Haruka nodded.
"The World Martial Tournament, or WMT, is an international event of great importance to many schools. It is a chance to stamp their identity into history." Tsuruko took her seat beside Haruka in the packed stadium.
"When will Sempai fight?" Shinobu looked up at Tsuruko.
"Well... the schedule says his fight takes place in Fight 3." Tsuruko consulted a table, "Which is just about after dinner time."
"What?" Kitsune grumbled, "So we have to wait 3 hours before we see him fight?"
"Yes." Motoko (also in her usual attire) sat down beside her sister and looked around, "Isn't Naru here?"
"Nope." Kitsune shook her head, "We haven't seen her in a while."
"Where is Suu then?"
"She was with Keitaro last I saw her." Tsuruko read the program she had been given.
"Who's first then?" Haruka frowned. In her experiences a dojo was a medium sized building designed to hold and train students, it wasn't a building with seven underground stadiums like this one.
"Ryukon Urashima and Zulu." Tsuruko read aloud.
"Urashima?" Shinobu squeaked, "Is he related to Keitaro."
"Ryukon..." Haruka rubbed her forehead, "Should have figured he would participate in a competition like this. He always did like to show off his strength."
"You know him?" Shinobu span in her seat to face Haruka.
"Yeah, he's Keitaro's younger cousin. He was sent to live in America after his father and mother split up. I didn't know he had returned."
Tsuruko didn't say anything. She had found Ryukon sleeping on the streets and offered him refuge at her dojo until he earned a job to pay for rent at the local inn. So it seems like he ran away. Tsuruko thought to herself.
"LADIES AND GENTLEMEN!" The announcer's voice blared out, "WELCOME TO THE OPENING FIGHT OF GROUP F IN THE WORLD MARTIAL TOURNAMENT. FOR THOSE NEW TO THIS GLORIOUS EVENT, HERE IS A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF THE RULES: RULE 1, A BATTLE IS WON EITHER BY KNOCKOUT OR SUBMISSION. RULE 2, ANY WEAPON IS ALLOWED BUT IF IT IS A BLADED WEAPON MUST EITHER BE BLUNTED DOWN OR KEPT IN A SHEATH OF SOMEKIND. RULE 3, ANY ATTEMPTS TO KILL WILL RESULT IN DISQUALIFICATION."
"Thank goodness." Shinobu breathed out a sigh of relief, "So Sempai won't be killed then?"
"Probably not." Tsuruko turned a page in the programme.
"NOW THEN, IT GIVES ME PLEASURE TO INTRODUCE LAST YEARS WORLD FINALS SEMIFINALIST, RYUKON URASHIMA OF THE URASHIMA ZENSEN SCHOOL OF COMBAT AND ALSO A NEWCOMER TO THIS YEARS EVENT, ZULU OF THE NO-HOLDS BARRED BAR ROOM BRAWL SCHOOL OF IMPROVISED COMBAT!"
"The what?" Kitsune chuckled.
The crowd cheered as the two fighters walked on to the stage, Ryukon was wearing the black Gi and was spinning the golden staff around his fingers. His opponent was an elderly looking man with a face a mask of scars and tufts of beard. The tattered robes he wore were stained with dirt.
"BEGIN!" The announcer yelled.
Scene Change
Keitaro sat in the waiting area watching the battle, looking for weaknesses in the two fighters he would soon have to face. Zulu's weaknesses were plain as day. All his attacks were basic and easy to counter, and he was soon defeated. Ryukon avoided using any special techniques, much to Keitaro's annoyance. He wanted to see what Ryukon was capable of before he faced him, seeing as they were both studying the same school. Ryukon claimed he was a master, but Keitaro could remember Ryukon well enough to know that he was probably just bluffing.
"WELL FOLKS… THAT SURE ENDED FAST. THERE IS A THREE HOUR BREAK NOW UNTIL WE RETURN, THIS TIME THE URASHIMA SCHOOL FIGHTER IS THE NEWCOMER AGAINST LAST YEAR'S PRELIMARY FINALIST RYOKO HARUGESEWA!"
