Motoko Aoyama: Thanks a lot for reading! I love you all for supporting my stories! Thanks a lot! Anyways, here comes the next chapter of "Another Promise" It contains a lot of action and I personally had a lot of fun writing it so hopefully you would enjoy it as much as I do! Now let's begin!
Disclaimer: Of course I don't own LH or RK, but I do own some original characters so there! (As if my original characters are worth anything...sigh)
ANOTHER PROMISE
Chapter 34
" Ryu Sou Sen!" the mysterious fighter yelled as his katana attacked Motoko quickly at nine vital points of her body. The attacks were so fast, so strong that Motoko could hardly see them coming, and all she could do was to let her ki guide her sword and block those attacks before they struck her. There was absolutely no chance for Motoko to fight back as the attacks rained down on her. Akiko could do nothing except watch as she was frozen with fear by the battle.
" I've never heard of such an attack before...it is so...scary," Akiko thought to herself.
All was a blur for Motoko, a blurry dark figure in blurry surroundings with blurry metallic flashes in front of her. It was all too fast for her as she had never fought at this speed before, and the demon-fighting style of Shinmeiryuu wasn't well equipped for this type of battle. She could use none of the strong ki attacks she had learned from the past, and could only trust her instincts in blocking the quick attacks sent at her. Very soon, she was sweating heavily, panting like a dog as she tried to dodge. The attacks just got faster and faster and the surroundings became eerier blurs.
" Ryu Sou Sen Garami!" the stranger hollered once more, his katana now aimed at Motoko's head as it descended at a godly speed. Motoko had little strength left, and she could feel her powers leaving her quickly, but when the attack came, she had just one thing in mind. She could not die, because she must protect Akiko and everyone in Hinatasou. Time seemed to slow for her. She could finally see! Everything was still a blur, but she could clearly make out the figure in front of her, and the katana coming. Easily, without trying, she brought her katana above her to perform a strong, upward strike that countered the attack.
" She just did the Ryu Shou Sen without knowing anything about Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu!" the man thought as he leapt away at the last second to avoid being killed by Motoko's counterattack. That gave the space needed for Shinmeiryuu's slower, but stronger attacks, as Motoko took advantage of it to send a deadly "Hiken Hyatsu Karyouran" at the offender, forcing him to retreat to the slanted rooftop where Keitaro and Motoko looked down at the quiet city on that memorable night. Another blast of ki was sent towards the man but he managed to dodge the attack and leap into the air with another scream.
" Ryu Tsui Sen!" he screamed as he brought his katana down at Motoko with a deadly slash. Motoko's strong will of protecting everyone at Hinatasou had help her overcome her lack of experience with quick attacks, and so she was able to see through the blur at the attacker's weapon. It all seemed simple now that she could see everything, and she blocked the attack once more with a "Ryuhazen" that shook the offender's katana so much that he nearly lost his grip on it.
" Ryu Kan Sen!" he yelled again as he blocked the attack and counterattacked Motoko. By the air currents his movements had stirred, she knew that he was aiming at the back of her neck, so without turning the slightest bit, she blocked the attack with her katana.
The katanas were locked and made a screeching sound as they slid on each other. When the katana were freed from each other, Motoko hollered her attack.
" Raimeiken Ni no Tachi!" Motoko yelled as lightning emitted from her katana towards her enemy. However, he did the most unexpectedly thing as he dodged into the attack!
" Ryu Kan Sen Tsumuji!" he said as he came up behind Motoko and was ready to strike her neck, only to be intercepted by Motoko's katana.
" How can she dodge this?" he thought to himself. Even Motoko didn't know why, because she just felt it before it came. Her sword had told her to defend her neck, and that was what she did.
For a moment the two fighters stood there in silence. Motoko was breathing very rapidly as she had never fight like this before, and the offender too felt a drop of sweat trickle down his forehead.
" There is only one more attack I should test her on, one more and the sakabatou have chosen its new owner," he thought as he charged towards Motoko. His sword seemed to be everywhere at the same time as it pointed towards Motoko to make the first strike. How can Motoko dodge a sword that was everywhere at the same time, a sword that would slay her if she didn't counterattack!
All of a sudden Motoko could hear the calling of her surroundings. She could feel the soul of trees beating, the earth shifting underneath her feet, the warmth of fire that resides on the distant star we call the sun, the calm serenity of water from its mountain home. Nature was calling to her, her grandfather was calling to her, and her sword was pulsing, telling her to unleash the only attack that could save her life!
" Ougi Shinmei Ken!" Motoko heard her voice pierce through the air. Just as the stranger's katana was about to strike her, her katana glowed brightly and unleashed the power of the gods, its aura enough to force the man back.
The man was stunned. The intensity of the glow was increasing rapidly at he retreated as fast as he could. All he could think of was to use the Ougi of the Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu, and so he put his katana in its sheath once more. For a second he stopped, watching the godly power that would devour him if he didn't make his move. Then, he performed the Battou Jutsu, leading with his left leg, drawing his sword at a divine speed with a hollering cry.
" Ama Kakeru Ryuno Hirameki!" he screamed, his sword's power clashing with the power of the "Shinmei Ken." As the two powers clashed and fought, both its intensity declined and waned, but even when the man's attack was completely gone, the glow of the "Shinmei Ken" still traveled towards the man and hit him. Instantly, his mask shattered.
Motoko Aoyama: Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed it! Please be so kind as to give me your comments through the review system! That would be much appreciated. Anyway, about all those attacks mentioned above, I only made up the "Shinmei Ken." All the other attacks came from the "Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu" of "Rurouni Kenshin", and "Shinmeiryuu" of "Love Hina." Next Chapter: Last chapter before the epilogue! Motoko finds out about the other promise Keitaro had made to Akiko! What would happen to this blooming love between our favorite kanrinrin and kendo girl?