Corruption
Disclaimer: I don't own Love Hina. Sorry guys, looks like Ken isn't gonna give me rights to it L. Oh well, it's not like I was expecting anyone to hand me over anything as powerful as the Love Hina series. Oh yeah, I like reviews so if you read this, it would be nice for you to review. Flamers, save it. If you want to be constructive, go ahead, but needless criticism will be frowned upon.
Key (I think people were confused somewhat)
Italics mean someone is thinking to himself or herself
Bold means someone is communicating telepathically
"Quotation marks" are kind of straight forward, but they mean someone is talking out loud.
… Means someone has either trailed off or been interrupted.
Other stuff doesn't matter, as I don't really use anything else.
"Ejichima Maehara, the jury has reached a verdict. We have decided that you are still violently insane and as of thus will be re-enrolled in your formal mental asylum." The representative of the jury sat back down. Ejichima looked around, dazed and confused. He thought that he was winning the case and would be free. Free to live out his life as he wanted to. Somehow, he had been betrayed.
"Why? I am cured, I say. Leioji is destroyed. I, Ejichima Maehara have full control over this body and mind. Please, I swear it that Leioji is gone." Ejichima stopped. He recognized he was doing something wrong. The judge was looking at him with a stern, concerned look.
"If you are truly cured, then why do you still speak of that-that thing as a person?" The judge believed Ejichima still mad. Ejichima looked around, searching for a familiar face. He found none. The bailiff grabbed hold of Ejichima and dragged the confused figure off of the premises of the courtroom.
Three days later
"You may now see Patient 2895A3U. You have fifteen minutes." The guard escorted Shinobu Maehara into the near-empty cell. So this is the hole in which my brother has to live in? Shinobu looked around with slight disgust. The walls were lightly padded. The only object in the room was a small futon with a single blanket and pillow. And there, sitting on the futon, was her smiling brother.
"Ejichima…" Shinobu gasped. How could you possibly be happy in a place like this? Shinobu walked closer to her dear brother. As she did, she noticed several bruises on her brother's body.
"What are these bruises?" Shinobu asked. Ejichima immediately caught on.
"Don't worry, I didn't inflict these. Somebody else decided to make me their personal punching bag." This sentence stirred up confusion in Shinobu. Why would you let them beat you up, Ejichima-san? You are so strong. You could destroy them with a simple attack…
"I don't fight back specifically because I don't want to. I know that if I did fight back, the other person would be dead before I could help it." Ejichima said this with a mysterious air around him. Shinobu gasped. How did he…
"Did you forget what I used to be able to do, Shinobu?" Ejichima smiled. Shinobu stumbled backwards, but she caught herself on the soft walls.
"You-You can-How?" Shinobu was at a loss for words. Her brother hadn't talked to her like this for over a decade. Why now?
"Because now I need help. Shinobu, I need your help." Ejichima stared at Shinobu in a way that made her feel both uneasy and calm at the same time. Shinobu hadn't seen the pits of her brother's eyes for so long it was like something alien.
"Shinobu, you are the only person who has visited me. Will the others be coming as well?" To this, Shinobu nodded. Ah, good, Ejichima thought to himself.
"Please Shinobu. I must speak to Keitaro. I assume he is fine?" Ejichima spoke with concern. Shinobu nodded again.
"Yes, he is fully rejuvenated. Naru Narusegawa and Motoko Aoyama are also fine. Why do you ask?" Shinobu usually wouldn't pry into someone else's business, but this was her brother.
"You know why Shinobu." Actually, Shinobu had no idea why Ejichima would want to talk to Keitaro. After all, Keitaro was still furious with Leioji and would become violent at the very mention of his name. However, Keitaro had gotten quite a lot of affection from Naru for saving her.
"I don't know why. I truly don't. I don't think Keitaro will want to talk to you either, as he and Narusegawa are doing quite fine. They are having a good time studying together again." Shinobu had not meant to upset her brother, but somehow she had. A single tear rolled down Ejichima's cheek.
