Love Hina: Once Again

Chapter 24

"She has a girlfriend?" Naru asked, looking slightly shaken as she and Kitsune walked the halls of the Hina Dorm. The brown haired twenty-something looked good in her casual clothes, with her long hair flowing down her back.

"Mutsumi and Tennyo have been seeing each other for several weeks now," Kitsune nodded, the boyish woman walking beside her, dressed in a blouse and trousers.

"Wow," Naru smiled as they went along the familiar upper floors. "I guess I shouldn't be too surprised," she admitted, "Mitsumi never had any problems kissing girls."

That got a chuckle from Kitsune as they passed by one door. "Rei and Ami are sharing this one," she noted.

"Why sharing?" Naru wondered, "Saving money?"

"Ah, no," Kitsune admitted, "they're a couple too." As Naru gave her a odd look Kitsune shrugged eloquently, "I think it was just interesting timing. Or maybe they served as a good example for Mitsumi."

"There's a thought," Naru conceded. "Ami's going to Tokyo U, right?" she asked, "And Rei's the heiress of a shrine?"

"Yup." Kitsune nodded. "What did you think of Tennyo?"

"I think she's older than she lets on," Naru said after a moment, "it's nothing I can nail down, just the look in her eyes."

"Yeah, and I think she's been through some interesting stuff," Kitsune nodded.

"Like we have?" Naru flashed a grin, and when Kitsine nodded she shook her head as she muttered, "Poor woman."

"She's also the heir of a ancestral sword style," Kitsune grinned, "you should ask her to spar with Motoko some time. It's quite spectacular."

The two women headed back downstairs, where the common room was busy with conversation. Keitaro was being chatted at by both Su and Shinobu, while Anthy was pouring tea for the group. Ema and Motoko were sitting nearby, Motoko smiling slightly while Ema looked excited over the return.

Kanako separated from the group and walked over, smiling sheepishly. "I'm sorry I let myself get so caught up in greeting my brother," she said, the black clad young woman smiling gently.

"I'm generally happy when our meetings don't end with you trying to burn me at the stake," Naru teased her gently.

"I think I've broken myself of that habit at least," Kanako chuckled softly. She looked at Naru curiously, "Have you met Anthy yet?"

"Kitsune took me to meet her in town," Naru noted.

"And she nailed the whole fortune thing," Kitsune noted. "If she wasn't so nice, the whole seeing the future thing would be creepy."

"I suppose," Kanako nodded. She hesitated, "Kitsune told you about Rei and Ami, Naru?"

"She did," Naru nodded as she looked at the other girl curiously.

"Anthy is seeing a woman named Utena," Kanako said a bit sheepishly, "I don't expect her to come by, but I thought you should know."

"Maybe there's something in the water?" Kitsune suggested as Naru digested that fact. She grinned suddenly, "Better be careful, or you could end up dumping Keitaro for Motoko."

"Hey!" Naru scowled.

"Not that there's anything wrong with liking Motoko," Kanako noted quietly, a slight blush coloring her cheeks.

"Here you go," Anthy smiled, setting a cup of tea in front of Keitaro. She settled into one of the chairs, having changed out of her fortune telling gear to a blouse and red skirt. "The others tell me you're an archeologist?"

"Well, I'm working to become one," Keitaro said modestly. "For now I'm mostly working with Seto on his Turtle Civilization research."

"Don't put down the work you do," Motoko noted, the black haired warrior looking at him crossly, "you know you've helped him with several major discoveries."

Keitaro sipped his tea, "By tripping over things, usually."

"Good enough," Shinobu said, smiling.

Ema sat nearby, the younger girl rather shy around the newcomer. She mostly only knew him by crashing his wedding some time ago, after all. Still, he seemed likeable, though she really didn't get what everyone else was so impressed by.

Rei and Ami stopped in for a fast introduction, but it was clear Ami was damn tired from school, and Rei had just finished up her duties at the shrine. Both women excused themselves, and headed up to their room.

Shinobu reluctantly got up, "I'd better get some dinner going."

"Can I help?" Ema asked eagerly.

"Sure, come on," Shinobu chuckled as they headed off to the kitchen.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Motoko wasn't sure what had woken her up, but in seconds the familiar crack of wooden practice swords striking together registered on her. Swiftly she got up and pulled on shorts and a t-shirt before hurrying to the back of the dorms to see what was happening.