On hearing this Keitaro closed his eyes and meditated. He had come along way since first accepting Tsuruko's offer, but hearing he was facing the finalist of last year was not comforting.
"You alright Keitaro?" Suu noticed Keitaro stiffen.
"I'll be fine, will you be alright here?"
"Sure." Suu beamed. "So long as Keitaro wins, I'll be fine!"
"Glad to hear it." Keitaro smiled. "I am going to have a little rest okay? Wake me up in about two hours."
"Okay!"
Keitaro settled down and slipped into dreamland. For the first time in a while his dream was not about adult fantasies involving Motoko. In this dream he was in the middle of a grey sandy desert. The moon illuminated a pale figure stood facing him.
"Naru?" Keitaro tried to walk towards her but found he couldn't move.
"Who do you love? Me or Motoko?" Naru asked.
"Well that's easy." Keitaro grinned. "Which am I going out with?"
"Say it."
"Huh?" Keitaro looked puzzled.
"Say 'I love Naru not Motoko'." The pale Naru stared at Keitaro.
"Why?" Keitaro frowned.
"Because I want to here you say it." Naru's face was still expressionless.
"Fine," Keitaro opened his mouth to say it but found his tongue wouldn't speak.
"In this dream world, you cannot lie." Pale Naru sighed.
"I love you Naru." Keitaro snapped.
"So that much is true. Do you love Motoko?"
Keitaro tried to deny it but found his voice failing him.
"Just as I thought." The pale Naru shook her head. "If you do not choose one or the other, you will only end up hurting both. Which would you consider marrying?"
"I… don't know." Keitaro's voice faltered, "At first I thought you."
"But now?" Naru prompted.
"Now I wonder if the only reason I ever wanted to be with you is because of the promise I made so long ago. Part of me feels that living for the past is stupid."
"We can only live for the present to build the future we want." Motoko's voice echoed in the desert.
"That's right… it was Motoko who told me that in a training session." Keitaro smiled at the thought.
"But where would we be if we didn't keep our promises." Pale Naru faded away into the background.
Keitaro's eyes snapped opened as Suu leaped up and down on his chest.
"Wake up!" Suu grinned as she saw his eyes open. "You're up!"
"Hurry up Keitaro." Kanako prodded him then turned to Suu, "We should go to the coach's area. It has a good view of the fight.
"Okay!" Suu grinned.
Scene Change
Keitaro walked out onto the Arena floor, the crowd were cheering. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Kitsune and Shinobu holding a banner proclaiming 'If you can survive a Naru Punch you can win this thing Keitaro! Love The Hinata Girls!' which earned a chuckle from Keitaro.
"Right," The referee turned to Keitaro, "You know the rules, if you use that katana; it must stay in its sheath alright. First to get K. O'ed or give in loses."
"Got it." Keitaro nodded and turned to his opponent. She was fairly muscular and had tanned skin. She looked a lot like a more exotic version of Kitsune, being of a similar height with almost the same face. Her outfit was simply everyday clothes, although the fact she was a finalist last year meant he was not going to underestimate her.
"KEITARO URASHIMA VS RYOKO HARUGESEWA BEGIN!" The announcer called out.
Keitaro barely bad time to blink. His opponent seemed to travel the distance between them before Keitaro was able to lift his Katana. The first five hits were delivered at lightning speed, knocking Keitaro backwards and forcing the wind from his lungs. Damn… He thought as he rolled to avoid a heel to the face this girl is good!
Scene Change
The crowd watched in interest as Keitaro managed to fend off her attacks.
"Sempai is doing well." Shinobu watched in awe then turned to look at Tsuruko and squeaked. Both she and her sister were glaring at Keitaro.
"He is far better than this!" Motoko sighed, "Why is he holding back?"