"Shinobu, I must speak with Seta." This surprised Shinobu even greater than the request to speak with Keitaro. Shinobu thought they hadn't even met. However, she would not challenge the will of her brother, and Shinobu left.
"Are you done? You still have ten more minutes," the guard stated. Shinobu waved him off. She walked up to where her friends stood talking. When she entered, they quieted.
"So, how was he?" Haruka asked.
"He's fine, but he wants to talk to Seta." Everyone gasped in response. That is, everyone except Seta.
"Why? We can't send him in there with that…" A hand clamped over her mouth cut off Naru. Keitaro had shut her up.
"Very well, I'll see him," Seta responded.
"Why?" Naru couldn't understand Seta. Seta glanced at her and she settled down. Seta approached the guard. The guard let Seta in after he listened to that stream of dribble that all cell guards have to say.
When Seta entered the room, Ejichima leapt to his feet. The quick movement enabled Ejichima's harness, and he froze. One metric ton of pressure was applied to every part of Ejichima's body. But somehow, Ejichima was not crushed. Rather, he merely dropped to the ground. Seta shook his head as he entered the cell.
"How is it, Ejichima?" Seta asked as he looked around the padded room.
"Terrible. Leioji knows who we are. Why else would he ask for Keitaro to come? Seta, they know who we are. They are coming for us, and you know it. The matriarch is helpless in this situation. You know that…" Seta silenced Ejichima with a finger. Seta pointed to the surveillance camera that watched the two of them.
"Don't want to go convincing anyone that you're crazier than you really are, now do you? Ejichima, just chill. They aren't going to find you. Leioji's gone, right?" At this, Ejichima bowed his head. Shame spread through Ejichima.
"No… He is still inside me. Seta," Ejichima said while looking up at Seta, "I need you to help me. Please, gather the cleansers. I can't hold him off forever. Please Seta," Ejichima begged. Seta scratched the back of his head and responded.
"I'll see what I can do. Just get ready." With that, Seta turned his back on Ejichima and left the room. For some reason, however, Ejichima looked relieved. Thank you, Seta. Hurry. I will be ready for you.
Two hours later at the Hinata House
"He needs help. I just know it. I really could tell that Leioji was talking back over," the first figure said.
"I know, but it's just too dangerous. There are only two of us. I don't want to send you in with no back up," the second figure responded in a worried tone.
"Please, we have to do something. Leioji is injured. Ejichima is regaining his strength. If he can't help me fight Leioji, he can at least guide me to him," the first figure reassured the second.
"Still, I think you should have some backup…" The second figure stopped.
"No, don't even think it. They are too young. Besides, they don't even know about us," the second figure continued.
"They have a right to know. They are, after all, immortals. How would you feel if you never knew who you were?" This shocked the first figure.
"I guess you're right. I'll tell the boy. She'll be more of a problem. Leioji did, after all, nearly kill her. Just bring the girl. That will be enough. Oh and one more thing," the first figure continued.
"Good luck." To this, the second figure nodded.
Seta and Haruka emerged from Haruka's room. They sped off in different directions in the darkened hallways. It was well past the curfew in the Hinata House, so no one detected the movement of the pair through the house. Before anyone noticed, Seta and Haruka appeared in front of Keitaro and Motoko's rooms, respectively.
Seta threw open the door. Although he used force, he also used control; the effect was the door-opened immediately but made no sound. Keitaro sat under his kotatsu studying intensely.
Seta descended on Keitaro before he could make a sound. Ah bother, Keitaro will learn about us when we invade Ejichima, Seta thought to himself. Seta dragged Keitaro silently out into the front of the Hinata house where he found Haruka with an unconscious Motoko.
"Couldn't get yours without dragging her out here unconscious, I see?" Seta joked.