Stepping out onto the back porch, Motoko saw Kanako, who was watching what was going on thoughtfully. "You're just in time," the black clad girl noted as twin blurs bounced behind her.

The two figures came to a stop, and she was shocked to see Tennyo crossing swords with Keitaro. They were both trying to break through the other's guard, wooden blades crossed as they pressed against each other hard.

"Interesting," Tennyo finally noted, "you're trained in the Urashima school of swordsmanship?"

"I learned bits and pieces of it," Keitaro admitted, "along with some Jeet Kune Do from Seta and whatever I could pick up from Motoko kicking my ass regularly."

Motoko winced slightly, blushing. She had used a certain technique against Keitaro regularly, to the point where he learned it himself. It was something she felt more than a bit ashamed of, though she hadn't admitted it to him.

"I see," Tennyo said with a smile.

"And you're using the Masaki style," Keitaro noted, "from the shrine, right? I met Tenchi once, we had a spar or two."

"Good," Tennyo flashed a much more dangerous smile, "then I can stop holding back against you, as you've experienced my family style."

What followed was a almost biblical spanking as Tennyo easily chased Keitaro around the hot springs while the man barely dodged. Both Motoko and Kanako were rather in awe of how completely poor Keitaro was outclassed.

"wow," Kanako breathed out softly. She shook her head, "I guess just picking up bits and pieces of a style doesn't help against a master."

"Yeah," Motoko agreed, smiling grimly. "I do wonder how Seta would do against her, though. He's... rather unusual."

Tennyo finally pinned Keitaro against a wall, slapped his sword away and then taped him on the shoulder. "I win, as agreed?" she asked politely.

"You win," Keitaro agreed, sighing. "I hoped to do better," he noted as they walked across the hot springs towards where the two women watched.

"You have potential," Tennyo nodded, "but you need to take the time to really develop it. Until you do, you will only be a lucky novice."

"Fair enough," Keitaro agreed.

"Do you need a towel, big brother?" Kanako asked, smiling as she handed the shorts and t-shirt clad man one.

"Thanks," Keitaro took it, even though he looked faintly uncomfortable.

"That was incredible," Motoko told Tennyo with a warm smile, "I'm just glad you didn't treat me so harshly." She hesitated, "Did you hold back when fighting me?"

"No," Tennyo shook her head firmly as the woman in white shirt and pants continued, "you're more than skilled enough to face me."

Motoko frowned, "But when I fought Keitaro, he held his own against me."

"Then the fault may not be in your skills," Tennyo reached out to gently tap her forehead, "but in your mind."

"I see," Motoko murmured, just as Naru raced from the building.

"Are you trying to murder my husband?" Naru asked jokingly, hurrying over to his side.

"Just testing his skills against me own," Tennyo said quickly, "someone told him I was a swordswoman and he wanted a match."

"I see," Naru smiled faintly, "did you kick his ass?"

"Pretty much," Keitaro admitted, scratching the back of his head sheepishly.

Motoko quietly slipped away, her thoughts racing as she considered what Tennyo had said. Was it true that she had let Keitaro win against her? She had studied the Shinmei-ryu school of swordsman-ship for many years, but had never really considered herself a master of it. Had her confused emotions around Keitaro lead to her defeat? And if so, could she change that?

A soft knock on her door jarred Motoko from a troubled attempt at meditation. "Yes?" she called out.

"It's me," Naru smiled as she peeked in. She slipped inside as she looked around the asture rooms that Motoko preferred, "It's looking Spartan, as usual."

"Well, yes," Motoko agreed. She suddenly realized her desk was cluttered with work and her romance writing, and hurried over to stash it before Naru got too close.

"Ooh, let me see!" Naru leaped forward to try to grab at the documents. The two women wrestled for the papers as she complained, "Come on! Kitsune told me you got published but won't let anyone see! It's not fair."

"It's just a short story," Motoko complained, "and it's my first work. Of course I'm going to be hesitant to let anyone see it!"

"Come on, please?" Naru batted her eyes cutely.

Motoko shuddered involuntarily. "Please don't do that, it creeps me out," she complained.

Naru pouted, "Meanie."

To be continued...

Notes: One bit that drove me nuts in Love Hina was how good a swordsman certain characters could be with no serious training. That never made sense to me, so I thought I should show what a skilled swordswoman could do to a unskilled one.