"Who knows," Tsuruko scowled. "Maybe this is part of the Zensen fighting style."
"I doubt it, Ryukon didn't hold back." Motoko shook her head
"He did, but his opponent had no skill so it was hard to tell. I only know as I have faced his full strength before."
"Who won?" Motoko asked.
"Me." Tsuruko smiled recalling the battle. Ryukon kept shrugging of her attacks, determined to win. In the end he had collapsed from pure exhaustion with a smile on his face. He had thanked Tsuruko for not holding back.
"Come on Keitaro! Knock her into next week!" Kitsune yelled.
"If only Naru were here, she would be able to cheer him on!" Shinobu sighed sadly.
Scene Change
Keitaro managed to evade Ryoko's furious attacks. She was an unarmed fighter and relied on rapid attacks that left no openings for a counter attack. Despite taking a few hits early on, Keitaro had managed to defend successfully against Ryoko's attacks and was currently waiting for an opening.
Ryoko suddenly dropped down and lashed out at Keitaro with a sweeping kick, tripping him but once again he was able to roll away before Ryoko could take advantage of the situation.
"Not bad boy," Ryoko grinned showing sharpened canines before leaping backwards to catch her breath.
"Not bad yourself." Keitaro calmed himself and gathered his Ki. Time to show off my new technique.
"Hmm? A Ki attack huh?" Ryoko grinned and took up a crouched stance. "This out to be interesting."
Scene Change
"What's happening, they have both stopped fighting!" Kitsune frowned.
"Keitaro is preparing his attack, and Ryoko wants to see how good he is so is letting him charge it. Her current stance is one used to deflect Ki attacks." Tsuruko shook her head, "Keitaro will just be wasting his time using any Ki attacks."
A similar verdict had been reached down in the coach's area, where Kanako and Suu watched the fight.
"So Keitaro can't hurt her?" Suu frowned.
"Actually… he does have a little advantage. Seeing as his heart is in turmoil, his Ki is erratic. This will make it harder to deflect. Plus the technique he is going to use, The Zensen Kaze Shuurai is a lightning fast version of Motoko's own Ki strikes. Although they lack the power of the Shinmeiryuu School techniques, most of the Zensen techniques have incredible speed making defending against them near impossible." Kanako frowned. "That is if he can control his Ki long enough to actually launch an attack."
Scene Change
Keitaro took a deep breath and watched as the world around him seemed to slow down to a snail's pace. The crowd's cheers were mere whispers in his ears and all the colours seemed to drain, leaving grey shadows all around. This is it… Keitaro felt the energy surge into his katana. In the world of grey, his sword was a glowing yellow beacon. He raised the katana and pulled it back, like a baseball player getting ready to swing at an incoming baseball.
Remember the lessons, keep calm and focus on happy feelings… Keitaro allowed a serious of images to pass through his mind, his training with Motoko and Tsuruko, how he felt when Motoko confessed her feelings for him, how he felt when he and Naru started dating…
Naru's not here though. A dark thought from Keitaro's subconscious crept into the picture. The yellow glow of his sword began to fade away, leaving a black shadow where it once was.
Scene Change
"What the…" Tsuruko frowned. "His Ki just vanished?"
"Not good." Motoko started chewing her nails.
Damn... Keitaro tried to fight the growing depression but failed miserably. She doesn't care enough to watch me fight...
But the others do. Keitaro's dark side decided to try and cheer him up. Motoko is up there and she loves you. And you admitted you love her in that dream so what is the problem?
Keitaro was aware of movement and saw Ryoko grow tired of waiting and start charging towards him, even at the snail's pace the world appeared to be moving at, she looked pretty intimidating.
Scene Change
"Ouch." Kitsune flinched as Ryoko's fist connected with Keitaro sending him skidding backwards in the dust.
"Sempai!" Shinobu had tears in her eyes.
"Damn it Keitaro!" Motoko stood up, "What the hell are you playing at?"