"You seemed to have more luck. Keitaro, Seta is going to release you now. Don't make any sounds. Understand?" To this, Keitaro nodded. Seta took his hand slowly away from Keitaro's mouth. As he promised, Keitaro made no sound.
"Alright, part-timer. Ready for an extra assignment? The pay is nil, but I assure you it's for a good cause." Seta said this with a serious expression on his face.
"O-Okay. Um, what exactly are we doing?" Keitaro inquired.
"We're piercing the security systems of the mental asylum Ejichima Maehara is staying in." Keitaro took this as a joke. But when he saw the stoic, deep expressions on his Aunt and "Uncle", Keitaro realized they were serious.
"Are we busting Ejichima out of there?" Keitaro said this with malice.
"No, we are not." As Seta said this, Keitaro relaxed.
"We're busting in to bust in to Ejichima." This confused Keitaro deeply and thoroughly. His Aunt had just said they were going to bust into someone.
"Uh, that's great and all, but what are you talking about." As Keitaro finished his sentence, Haruka glared at Seta
"You didn't tell him, did you Seta?" Haruka said this with obvious disappointment.
"Well, I figured we could tell him in Ejichima…" Seta couldn't finish his train of thought. He was hit over the head by Haruka before he could do so.
"And you were complaining about my methods. Geesh." Haruka finished by rolling her eyes.
"Forget about that. Let's go. Keitaro, here's the plan. All of us go in covertly, then we bust into cell 2895A3U. Then we'll fill you in on what's going on." Seta's sentence left Keitaro lacking, but it seemed as though Haruka didn't want Keitaro to know anymore.
"I'll drive," Haruka said as she took the wheel of the sleek black vehicle. She tossed Motoko to Seta who caught her only barely in time. Seta put her in the back seat with Keitaro.
"Make sure she's buckled in, who knows what kind of accident we could get into," Seta said with a wink. The vehicle they were in seemed to be the combination of an assault vehicle and a racecar. When it raced across the silent roads of Kanagawa, the sleek body of the vehicle became nearly invisible. The terrible power of the vehicle brought them to the front of the asylum in a matter of minutes.
"Okay kids, time to get out," Seta said as he stepped out of the passenger side of the vehicle. Haruka stepped out of the driver's seat without a word. She reached into the back seat and pulled Keitaro to his feet.
"You better wake her up. After all, this does involve her." Seta tied a piece of cloth around Motoko's mouth and then shook her. Motoko quivered, and then she woke. She immediately noticed that someone had attempted to silence her. However, she also noticed that neither her hands nor her feet had been tied up. This startled her, and she cried out.
The cloth muffled her cry. She took of the piece of cloth, and grabbed her sword, the Hinata. She quickly unsheathed it and looked around at her surroundings. She found herself in the back of an open vehicle. She was surrounded by darkness, but it was a welcoming darkness. There was an n eerie friendliness to the black, and it unnerved her.
"Who's there?" Motoko shakily asked the night.
"Motoko, calm down." That voice put Motoko's heart at ease. If Haruka is here, then nothing can be wrong.
"What am I doing here, Haruka-san?" Motoko spoke with the utmost respect she could muster.
"Just Haruka, okay? We need your help getting in there." As Haruka spoke, sight returned to Motoko. She recognized where she was. She was in front of the mental asylum that housed Ejichima.
"I refuse. I will not help you let that demon loose." Motoko thought she had it all planned out. They were counting on her to help them break Ejichima out of there.
"We aren't breaking him out of there." This puzzled Motoko. If they weren't going to free Ejichima, then what did Haruka mean?
"What are we doing then?" Motoko simply had to know.
"We are going in there to free Ejichima not physically, but mentally. Leioji lives." That name sent shivers down the spines of both Motoko and Keitaro.
"I don't understand." Motoko and Keitaro had no idea what was going on.
"You'll see, just follow us," Seta said as he fit himself into a vest. He grabbed a handful of small circular things and nodded to Haruka who now held something that very closely resembled a dagger.
Seta and Haruka moved out. Motoko and Keitaro had to be fast to stay in step with them. They were soon at the front door of the building. Haruka immediately tapped up a patch of glass near the lock. She stepped back as Seta hit it with his fist. The glass cracked but made no sound.
Haruka peeled back the tape, taking the broken glass with it. She did this delicately but quickly. As soon as the glass was out of the way, Haruka slipped her hand in the hole and unlocked the door. It swung open quietly, controlled by Haruka's skill.
Haruka nodded slowly, and Seta slipped inside the building. Motoko and Keitaro followed suite. Soon, everyone stood in the dark room, awaiting orders. Seta looked around and then pointed in one direction. This meant nothing to Motoko and Keitaro, but Haruka appeared to have understood it as she disappeared in that direction. Seta then turned to the two of them.
"Follow me, you too." With that, Seta swept off in another direction. Motoko and Keitaro still had no idea what was going on, but followed the older man anyway. Seta turned down one hallway and then another. Motoko and Keitaro pressed after him as fast as they could, but they seemed to be losing him. Then they turned the corner and bumped into him. They both lost their balance and began falling backwards.
A hand darted out from the darkness and caught the two of them. Keitaro bit back the temptation to cry out. As the clouds parted, moonlight revealed whom the hands belonged to. Haruka helped them stand back up again.
"He's near. Unfortunately, there's a guard assigned to his room." Haruka's speech sounded like a code to Keitaro and Motoko. They simply could not understand what she was saying.
"No problem." Seta handed the circular objects to Haruka. He readjusted his vest and stepped out from the shadows. His sudden appearance startled the guard who dropped his cup of coffee.
Before the coffee hit the ground, the guard had been knocked out. Seta appeared in front of the guard and put him to sleep with a quick chop to the neck. The guard slumped down in his chair just as the paper coffee cup spilled it's contents on the tiled floor.
Haruka moved in. She quickly searched the guard for the card key. It appeared in her hand within a matter of seconds. She had the door open so fast that you would miss it if you blinked. Seta entered the room, and Motoko and Keitaro followed.
Sitting on his futon was Ejichima. His eyes were rolled into the back of his head and a cold sweat drenched his clothes. The veins visible by the naked eye shown a deep blue. Bruises littered his skin. His chest remained still, indicating that he was not breathing.
"Ejichima, my friend, it is time for you to be free," Seta said as he helped Haruka prepare a bizarre altar in one corner of the room.
"Aren't you going to do anything? He's going to die. Leioji is a bastard, but it would crush Shinobu if Ejichima died, though I can't figure out why. Perhaps it's a sibling thing." Motoko caught herself. She had a sister, a sister she aspired to become. She understood fully why Shinobu loved her brother. A kind older sibling is one of the greatest things you can wish for.
"Ejichima will not die. He is preparing himself for the ritual." Haruka did not stop to respond to Motoko. Now the altar was fully constructed. It was a small marble table covered in the finest silk in the land. On the silk stood a small pedestal that held the small circular objects Seta had carried. Haruka then took the dagger and placed it on Ejichima's lap.
"Seta, take hold of them," Haruka ordered Seta. He obeyed quickly. He took both Motoko and Keitaro by the arm forcefully. He then nodded to Haruka, who placed her hand on the chests of both Seta and Ejichima.
Haruka preceded to speak in a strange tongue that was not familiar to either Keitaro or Motoko. Suddenly, all the electricity in the asylum shut down. Still, a light glowed. Haruka's hands burned intensely with an unnerving glow. Fear ensnared Keitaro, and he began to resist. He will had failed.
But then peace swept over him. He found himself somewhere familiar. And although he had no corporeal memory of his visiting here, he felt like he was home. He relaxed until a voice spoke.
"Welcome to my mind…"