Keitaro staggered to his feet, struggling to stay conscious. He tried to gather his Ki, and found himself recalling a tender moment in training.
"Ouch..." Keitaro grimaced as Motoko cleaned the cut on his arm.
"Stop whining." Motoko chuckled. "It's only a small cut."
"I know, I know." Keitaro sighed. "I am probably going to get a lot worse in that tournament huh?"
"Probably..." Motoko looked up at Keitaro with tears in her eyes, "Promise me Keitaro, you won't risk your life just to pay off your debt to my sister. If you were to die..." Motoko broke eye contact.
"Hey, Mo-chan. I got trained by you. Who is going to be able to kill me?" Keitaro smiled.
"Promise me." Motoko whispered.
"I promise you." Keitaro pushed Motoko's chin up so she could see his face. "I promise I will not throw my life away. But I also promise you I will not let you down. I will qualify and make you proud."
"That's a promise then." Motoko brushed away a tear and hugged Keitaro. "I'll hold you to it. Die and I will have you resurrected so I can have the pleasure of killing you myself." Motoko chuckled weakly.
"No worries." Keitaro winked.
Keitaro looked up, aware of the charging Ryoko. "I promised..."
"But where would be if we didn't keep our promises?"
"Lightning Wolf Claw!" Ryoko lashed out, using a Ki based fist attack. Keitaro stopped it with his hand. He looked up and deep into her eyes.
"I promised Mo-chan... I would not disappoint her!" Keitaro threw the fist Ryoko's fist back catching her off guard. "I PROMISED! KAZE SHUURAI!" Keitaro swung he katana in an arc in front of him.
For several moments it appeared as if nothing had happened.
"Amazing..." Ryoko staggered backwards. "That attack... it had hit me before you even finished yelling it. Well done... Keitaro Urashima."
Ryoko's outfit suddenly exploded into shreds of cloth along a diagonal slash across her stomach. The metal vest underneath was badly dinted. Ryoko fell over backwards almost as if in slow motion. When she hit the floor she groaned, "That attack... was like getting hit by a fully loaded oil tanker." She murmured before allowing herself to fall unconscious.
"WINNER KEITARO URASHIMA! WHAT AN AMAZING OUTCOME. THE NEWCOMER MANAGED TO PULL A VICTORY FROM THE HANDS OF LAST YEARS FINALIST! WHAT TALENT THIS BOY HAS! THAT IS IT FOR TODAY'S FIXTURES BUT COME BACK TOMORROW WHEN WE WILL HAVE A FIGHT OF THE AGES BETWEEN LAST YEARS FINALIST RYOKO HARUGESEWA, AND HER OLD RIVAL STEVE 'THE JUGGERNAUT' WHO SHE DEFEATED IN LAST YEARS REGIONAL SEMIFINAL. WHO WILL WIN IN THIS REPLAY? WE'LL SEE YOU THERE!"
"Sempai won!" Shinobu jumped up and down.
"Who'd have thought it?" Kitsune grinned.
"Not bad." Haruka removed the cigarette from his mouth. "I wonder what he was saying before he used that Ki strike."
"Something about a promise." Tsuruko shrugged. She was a talented lip reader but over this distance, even with the binoculars she had borrowed from Motoko, there was no way she could have worked out the entire conversation.
"Wow! Keitaro won!" Suu jumped up and down, "I never even saw the attack."
"Such is the power of the Kaze Shuurai." Kanako nodded sagely. "It also appears he was able to focus his Chi correctly. That is good news. Now he should be able to learn Ryuujin Sukedachi"
"Is that food?" Suu frowned then shrugged. "Maybe I should give Keitaro the present I made him!"
"What present?" Kanako raised an eyebrow.
"A fighting Mecha-Tama!" Suu grinned. "Keitaro can fight it!"
"That is actually quite a good idea Suu... whoa I never thought I would say that without any sarcasm in my voice."
"Is sarcasm tasty?" Suu frowned.
"..." Kanako looked at Suu and sighed. "I guess you can't be a genius all the time. Come on, let's get Keitaro."
The Hinata girls and Tsuruko were walking out of the stand and talking about their landlord's impressive skills. Even Tsuruko was forced to admit that his Ki attack was quite impressive. Motoko wasn't talking. She was walking as if in a dream world.
"Keitaro, Kanako, Suu!" Kitsune waved at the trio as they left the stadium and made their way to the ground level.
"Oh hi everyone." Keitaro grinned. "I liked the banner."
"It was my idea." Shinobu smiled and blushed when Keitaro nodded at her.
"Thanks Shinobu." Keitaro looked at Tsuruko and Motoko and opened his mouth to speak when.
SLAP!
Keitaro staggered backwards clutching his left cheek.
"What were you playing at?" Motoko advanced on the shocked Keitaro. "What was the idea letting her beat you up like that? What happened to all that training that we put you through? A fighter like that should have never got anywhere near you!"
"I'm... sorry." Keitaro bowed his head. "I was not focused on the fight properly and paid the price for that."
"That much was obvious." Motoko breathed out slowly, "But I am forced to admit that once you got your act together, you were a pretty good fighter."
"Thanks Mo-chan, that means a lot coming from you." Keitaro rubbed his cheek.
"Are you hurt Sempai?" Shinobu ran up to Keitaro.
"Oh no," Keitaro smiled, "Mo-chan didn't intend to hurt me."
"I meant from the fight." Shinobu looked worried, "You took quite a few hits."
"Compared to a Naru punch, that was nothing. On that note have you guy's seen Naru anywhere?"
"No, we thought she was with you." Kitsune shrugged. "She wasn't at the Hinata, that's for sure."
"Where could she have gone?" Keitaro looked worried then to the surprise of everyone, shrugged and said, "Oh well I suppose she's alright wherever she is."
"You don't care?" Motoko asked.
"I guess at the moment I would rather not see her. I have some things I need to sort out." Keitaro replied vaguely.
"Things? Would these things be relationship issues?" Tsuruko asked innocently.
Kitsune opened her mouth to say how ridiculous that was, but caught Keitaro's expression.
"I guess something like that." Keitaro sighed and walked off to his training quarters.
"Keitaro?" Kitsune started to follow him but was intercepted by Kanako.
"This is something my brother has to solve for himself." Kanako nodded to the others. "Maybe we should go out to eat some place to celebrate Keitaro's victory?"
"But with out Keitaro..." Shinobu started but was cut off by Tsuruko.
"That sounds like a good idea." Tsuruko turned to Motoko. "How about you?"
"I was going to go look around the underground complex." Motoko shrugged.
"Well your loss then." Tsuruko smiled. Yeah, like that is your real intent.
"Come on Motoko!" Kitsune grinned. I aint leaving you with Keitaro, not after I put so much effort into making sure Naru beat you for his affections.
"There is no point in forcing Motoko to do anything. It never works." Tsuruko sighed.
"Didn't you try to force her to marry Keitaro at one point?" Kitsune retorted.
"And did it work?" Tsuruko smiled.
"No..." Kitsune admitted.
"So I know what I am talking about, see you Motoko!" Tsuruko lead the others away.
Motoko watched them walk away and decided to not to visit Keitaro immediately, and at least look like she really was going to look around the underground complex. She walked by another fighter who was stood almost as if dazed. The fighter was wearing a badge that proclaimed him to be the Masked Avenger from Fighting Group A.
"Are you alright?" Motoko noted the fighter's unusual stance.
"Fine." A gruff voice replied and the masked fighter walked off.
Motoko frowned. She could have sword she had heard the masked fighter sniffle. "Probably has a cold." Motoko dismissed her concerns and continued walking onwards.
Translations (Done by free translator so could be wrong):
Kaze Shuurai: Wind Lightning Strike
Ryuujin Sukedachi: Dragon God/King Assistance (in a Fight)